An inconsequential peril of consumerism ? that is how most people in a supermarket may perceive ?choice?. As shelves spill over with a variety of products ? their USPs eloquently screaming for attention? product loyalty is a rare find. The health-conscious finds it all the more difficult. And choosing a basic ingredient like cooking oil can prove to be a dilemma too.
Vegetable, groundnut and sunflower are facing tough competition from olive and canola ? two varieties that are banking on their health quotient. Oil is no longer merely a medium for cooking. It promises to do much more ? protect your heart, give you an antioxidant boost, pep you up with essential vitamins? The point is which one can you trust? Tough luck for proponents of oil-free food, but most of us demand at least a hint of lubrication, starting from salad, sauces to stir-fried greens and, of course, Butter chicken.
Agribusiness consulting firm SCS Group?s director, Sumit Saran says: ?India consumes close to 12 mn tonnes of various edible oils. The per capita consumption is nearly 11.6 kg per year. So, we are looking at a substantial amount here. At present, palm oil dominates the Indian market with 30% of the pie. However, the trend is gradually changing. People are getting a flavour of olive and other new varieties too.?
Olive oil does emerge the winner, with a string of recommendations behind it. Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor says, ?It?s a no brainer. It certainly makes our cuisines healthier.? Dr Gaurav Sharma, health and fitness expert adds: ?The Indian population is living through very difficult times and our health quotient is going down drastically. It is time we start changing our lifestyle, especially our eating. Incorporating olive oil in our cuisines will be a small start.? Another restaurateur gives away his secret: ?We use extra virgin olive oil in all our preparations. One, olive oil can easily withstand the high temperature of cooking. Secondly, it is healthy. For Indian cuisine, we largely use soyabean oil,? says Rathin Mathur, VP, VLCC?s Alive.
Last year, India imported about 7,500 tonnes of edible olive oil. ?We expect a 90% growth rate this year,? says VN Dalmia, chairman, Dalmia Continental Pvt Ltd. Canola oil is the latest from the DCPL stable. In its first year, Dalmia expects a turnover of Rs 3.75 crore, and if estimates hold ground a compounded annual growth of 140% thereafter. ?The Indian market for canola after the entry of Hudson is 200 tonnes. It is estimated to grow to 25-26,000 tonnes in five years… approximately Rs 500 crore,? Dalmia says.
There are reasons for this optimism. Canola is perfect for Indian cooking because it has a neutral taste and flavour. ?It has been tested to have the lowest content of saturated fats amongst all oils, high levels of monounsaturated fats (MUFA), antioxidants and Omega-3. It also contains a beneficial 2:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 polyunsaturated fat (PUFA).
There is still a lot out there, so don?t take your pick right away. Canola and olive are healthy, but they are not the only things you need to put in your shopping cart. ?It is best to use a combination of oils,? says Dr Sakshi Chawla, dietitician, Fortis Hospital. ?The problem with olive oil is that it is relatively expensive and leaves an aftertaste that most Indians are not used to.?
The ideal parameter to decide this combination is on the basis of fats ? monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Choose the ones that are low on saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids ? such as canola oil, olive oil, groundnut oil, and almond oil.
Prof S C Manchanda, senior consultant cardiologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital vouches for mustard oil. ?A collaborative study between Harvard School of Public Health, AIIMS and St John Medical College concluded that use of mustard oil reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 71%. The saturated fat content in it is only about 8% and that of MUFA, almost 70%. Add to that 15% Omega-3 fatty acids content,? he says.
Wondering about the calories? ?Most cooking oils contain the same number of calories ? say about 120 calories per tablespoon. And all vegetable oils have zero-cholesterol. So the only thing you need to essentially take care of is the fat,? says Chawla. ?The PUFA, MUFA and Omega-3 fatty acids must be consumed in 1:1:1 ratio. Fat is unavoidable ? but what you can opt for is healthy fat over unhealthy fat. ?Even if fat could be avoided, it is not advisable to do so,? says Chawla. A source of energy, fat gives the feeling of fullness and helps regulate cholesterol in the metabolism.
Soya bean, sunflower, cottonseed and safflower are high in PUFA. Olive, canola, almond, groundnut and rapeseed on the other hand are rich in MUFA. Saturated fatty acid is what forms good old desi ghee. ?Three to four teaspoons in the entire day must be more than enough ? say half a litre per person every month,? adds Chawla. Limit it to that if you sincerely don?t want to run the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The link is simple ? saturated fats raise ?bad? cholesterol levels in the blood. Trans fat is even worse because it reduces the level of good cholesterol. However, Omega-3 fatty acids score on this count, lowering the risk of heart attacks by preventing blood platelets from clotting and sticking to artery walls.
Identifying the type of fat in any oil is even simpler. ?Oils rich in saturated fat are generally solid at room temperature ? coconut and palm oil are the best examples,? says Chawla. So now you can go ahead and take your call.