Zero oil cooking might seem like a healthy option but trust us when we tell you that cooking without oik is not a healthy thing. This is why it is of the utmost importance that the right kind of oil be used in order to derive all the benefits that one can from the food that you cook.
Let us just put it out there from the get go; zero oil cooking is NOT healthy! This is essentially because our body does need a certain amount of oil to function properly. Thus, going off of oil completely will prove to be more unhealthy than healthy. What you can do, however, is to make a switch to a low-cholesterol oil for cooking as they will help lower the LDL levels in your blood whilst increasing the HDL levels.
The oils that are usually low in cholesterol are some of the best cholesterol free oils available in the world as they contain both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in them. All the oils listed below have a flavour that makes them stand out on their own, and some are already easily found in most households. Have a look at them here.
Olive Oil:
Of course, we will have to include one of the healthiest oils on this list; olive oil! Olive oil is such a versatile oil, especially since it comes in such a vast variety. Let us take for example extra virgin olive oil. EVO makes for a great oil when it comes to using it for salad dressings and dips. This is one of the best olive oil available in India. Then we have an oil like pomace olive oil, which makes for an oil that is absolutely brilliant to cook with like roasting and sautéing vegetables.
Amongst the many olive oil products in India, utilizing the benefits that these olive oils have to offer can truly prove to be a game changer when it comes leading a healthier lifestyle.
Canola Oil
Canola oil is another oil that makes for an amazing addition to your pantry when it comes to helping your reduce your cholesterol levels. The main feature of this brilliant oil is then fact that one can easily cook their foods on a high heat setting as the oil itself is able to withstand high heat brilliantly. Imagine having an oil that is low in cholesterol levels and that can also be used for deep frying thanks to its high smoking point property, well that's canola oil for you!
However, this only holds true for refined canola oil as unrefined canola oil does not have a high smoking point. Unrefined canola oil should ideally only be used for low to medium heat cooking recipes.
Peanut Oil
Similar to canola oil, peanut oil too is has a high smoking point, but only in its refined form! Due to this property, peanut oil too makes for a brilliant oil to be used for deep frying and stir fries as well. However, when we talk about its unrefined form, using it in recipes that require low to medium amount of cooking proves to be ideal. There is however, more of a benefit to peanut oil when compared to canola oil. Peanut oil can also be used to dress salads and make dips without much effort.
Sesame Oil
An oil that is used quite liberally in south Indian cuisine is the sesame oil! Similar to both canola oil and peanut oil in the sense that its refined form can easily withstand high heats during deep frying and the likes, sesame oik should truly be your go to if you are looking for a flavourful oil to add to your pantry. Unrefined sesame oil however, similar to canola and peanut oil, makes for a brilliant oil to stir-fries or for use it for sautéing as well. Apart from this, sesame oil is also used in south Indian cuisines in its raw form to drizzle over chutneys and pepper powders.
Sunflower Oil
One of the most common oils that can be found in most kitchen pantries, sunflower oil, in its unrefined form, can always be used essentially in no-heat recipes. From dressing salads or making dips, sunflower oil truly does prove to be quite useful. When it comes to its refined form however, sunflower oil is quite the opposite. Refined sunflower oil can actually handle a lot of heat including helping in browning and searing as well, not to mention its use in deep fry recipes.
Thus, you never are short of oils that are low in cholesterol and these are merely the top 5 examples of the same. We hope this will help you plan your diet better and lead a healthier life.
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