palm oil is common in processed and packaged foods, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases if consumed in excess.
Professor JS Thakur, Head of the research team of the project "Roadmap for replacing trans fats with healthy cooking oils in India", said that palm oil contains about 50% saturated fat, especially palmitic acid, which can increase bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels in the blood.
This leads to the risk of cardiovascular diseases when consuming too much. palm oil is one of the main causes of heart disease when used in processed products.
This project is researched by the Faculty of Community Medicine and the School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh (India).
Why is palm oil widely used
palm oil helps prolong the storage time of food and keep the product in a solid state at room temperature.
Therefore, it is used in many types of butter and is also a main ingredient in fried dishes of street vendors.
Cheap palm oil contains about 85% saturated fat and is used in coffee creams, sweets and cheese products.
Professor Thakur also believes that each person should limit their daily fat intake to 25 - 40 grams depending on the level of activity of the body.
Disadvantages of trans fats
palm oil and hydrogenated oils, which are partly made from processed foods, may contain trans fats, an artificial fat that is not beneficial for heart health.
Trans fats can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.
Dr. Yutaro Setoya, Head of NCDs at WHO India, said that "trans fats are the cigarette of nutrition" and replacing them with healthier fats will improve health.
Sonu Goel, Professor of Community Medicine, warned that trans fats should not exceed 2.2 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Foods such as cakes, cookies, frozen pizza, and ice cream often contain trans fats, so you should read product labels carefully to avoid products with hydrogenated or shortened oils.
Choose healthy cooking oil
Cooking oil provides essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
Therefore, Professor Thakur encourages the consumption of healthy local oils, such as peanut oil, mustard oil/card oil, coconut oil or sesame oil, instead of palm oil with high saturated fat content.
In addition, nutritionists also recommend alternating between different types of oils to ensure adequate supply of essential fatty acids to the body.
With reasonable changes in choosing cooking oil and consuming processed foods, we can protect cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
