The ‘reuse’ of oil can be dangerous for your heart, says All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) doctor. On the occasion of World Heart Day, the doctor said that reusing oil again and again can convert it into trans-fat, which increases the risk of heart disease.
The doctor said oil is not harmful till it starts to smoke (also known as smoke point). According to Dr Sandeep Mishra, professor, Cardiology Department, AIIMS, one of the reasons for the rise in heart diseases in India is the rapid change in dietary pattern. This is because the eating habits in the country have been influenced by Western culture which indirectly affects lifestyle.
Dr Mishra said that the consumption of wrong types of fats leads to high risk of heart ailments.
“Oils are made up of four components namely saturated fat, poly unsaturated fat, mono saturated fat and trans-fat. Among all these fats, trans-fat is unsafe for health,” said Dr Mishra, adding that vanaspati ghee has highest amount of trans-fat.
Apart from heart diseases, the wrong diet has also been associated with diabetes, breast and colon cancer, pregnancy complications, obesity and allergies. The oil which we use, the doctor said, should be well balanced and have less than 4 grams of saturated fats per tablespoon. It also does not contain hydrogenated oils or trans-fats. However, blends or combination of these oils can be used.
Since the vendor reuses the oil on multiple times, it is suggested to avoid street food at any cost, the doctor added. The doctor said that ordinary home cooking does not lead to a significant production of trans-fat but avoid reaching a point where oil start to smoke.
Dr Mishra said, the correct boiling temperature for mustard oil is 260 degree celcius, for olive oil it is between 200 to 250 degree celsius, while that for butter it is 180 degree celsius.
RULE OF 80 IMPROVES HEALTH
According to Dr Balram Bhargava, Professor, Department of Cardiology at AIIMS, if a person wants to stay fit, he should use the rule of 80. It means, keep blood pressure 80, blood sugar 80, weight less than 80, 80 km walk in a week, heart rate 80 and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 80.
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