WHY AVOID HYDROGENATED OIL IN YOUR DIET?
Food manufacturers use hydrogenated oil to save cost and increase the shelf life of the product. During the process of hydrogenation (liquid unsaturated fat is turned into solid fat with the addition of hydrogen) trans fats are made which are known as unhealthy fats. They have a negative effect on our heart health as they tend to increase the bad cholesterol (LDL- Low-density lipoprotein) and lower the good cholesterol levels (HDL – High-density lipoprotein). But still, hydrogenated oils are used by the manufacturers to add texture, increase stability, extend the shelf life of the product and also to save money.
This article talks about ways in which you can spot partially hydrogenated oils in food products and avoid them:
- Avoid foods like packaged snacks, fried foods, ready to use the dough, coffee creamers, vegetable shortening, margarine as these are the most common food items that have saturated fats.
- Read the food labels carefully: Partially hydrogenated oil contains trans fats so avoid products with partially hydrogenated oil. Some products claim not to have any trans fats but partially hydrogenated oil may be present in the ingredient list so it is important to read food labels.
- Use vegetable oil: Opt for plant-based oils or vegetable oils like olive oil, avocado oil, safflower oil etc and avoid using shortening or margarine for cooking. Also, try to stick to cooking options like broiling and baking instead of frying to save on the extra calories.
- Limit your intake of packaged food items as partially hydrogenated oil is used in food preservation and is therefore used in packaged food items. Try to decrease your dependency on packaged food items on a daily basis.
- Focus on eating a balanced diet: Snacks are an important part of your daily diet as they prevent low blood sugar levels. But most of the packed snack options contain partially hydrogenated oil. So opt for carrot sticks, bananas, mixed nuts, peanut butter, hummus etc instead of any packed food items.
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