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It’s official. Mustard oil is the best for your
heart. A comparative study of different edible oils has shown
that mustard oil as a cooking medium can reduce the risk of
heart diseases by over 70%.
The study conducted by experts from All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital compared fat
content in different cooking oils, including olive oil, canola
oil, mustard oil and sunflower oil, and its findings were
reported in the February issue of the Journal of Preventive
Cardiology.
“A heart-friendly oil should be cholesterol- and trans-fat
free, low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fat (MUFA)
and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), it should have an ideal N6 to N3
acids ratio and a high smoking point. Mustard oil meets all
these criteria and that’s why it is the best cooking oil,” said
Dr SC Manchanda, co-author of the article and senior consultant
cardiologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He said oil of canola, a
close relative of mustard (brassica family), is equally
beneficial but is rarely found in pure form.
About the much-hyped and five times costlier olive oil,
Manchanda said, “It has many good qualities, for example it is
considered the best by some because it has the highest (75%)
content of MUFA — the best type of fat because it lowers bad
cholesterol and elevates good cholesterol — among all other
oils. It also contains a wide variety of anti-oxidants. But its
main limitation is that it does not have an ideal ratio of
omega-6 (N6) and Omega-3 (N3) fatty acids useful in reducing
heart complications.”
Mustard oil is used primarily in north and east India.
Experts say erucic acid, present in mustard oil, was found to be
harmful to rats in high doses but had no harmful effect on human
beings.
Clinical nutritionist Dr Ishi Khosla said mustard oil is
best when consumed in its raw form known as ‘kachchi ghani’.
“Our forebears have used mustard oil for centuries. The refined
oils and other exotic varieties have arrived recently. The need
is to change dietary habits rather than oils,” she said. With
nearly 100-million affected people, India is on the verge of
becoming the ‘heart disease capital of the world’, say experts.
“Major risk factors for heart disease include high blood
pressure, high cholesterol level, obesity, physical inactivity
and unhealthy diet. We should eat less fried food, less butter
and ghee. Regular exercise is advised,” said an expert.
OILING IT RIGHT
A recent study published in Journal of Preventive Cardiology
pits mustard oil against other oils. Here are the findings
MUSTARD OIL
Low saturated fat (SFA) and high amounts of MUFA & PUFA,
which are good for health
N6:N3 (type of fatty acids in food) ratio in mustard oil is
near ideal (6:5). It is 20:1 in case of olive oil
High in antioxidants and vitamin E
Risk of heart disease drops by nearly 70% when mustard oil
is used for cooking
OLIVE OIL
Has the highest (75%) MUFA content
Also contains a wide variety of valuable anti-oxidants
Has antiinflammatory, antithrombotic and antihypertensive
effects
CANOLA
Low in SFAs & high in MUFA Beneficial
omega3 fatty
acid profile
SOYABEAN OIL Rich in PUFA but needs to be used in
combination with other oils rich in MUFA like olive oil, mustard
oil or groundnut oil |
