WHICH IS THE BEST EDIBLE OIL?

   The best way to eat oils is to eat them in unrefined form (virgin) without heating. Oils are consumed for vitamin E, for polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. These are fatty acids which the body can't synthesize and need to be provided from an external source.Oils do not contain vitamin A, B, C or D, nor do they provide any minerals. Here is a comparison between coconut oil, sesame oil, groundnut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil and wheatgerm oil: some of the healthy edible oils.

➢Each 1 tsp of OLIVE OIL contains: Vitamin E: 0.6 mg, Saturated fats: 28.9 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 3.3 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 34.2 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 439 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of SESAME OIL contains: Vitamin E: 0.1 mg, Saturated fats: 31 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 1.8 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 1.9 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 13.5 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 1860 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of COCONUT OIL contains: Vitamin E: 0 mg, Saturated fats: 189 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 0.3 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 0 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 81 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of AVOCADO OIL contains: Vitamin E: 0 mg, Saturated fats: 25.2 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 3.2 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 41.3 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 564 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of GRAPE SEED OIL contains: Vitamin E: 1.3 mg, Saturated fats: 21 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 0.7 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 3.1 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 4.5 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 3132 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of ALMOND OIL contains: Vitamin E: 1.8 mg, Saturated fats: 18 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 3.1 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 0 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 783 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of GROUNDNUT OIL contains: Vitamin E: 0.7 mg, Saturated fats: 36.5 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 2.1 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 0 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 1440 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of COD LIVER OIL contains: Vitamin D: 450 IU, Saturated fats: 1 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 2.1 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 1.0 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 888 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 42.1 mg)

➢Each 1 tsp of WHEATGERM OIL contains: Vitamin E: 6.7 mg, Saturated fats: 0.8 gm, Monounsaturated fat: 0.7 gm, Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8 gm (Omega-3 fatty acids: 311 mg and Omega-6 fatty acids: 2466 mg)

From the above observation, we can conclude that: The best source of:
   Vitamin E is Wheatgerm oil followed by Almond oil.
   Monounsaturated fatty acids is Olive oil followed by Avocado oil.
   Polyunsaturated fatty acids is Grape seed oil followed by Wheatgerm oil
   And the oil with the least amount of saturated fats is Wheatgerm oil followed by Almond oil. Coconut oil is very high in saturated fats.
   Fish oils are always high in omega-3 content and Cod Liver Oil has additional advantage of vitamin D in it.

   The best oil is that which contains a good amount of Vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids and least proportion of saturated fats. Not a single oil does satisfy this condition, so a mixture of different oils will be the ideal strategy, especially wheatgerm oil, grape seed oil and almond oil.

   When edible oil is used as cooking oil, its nutritional value rapidly deteriorates due to the application of heat and it becomes a source of dangerous free radicals instead of antioxidants. That is the reason, edible oil should be eaten in raw or virgin form.