John Myers
Fats provide children with fat-soluble vitamins and valuable fatty acids. However, they primarily provide a lot of calories and should therefore be used sparingly.
The essentials in brief:
- The recommendation is: maximum 2 portions daily, 1 portion of fat = 1 tablespoon
- Selection of different fats for cold and warm cooking
- Coconut oil not fully recommended
Fats provide children with fat-soluble vitamins and valuable fatty acids. However, they primarily supply a lot of energy and should therefore always be used sparingly.
Daily amount of edible fats and oils
Edible fats and oils are on the 5th level of the food pyramid and are highlighted in red. This means that they should only be used sparingly. It should be for a maximum of 2 servings per day.
Daily amount = max. 2 servings
1 serving = 1 tablespoon
Prefer vegetable fats and oils. These contain the valuable unsaturated fatty acids.
Butter and margarine
Butter or margarine can be used as a spread. The margarine should not contain hydrogenated fats. You can find the information on this in the list of ingredients. Also, you should never buy margarine for the whole family that has a cholesterol-lowering effect. This is unsuitable for children and other family members who do not have problems with high cholesterol.
Coconut and palm fat
Coconut and palm fat have a high proportion of saturated fatty acids. Therefore, coconut oil is no healthier than other oils. Basically, a healthy diet should contain as many unsaturated fatty acids as possible. Therefore, these two fats should not be chosen so often. In moderation, coconut oil and palm fat are suitable ingredients for Asian dishes because of their taste – but then they are best traded fairly and in organic quality.
Cold kitchen
Almost any oil or fat is suitable for cold cooking. You should preferably use native and cold-pressed oils. They are particularly sensitive to heat, have their own aroma and a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These include: olive oil, walnut oil, linseed oil or pumpkin seed oil.
Warm kitchen
Refined oils or fats, on the other hand, are well suited for warm cooking. They have a neutral taste and can therefore be used for sweet baked goods as well as for frying in a pan. Refined rapeseed oil in particular is recommended here, as it contains a beneficial combination of fatty acids.
Vegetable oils (apart from linseed and safflower oil) are suitable for deep-frying and baking, provided the temperature is observed. Cold-pressed oils should be heated to a maximum of 160 – 180°C, refined oils to around 210°C.
