Unsaturated Fatty Acids: Health and Vitality from Vegetable Oil

Fat is not just fat: A distinction is made between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. You can find out here what is behind it and where which fats occur.

Good and healthy: unsaturated fatty acids

Fat is the macronutrient with the worst reputation – wrongly so. Because the body needs it just like carbohydrates and protein. However, it depends on the type of fat we consume. The fatty acid composition is crucial. While high-fat animal foods such as meat, sausage, and cheese mainly contain saturated fatty acids, and vegetable oils, some fish such as mackerel, salmon, and herring, and nuts mainly provide monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fats are considered healthy: They can have a beneficial effect on blood fat levels, which is good for the heart and blood vessels. Saturated fats, taken in excess, do the opposite. If you only occasionally go over the top and eat up fat goose meat at Christmas, for example, but otherwise eat a balanced diet, you usually don’t have to worry.

High-quality vegetable oils: good source of essential fatty acids

Varieties with a favorable fatty acid pattern are considered to be particularly healthy cooking oils. On the one hand, they contain a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, the ratio of the polyunsaturated fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6 is correct. In order to select the good fats for your diet, you don’t have to deal with the chemistry of fatty acids. Use the following recommendations as a guide:

• Prefer cold-pressed olive oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, walnut oil, or wheat germ oil for cold dishes such as salad dressings.
• Fry at high temperatures with heat-resistant refined cooking oils such as rapeseed oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil. Virgin oil is also suitable for low to medium temperatures.
• Avoid the considered unhealthy hydrogenated fats (trans fats) commonly found in baked goods, convenience foods, fried foods, and spreads.

The last point is also a reason why, depending on the product, the question of butter or margarine: which is healthier? decided in favor of butter. As an animal product, butter contains saturated fatty acids, but the actually cheap vegetable fats in margarine are hardened during the manufacturing process.

Fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat

Whether saturated or unsaturated fatty acids, the opinion that fat is fattening has long prevailed. In fact, at around 9 kcal per gram, fat provides twice as much energy as protein and carbohydrates. Therefore, too much of it should not be consumed. Used in moderation, however, high-quality oils, in particular, enrich the diet and, last but not least, are an important flavor carrier. Sensibly dosed, unsaturated fatty acids can even make you slim because fat fills you up for a long time.