How do different oils factor into a healthy diet? It all comes down to the types of fat found in the oil. We asked Connie Diekman, Director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, to give us an overview of the different types of fats and their impacts on health.

“Fat provides satiety (the feeling of being full) and enjoyment to the food we eat, but it also serves nutritional benefits. Fats are made up of fatty acids which act in a variety of ways, but they are key to the development of hormones, transport and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and helping to regulate body temperature,” she explained.

The most common types of fatty acids include unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans-fats.

• Unsaturated Fats – These types of fats are usually liquid at room temperature and come in two main forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These fats may help reduce heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.
• Saturated Fats – These are typically solid at room temperature. Many studies have linked diets high in saturated fat with elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk for heart disease, so it’s best to consume these in moderation.
• Trans-Fats – Most trans-fats are manufactured through hydrogenation, which helps increase shelf life. They can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, a combination that increases the risk of heart disease.

Another thing to keep in mind is all fats have 9 calories per gram, which can contribute a significant number of calories to the diet.

So, are there any health benefits to consuming oils?

Diekman: “Oils can provide more heart health benefits than solid fats, but it is important to know which ones to choose. Olive oil, canola, oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and corn oil provide more unsaturated fatty acids making them better choices than some of the other oils.”

Products labeled as vegetable oil often contain soybean oil and may also contain other types of oil.

What are the most common kinds of cooking oils?

Diekman: “In addition to olive, canola, soybean, sunflower, safflower and corn oils there are specialty oils like peanut, sesame, walnut, avocado, palm, coconut and others. When it comes to best choices, oils with more unsaturated fat should make up most of your oil choices – canola, olive, soybean, sunflower and corn oils are the more healthful choices. Oils like coconut and palm are more saturated and should either be avoided or significantly limited in their use.”

Along those lines, I’ve heard of high-oleic soybean oil. What is it?

Diekman: “Many of the better unsaturated oils contain high amounts of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, which tend to be less stable with heat, light and air, making their usage a bit more precise. High-oleic soybean oil has been developed to shift the balance of more stable fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, up and the less stable polyunsaturated fatty acids down. This shift in the fatty acids makes this oil more stable when used in cooking, making it more versatile.”

To wrap this up, what oils would you suggest?

Diekman: “The goal should be to use oils that provide more unsaturated fat for the majority of your cooking – canola, soybean, corn and sunflower are all excellent choices. Olive oil is harder to use in all cooking so really should be held for finishing or for salads. Also, use specialty oils less often for a healthy balance.”

Oils are made of fatty acids, which play an important role in the diet. When choosing cooking oil, those that provide more unsaturated are choices for healthy balance. High-oleic oil is also a good choice because it is high in unsaturated fat, low in saturated fat and has no trans-fat.

Need a visual to breakdown this information? Our infographic highlights the six most commonly consumed oils, the types of fat they contain and common uses.

The post All About Cooking Oils appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Corn (field & sweet)
The GM version of field corn protects the crop against corn rootworms and the Asian corn borer. Like GM field corn, GM sweet corn also protects the crop against destructive pests.

Soybeans
The GM soybean plant is resistant to pests and disease as well as being tolerant of herbicides that are most effective, allowing for less herbicide use overall.

Cotton
GM cotton requires fewer pesticides and protects against the cotton bollworm.

Canola
Canola has been modified through biotechnology to make it tolerant to some herbicides. This allows for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control. The modified plant also has resistance to pests and fungus.

Alfalfa
The GM version of alfalfa is tolerant of some herbicides, allowing for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control.

Sugar Beets
The GM sugar beet has increased tolerance to some herbicides, allowing for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control. GM sugar beets also have virus and pest resistance traits.

Papaya
The GM version of papaya makes the plant resistant to the prevalent Papaya Ringspot Virus.

Squash
GM squash has traits that improve the plant’s defense against viruses.

Arctic Apple
Developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits of British Columbia, Canada, this new fruit was developed by turning off the enzyme in apples that cause them to brown when cut, bruised or bitten.

Innate Potato
This new potato that resists browning and has fewer unsightly wasteful bruises has been approved by the USDA for commercial planting.

Aquabounty Salmon
This new salmon is genetically engineered to reach market size more quickly than non-GE farm-raised Atlantic salmon. It is available to consumers in Canada.

Want to learn more about GMOs from the experts? Try these posts:

What does a GMO look like?
GMO FAQs

Lasted edited Aug. 15, 2016
Originally posted  Nov. 13, 2014

_{“Produce” by lukestehr is licensed under CC BY ND.}

The post What Foods are Genetically Modified? appeared first on Best Food Facts.