Which cooking oil is healthy? (how to choose the right one for your liver, heart and overallwell-being)

Oils are a necessity when it comes to cooking. Not only do they form the very base of a dish they also contain nutrients that are required by the body and thus help in improving overall health. But out of the multitude of oils available in the market, which one is really healthy and which should you choose for a specific concern? Let's find out.

Olive oil is high in monosaturated fatty acids, containing about 75% of them. These fats help lower bad cholesterol. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, extra-virgin olive oil is known to reduce the risk of some types of cancers, cardiovascular disease and even dementia, stated in a study published in Harvard Health Publishing. It is ideal to use for low-medium heat or uncooked dressings.

Consuming avocado oil not only helps control weight, but also reduces the risk of diabetes, and normalizes blood cholesterol levels. It contains large amounts of oleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acids, and low levels of saturated fatty acids and thus has substantial health advantages as mentioned in a study published in the National Library of Medicine. It is perfect to use for searing, frying or roasting.

Canola oil can be considered one of the healthiest edible vegetable oils in terms of its ability to reduce disease-related risks and improve health, as mentioned in a study published in the National Library of Medicine. It has 7% of saturated fat and 63% of monounsaturated fat and also has a significant level of polyunsaturated omega-3. It also has phytosterols that reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the body. Choose this for overall well-being.

A component of traditional food in Asian countries, sesame oil should be a part of your diet too. It is composed of lignans such as sesamin, sesamol, sesaminol and sesmolin which are known to have antiaging, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension, stated in a study published in the National Library of Medicine.

Flaxseed has recently risen in fame in the health industry with people including them in their daily diet and well-being. The oil of these seeds has lignans that are known to reduce the risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and more. It is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, high EPA levels and polyunsaturated fatty acids, stated in a study published in the European Journal of Medical Research.