As of: February 21, 2024, 8:02 a.m
By: Laura Knops
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Vegetable oils contain many valuable fatty acids.
But oil is not just oil.
How you can recognize good quality.
Fats and oils often have a bad reputation and are considered fattening foods.
Many people therefore avoid high-fat foods and foods.
However, the fat thing isn't quite that simple.
It is true that oil and fat have the highest calorie density, but in order for the body to absorb vitamins and other nutrients, it needs the essential fatty acids contained in fat.
Vegetable oils are a good source.
Healthy fats and oils: What are saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?
Fats consist of different fatty acids.
Depending on the chemical composition, a distinction is made between saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
While polyunsaturated fatty acids take on vital functions in the body, saturated fatty acids are considered to make you fat and make you sick.
When discussing healthy and unhealthy fats, a distinction must be made between animal and vegetable fats.
(Symbolic image) © blickwinkel/Imago
Animal foods in particular contain high levels of saturated fatty acids.
But saturated fatty acids can also be found in vegetable fats such as palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter.
Basically, the firmer an oil is at room temperature, the more saturated fatty acids it contains.
Unhealthy fat: It depends on the type
Saturated fatty acids are considered unhealthy because they can increase blood fats and cholesterol.
This in turn has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system and can increase the risk of coronary disease.
The
German Nutrition Society (DGE)
therefore recommends giving preference to health-promoting fats from plants over animal fats such as butter.
Oils that contain a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid (Omega 9), linoleic acid (Omega 6) and linolenic acid (Omega 3) are considered healthier.
However, it's not just the amount of oils it contains that matters, but also the ratio of essential fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids should, if possible, be present in larger quantities than omega-6 fatty acids.
Rapeseed oil: According to Stiftung Warentest, the healthiest oil
Rapeseed oil is one of the healthiest oils, as reported by the
German Nutrition Society (DGE)
.
It has the lowest proportion of saturated fatty acids and contains a high proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, a lot of the vital unsaturated omega-3 fatty acid “alpha-linolenic acid” and vitamin E. The ratio of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is Rapeseed oil is particularly favorable at a ratio of 2:1 - this makes it easier for the body to utilize.
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100 grams of rapeseed oil contains:
7 grams of saturated fat
62 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids
29 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including 20 grams of linoleic acid and 9 grams of alpha-linolenic acid)
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Rapeseed oil is also a good source of vitamin E and vitamin K. 100 grams of rapeseed oil contains around 17.5 milligrams of vitamin E and 71 micrograms of vitamin K.
Olive oil: Particularly delicious and healthy
Olive oil is one of the main components of the Mediterranean diet.
The oil contains almost 80 percent monounsaturated fatty acids.
In addition, olive oil contains a high proportion of monounsaturated oleic acids and secondary plant substances.
100 grams of olive oil contains:
14 grams of saturated fat
73 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids
11 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids
Conclusion: Which oil is healthiest?
According to experts at
Stiftung Warentest
, olive oil is particularly recommended because it contains a high content of oleic acid.
The monounsaturated fatty acids can lower the unfavorable cholesterol in the blood.
However, rapeseed oil is even healthier.
The composition of just 8 percent saturated fatty acids, 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids and 32 percent polysaturated fatty acids makes the oil unbeatable.
Rapeseed oil cannot compete with olive oil when it comes to taste.
The
Federal Center for Nutrition (BfE)
also has a favorite for frying, sautéing and baking: rapeseed oil.
The oil is insensitive to heat and relatively tasteless.
Cold dishes and salads, on the other hand, benefit from olive oil.
High-quality virgin olive oil has a delicious taste and contains a lot of secondary plant substances.