Fats are important, but the GOOD ones

Fats and oils in the diet are often condemned as fattening. Some people who want to lose weight even try to do without them completely. But is that healthy?

Certainly not, because fats, like carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, vitamins and minerals, are part of the nutrient package that our bodies need every day to function well and healthily. The German Society for Nutrition recommends that about 30% of the total energy intake (calories) be covered by healthy fats as a daily requirement. Since energy needs naturally vary from person to person, the daily requirement of fats also differs. Here is a brief overview (average guideline values) for some age groups.

And what is the most important thing about fats? The fatty acids!

A distinction is made between saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are also called essential fatty acids, because they cannot be produced by the body itself. We must obtain them from our diet. Saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, should be avoided, as an excess of them can lead to an increase in blood fat levels and thus to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Saturated fatty acids are found primarily in animal products such as butter, meat, sausage or cheese. High proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, can be found in high-quality, cold-pressed vegetable oils. At 70%, cold-pressed grape seed oil, for example, has a very high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids. But other cold-pressed vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil or hemp oil, also provide a very good fatty acid spectrum.

Cold-pressed or refined?

In any case, prefer cold-pressed vegetable oils! The manufacturing process of cold pressing is 100% natural and purely mechanical, regardless of the vegetable raw material used. In this gentle and traditional method of production, the oils are not altered by the manufacturing process and retain all their valuable ingredients, such as vitamins and secondary plant compounds.

A refined oil, on the other hand, goes through a number of processing steps after the raw oil has been pressed. In some cases, heating, additions of water, alkalis and pH regulators take place. The added substances are removed again in a later step, and each of them binds fatty substances, odors and flavors, with the aim of ultimately obtaining an oil that is neutral in taste and color, highly heatable and durable. In particular, secondary plant substances, vitamins, color and flavor are lost in such an oil.

How can you recognize a cold-pressed oil?

By taste: Every cold-pressed oil has its own typical taste. Many know this from olive oil and know the typical taste. But also grape seed oil, rapeseed oil and hemp oil have each for itself a completely own and typical taste. Refined oil on the other hand is tasteless.

On the smell: Here it behaves exactly the same as with the taste. Each cold-pressed vegetable oil has a typical smell. A refined oil is largely odorless.

By the color: The natural cold pressing leaves colorants and secondary plant substances in the oil and this can be seen in the color. Grape seed oil, hemp seed oil and olive oil are vibrant green oils in various shades of color. Rapeseed oil has a yellow color. However, if an oil is refined, it is neutral in color.

How should a good cold-pressed oil be used?

Since many vitamins in fruits, vegetables and salads are fat-soluble, salads, for example, should always be prepared with a tasty dressing of vinegar and oil. Cold-pressed oil is preferable for this purpose. When cooking and frying, you should pay attention to the smoke point of the cold-pressed oil. If this is very high, the oil can be used for cooking and frying without hesitation. However, to preserve the vitamins of the oil, it is recommended to add the oil only at the end of a cooking or frying process, or even as a topping.

When choosing oils, variety and diversity is recommended. Use different cold-pressed oils and combine them with different dishes according to your personal taste. This way, you get a variety of palate pleasers and a balanced intake of valuable ingredients all in one.

You will find a large selection of cold-pressed oils HERE, in the Vitis online store!