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Though most of us only go through the quantitative analysis of a product, we often land up neglecting the quality of the product. Most people lack a complete understanding about oils as a food group and are often confused about which kind or brand of oil to use. This is still is the number one question asked by most people from their nutritionists. Fats are broadly classified as saturated and unsaturated fats or fatty acids. Unsaturated fats are further classified into mono unsaturated fats and poly unsaturated fats depending on their chemical structure. Poly unsaturated fats are further of two types: omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. Saturated fats: These are the most difficult to breakdown due to their chemical structure. Therefore these require increased insulin secretion to balance the tissue uptake and cause insulin resistance as a long term-effect. Increased intake of saturated fats may cause platelet aggregation and further plaque formation resulting in risk of cardio vascular disease. Butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm oil, fat in cheese and cream, meat and meat products all contain saturated fats. Olive oil degrades at high temperature, hence it should be used for only sautéing and not for frying Poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): These are omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. These are considered heart friendly due to their anti-inflammatory effects. These reduce the risk of cardio vascular diseases, coronary heart diseases and also certain inflammatory diseases like arthritis. A few examples of oils that naturally provide us with this ratio are soybean, corn oil, safflower, and nuts and seeds. Trans fats: Trans-fats are made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils through a method called hydrogenation. It causes the oil to solidify. It increases the flavour, shelf life and stability of the foods containing it. This is a common ingredient in almost all deep fried snacks, fast foods, cakes, pastries, doughnuts, cookies, biscuits, potato chips, samosas, salad dressings and others. Both trans-fats and animal fats are detrimental to health as they bring about formation of free radicals. These hasten the onset of diseases like breast cancer, colon cancer, heart diseases, atherosclerosis, diabetes and other degenerative conditions. These are difficult to digest and lower good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Anything of too much or too little is always harmful. Adopting a balance always proves beneficial. We often neglected the type, method and the amount of oil to use. Fats and oils are required in the right amounts as they play a major role as carriers of fat-soluble vitamins, are necessary for maintenance of hair, skin, cell membranes, for manufacture of hormones and provide a cushioning effect for our vital organs. It is best to bring in a change in your approach towards health by incorporating a well balanced, nutritionally rich diet and a change in your lifestyle in order to transform you into a healthy, vibrant and a radiant individual.
A few recommendations to help reduce fat intake
1. Opt for low-fat milk and its products. 2. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits, raw vegetables, whole grains, beans and sprouts. Include nuts like walnuts, almonds, hazel nuts, cashew and peanuts. 3. Choose salad dressings with cold pressed virgin oils, tahini and hummus. Research has shown that having olive oil daily can cut the risk of breast cancer by about 30 per cent. 4. Always use cold pressed oils — these are not subjected to heat which deforms the benefits of oil. Use just about two to three teaspoons daily. 5. Avoid use of
dalda, vanaspati, animal fats, excess amounts of cheese, full fat milk, red meats, etc. Incorporate oils like sesame, mustard, olive, sunflower, rice bran,
gingley, etc. 6. Adopt cooking methods like steaming, stewing, stir frying roasting etc where minimum oil is needed. — The writer is one of the leading holistic health gurus and has a health portal www.mickeymehtahbf.com
Binge drinking slows healing of fractured bones
Sleeping less at night leads to drowsy driving New data suggests that 15 to 33 per cent of fatal car accidents are caused by drowsy drivers. A new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has revealed that those who sleep less than six hours per night on average, are the most likely to experience drowsy driving, even when they feel completely rested. "Falling asleep at the wheel is a major cause of road accidents. It might even be more of a problem than drunk driving, since it is responsible for more serious crashes per year," said Michael Grandner, PhD, member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. The study is published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention. Botox jabs may help you shed flab
ICU stays could lead to memory impairment
Overweight dogs may die younger Being overweight shortens a dog's life expectancy, a new study has found. Data on popular dog breeds showed that dogs that are overweight in middle age have a shorter life expectancy than ideal-weight dogs. Specifically,
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Health
Fat is the most misunderstood nutrient. A majority of people, especially those trying to lose weight, believe in avoiding all dietary fats at all costs. Most know that it is calorie dense but not many know that fat is an essential nutrient like carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals for overall health. Fats provide nine calories per gram and are the most concentrated source of energy while carbohydrates and proteins provide four calories per gram.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA): Studies show mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) provide a lot of health benefits. Due to their unique structure these are least vulnerable to oxidation inside the body leading to little or no rancidity production unlike other oils. These are shown to have an effect on cholesterol levels — increasing the good one and markedly reducing the bad cholesterol. The famous olive oil, a bottle of which would be found in every household, is 75 per cent rich in MUFA whereas the oleic variety of sunflower oil is 85 per cent rich in MUFA. Canola oil, groundnut oil, safflower oil are all good sources of MUFA along with nuts like walnuts, hazel nuts etc.
Most importantly the smoking point of these oils also needs to be taken into consideration. For example: When olive oil became popular, everybody switched to olive oil without knowing olive oil degrades at high temperature, hence should be used for only sautéing and not for frying purposes. To avail maximum benefits of fat, a blend or combination of oils like groundnut/mustard or groundnut/rice bran or safflower/mustard oils should be used.
John Callaci, PhD, and Roman Natoli, MD, PhD, studied the effects that alcohol consumption had on bone healing in mice. One group of mice was exposed to alcohol levels roughly equivalent to three times the legal limit for driving. A control group was exposed to equal amounts of saline (salt water).The study found three ways in which alcohol impaired bone healing after a fracture: There were differences between the control group and the alcohol-exposed group in the callus, the hard bony tissue that forms around the ends of fractured bones. In the alcohol-exposed group, the callus was less mineralized, meaning not as much bone was forming. Moreover, the bone that did form was not as strong. Mice exposed to alcohol showed signs of oxidative stress, a process that impairs normal cellular functions.The alcohol-exposed mice had significantly higher levels of malondialdehyde, a molecule that serves as a marker for oxidative stress. The study has been funded by the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. —
ANI
Botox may not only make you look younger, it could also help you shed flab, a new study suggests. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have had promising experimental results from using botox as a weight loss tool in rats. They believe botox can be used as an alternative to gastric bypass surgery. Helene Johannessen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, is studying whether botox could be used as an alternative to treating morbid obesity, replacing costly and dangerous operations. Tests on rats have shown that treatments with botox injected into the vagus nerve in the stomach can lead to weight loss, researchers said. When Johannessen injected rats with Botox, the animals ate less and lost 20-30 per cent of their body weight over five weeks. The treatment effectively paralyses the vagus nerve, which triggers the sense of hunger and controls the passing of food through the intestines. Paralysing the nerve paralyses muscles in the stomach, which appears to slow the passage of food through the stomach. This effect might one day lead to treatments that cause people to feel fuller for longer, researchers said. 
Adults suffering from respiratory failure, cardiogenic shock or septic shock may develop delirium while they are being treated in the hospital, according to a study. Patients treated in intensive care units across the globe are entering their medical care with no evidence of cognitive impairment but often times leaving with deficits similar to those seen in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) that persists for at least a year. The study, led by members of Vanderbilt's ICU Delirium and Cognitive Impairment Group, found that 74 per cent of the 821 patients studied, all adults with respiratory failure, cardiogenic shock or septic shock, developed delirium while in the hospital, which is a predictor of a dementia-like brain disease even a year after discharge from the ICU. At three months, 40 per cent of patients in the study had global cognition scores similar to patients with moderate TBI and 26 per cent scored similar to patients with AD. Deficits occurred in both older and younger patients, irrespective of whether they had coexisting illness, and persisted to 12 months, with 34 per cent and 24 per cent still having scores similar to TBI and AD patients, respectively. The study has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 
overweight dogs were found to suffer a reduction in life expectancy of up to 10 months compared to ideal weight dogs. Being overweight in middle age can have potentially far-reaching consequences for a dog's life span, highlighting the importance of maintaining dogs at a healthy body weight throughout life. "Overweight dogs tend to have a shorter life expectancy. This was particularly pronounced in five breeds — labrador, shih tzu, American cocker spaniel, golden retriever and beagle," said Carina Salt from WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition. The research used data on the body condition of male and female neutered dogs aged between 6.5 and 8.5 years from 10 popular breeds. The findings were presented at the WALTHAM International Nutritional Sciences Symposium in Portland, US. — Agencies