Many people wonder why the problem of high blood cholesterol always comes up when cardiovascular disease is discussed. It is mentioned in most health discussions, medical consultations and medical examination lists. Because it is a risk factor for many diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart attack and heart failure. The need to prevent and manage is inevitable if we want to avoid the disease and its complications.
Causes of high blood cholesterol include a genetic predisposition in the body to produce excess cholesterol but may also be related to diet. The main dietary properties associated with this include; high processed food intake and saturated fat intake (butter, cheese, fatty meat). The high trans fat intake for this article is a seemingly subtle source that many are unaware of. This is a variation (isomer) of cis – fat that is not cholesterol but can cause its formation. Below are some habits that lead to trans fat intake.
OVER FRYING – The main source of trans fats are foods that are deep fried, usually done at high temperatures. A typical habit of many people is to fry staples or carbohydrates, proteins and stews. For example the classic yam goreng and meat (pork) or fried fish that yam is deep fried, meat or fish is also deep fried and all western, ground green pepper is also fried. In addition to being high in calories, there is also the possibility of eating a lot of trans fat. I suggest that we do this combination less often and maybe, roast yam, mix green pepper or fry pepper but grind it. Air frying is another cooking method that reduces the use of oil. Moderate grilling or grilling lean fish or meat is also recommended.
USE OF OILS – Another major source of trans fats is the repeated use of oils. It is not uncommon for our mothers to use the same oil to fry fish and save what is left in a bottle to be used the next day to fry ripe bananas and then use it for the “shito” preparation. Shito is heated in the fire for a long time and reheated when it threatens to go bad. Many also prepare many stews or soups in a large cooking pot, take some to use and put it back on the fire to reheat. They do this until all the stew or soup is finished on the fire. This causes the oil in the stew to heat up when the food is already heated. I have seen many people fry yam, pork, koose, kelewele, etc. using the same oil for several rounds until the oil turns black. The cooking habits described above tend to increase the consumption of trans fats when the food is taken. This can certainly lead to the accumulation of high blood cholesterol when this habit persists.
My suggestion is that we use oil once or shallow fry to complete the oil used for frying. Throw it away after use if you do deep frying or at least use it twice. Many will complain about high oil prices, but we cannot compromise health for economic needs. Frying with a little oil is also recommended. Again, after cooking a large amount of stew or soup, divide it into small bowls to store in the freezer to heat up and finish if necessary.
HYDROGENATED FATS- The technical process of hydrogenating fats turns them into trans fats that can cause high blood cholesterol. Margarine is one of the fats and is no better than butter. Both should be taken in moderation and less often especially for adults.
My advice is that options such as peanut paste, fruit jam and vegetable salad should be used as a spread. If margarine or butter is to be used, they should be done sparingly with a thin spread. The habit of using margarine with cheese and condensed milk may not be beneficial if done consistently.
DEODORIZED LEGO- This is used oil that has been bleached, removed and repackaged for sale. It smells good and looks fresh but is usually loaded with trans fats. Checking the label for trans fat-free oils helps. Again, we can prepare groundnut oil and vegetable oil at home to use.
I hope I have helped you understand the sources of trans fats that can be harmful to your health when taken in large amounts and consistently. Don’t forget to eat to live because life is precious
Nana Kofi Owusu
Dietitian/Lecturer – University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)
0244967408
[email protected]
Source: Nana Kofi Owusu/Diet/Lecturer/[email protected]
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