Health Benefits of Soya Bean Oil

Oil is essential for almost every aspect of food preparation. Many dishes have oil as an ingredient, others use oil for frying. Soybean oil (or soya bean oil) is a type of oil that is extracted from the soybean. Soybean oil is useful because it has certain features that make it ideally suited to a healthier lifestyle. Soybean oil is a well accepted vegetable oil that is valued for its affordability, high smoke point and health benefits. It is often dark yellow or faint green in color. Soybean oil is made by extracting oil from the soybean. Oil is not well regarded when it comes to the aspect of the health; mostly in the cardiac health of the individual. Cooking oil is often one source of fat in the body that can have harmful effects on the health of the individual. Oils that have low or non-existent quantities of these substances are better for human beings as they do not adversely affect the health of the individual. Soybean oil can be used as an ingredient for food. Certain salad dressings and snacks contain soya oil because they aim to provide a healthy alternative to the consumer. Soybean oil has a high smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke and begins to pass on a burnt smell to the food being cooked. Because soybean oil has a high smoke point, it is used extensively as oil for frying food. This ensures that the frying takes place at a high temperature without any burning happening. Higher frying temperature helps to prevent the excess absorption of oil into the food that is being fried. In spite of the fact that soybean oil is a healthy choice, the utilization of soybean oil should be watched and controlled. The ideal solution for an individual seeking a healthier lifestyle is to shift to soybean oil while reducing the requirement for its use in diets.   Health Benefits of Soybean Oil Soybean oil contains no cholesterol, which makes it an ideal choice for individuals with heart disease or high cholesterol. Soybean oil has omega-3 fatty acids, which have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, slow down the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, slow down the risk of arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeats, and decrease triglyceride levels. Soybeans naturally contain antioxidants, which remain in the oil even after it is pressed. These antioxidants help prevent the damage caused by free radicals, which may help prevent certain cancers. One of the benefits of soybean oil is the fact that it is quite low in saturated fat content. Soybean oil ranks highly in this aspect along with other healthy oils like olive oil and sunflower oil. The fats in soybean oil are polyunsaturated which have been shown to help reduce total cholesterol. Soya oil is good for cooking. The quality of protein in soya is at par with that of egg and meat. It contains essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acid. It is also a good source of vitamin E. It is low in saturated fats. Vitamin E also decreases the risk of atherosclerosis. Vitamin E is an effective antioxidant. It loses its effectiveness in very high temperatures, such as when food is processed.   Uses for Soybean Oil Soybean oil is often used to make mayonnaise, salad dressing, margarine and non-dairy coffee creamers. Due to the high smoke point of soybean oil, this oil is often used for frying foods. The smoke point of soybean oil is 450 degrees. Soybean oil has a shelf life of one year. Soybean oil is popular for cooking because it is so versatile and it has an insipid flavor that will not disturb the cooking or baking.

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This article was first published on 29th July 2013

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