Eat soyabean oil for heart health

As Nigerians, we probably eat more cooking oils than most Africans. This is because we cook, fry, dress and grill all sorts of foods, using cooking oils as “active” ingredient.

And if you are a Yoruba, you would agree that Igbo don’t call us ofe nmanu (excessive cooking oil eaters) for nought. Our jollof or fried rice is sometimes drenched in oil, while the average Yoruba person can’t cook soup without extra oil floating on top of the whole concoction. It’s our way of life.

While nutritionists caution that we eat oils in moderation, would you know that the type of oil you cook with may determine your heart health? At the welcoming of the Sunola soyabean oil into the family of heart-friendly foods on Thursday, President of the Nigerian Heart Foundation and renowned cardiologist, Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, notes that in general, cooking oils contain fat.

He warns that certain types of fat can raise your risk of heart disease, while other types provide a protective effect when used in moderation.

The emeritus professor of medicine counsels, “Fat provides the body with energy and plays a role in controlling inflammation, blood clotting and brain development. Fat also provides insulation and cushions the joints, and it must be present for your body to absorb and use vitamins A, D, E and K.”

Despite the importance of fat for our well-being, however, Akinkugbe says a diet that is too high in fat of any kind can contribute to obesity and high cholesterol levels, both of which raise the risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack or stroke.

“When too much cholesterol accumulates in the body, plaque can build up along the blood vessel walls and restrict the amount of blood the heart and/or brain receives. This will spell doom, health-wise,” he says.

This being the case, what kind of cooking oil should you eat? Experts suggest soyabean oil. Akinkugbe, who was a member of the Governing Council/Board of Trustees, International Society of Hypertension, says although diabetes, hypertension and certain ischaemic heart disease