Making Heart-Healthy Choices
You may be wondering if it is possible that the cooking oil in your kitchen is capable of lowering high blood pressure.
Yes, it is possible, but not like drugs.
One of the most important foods that lowers high blood pressure naturally and quickly is the type cooking oil you use for your food.
Most commercial vegetable oils are hydrogenated (chemically modified to increase shelf life and save cost) and have been linked to several health challenges, like heart disease.
Hydrogenated vegetable oils contain trans fats, which have been shown not to be good for your heart.
Several studies confirmed that trans fats can increase levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while decreasing good HDL (good) cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Unlike commercial vegetable oils, these cooking oils do not contain trans fat.
The following vegetable oils contain high quantity of unsaturated fats which is good in preventing high level of bad cholesterol.
What are the best cooking oils for lowering high blood pressure?
1. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is one of the best cooking oils for lowering high blood pressure.
Even though coconut oil contains saturated fatty acids, the saturated fatty acid in coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids.
The benefit of saturated medium-chain fatty acids (MFA) is that they are not stored in the body or increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
2. Olive oil
Many studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil can reduce blood pressure naturally because it contains polyphenols.
Polyphenols are compounds that fight inflammation in the body.
Monounsaturated fats and antioxidants are abundant in olive oil, particularly the extra virgin form.
The antioxidants selectively reduce nitric acid levels, which is known to increase blood pressure.
Monounsaturated fats and antioxidants have been linked with reducing inflammation and improving the performance of blood vessels, both of which support more favourable blood pressure levels.
3. Canola oil
It contains more omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than any other oil except flaxseed oil.
Some Studies have shown that ALA can help in protecting the heart through its effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.
Canola oil help to reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Canola oil contains low saturated fat and alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may have a positive impact on blood pressure.
4. Soybean oil
Soybean oil is a popular vegetable oil made from the seeds of soya beans (Glycine max).
Soya bean oil contains 61% of polyunsaturated fats 61%, monounsaturated fats 24% and saturated fats 13%
Soybean oil mostly consists of polyunsaturated fats, which are linked to lower cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart disease.
5. Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is gotten from the seeds of the sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus).
The Sunflower oil is beneficial because it contains a low quantity of saturated fat 15% , but rich in unsaturated fatty acid 85%.
The unsaturated fatty acid which are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are made up of 14–43% oleic and 44–75% linoleic acids.
Many studies showed that rates of heart disease, the risk of heart attacks and other coronary events reduced as consumption of PUFA increases.
Sunflower oil also contains a large amount of vitamin E which, according to population research, shows that those who ate more vitamin E-rich foods or independently decided to take a vitamin E dietary supplement had a decreased incidence of dementia, cancer, and other diseases as well as cardiovascular disorders.
6. Almond oil
Almond Oil is a natural oil pressed from the seeds of the sweet almond tree
The oil contains
- Monounsaturated fat: 70%
- Polyunsaturated fat: 20%
- Saturated fat: 10%
Almond oil is also rich in beta-sitosterol, squalene & vitamin E.
We found that almonds might have a considerable favorite effect in blood pressure and especially in diastolic blood pressure, and it could be encouraged as part of a healthy diet.
Almond oil contains monounsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy and a good substitute for oils high in saturated fat.
Monounsaturated fats can help reduce the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, helping your cardiovascular system and heart.
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