Hippocrates spoke the truth: Let your food be your only medicine! (Hippocrates; The Law, XIII - IVth century BC) How many times have we not heard this quote from the famous Greek physician and philosopher, Hippocrates. It is circulating more and more on natural health sites and even on Facebook in order to open up awareness as much as possible.
Indeed, studies no longer have to demonstrate it, it is by eating better that we will succeed in obtaining a balance of life aimed at good health. In terms of diet, many things can be changed in daily life but the priority - in my opinion - is the good quality of lipids that we will decide to integrate into his diet.
What is an oil?
Oil is a fatty substance composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, linked by their electronic fields and assembled into glycerine and fatty acid molecules. The combination of all of them constitutes the triglycerides, but by convention, the oil is qualified by its fatty acids. Also, the fat can be of animal origin, plant or mineral.
Let's focus today on the oils whose origin is vegetable. Vegetable oils carry active ingredients that already pre-existed in the plant from which it was derived; these are fat-soluble components that are interesting for our health.
Depending on their molecular structure, lipids can be divided into several categories: saturated, mono or polyunsaturated. These are part of the oils called Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9. According to Dr. Pascal Boyer's summary, Omegas 3 and omegas 6 are essential and participate in the construction of phospholipids in cell membranes, in growth, in the development of the nervous system. Moreover, they are the precursors of prostaglandins, fragile cellular mediators of information.
Some examples:
- Perilla oil - perilla frutescens - contains 94% unsaturated fatty acids with 60-65% omega 3.
- Camelina oil - camelina sativa - contains 70% unsaturated fatty acids with 30-35% omega 3. Moreover, it is rich in provitamin A and vitamin E, allowing a good antioxidant action.
- Rape seed oil - brassica napus - contains 93% unsaturated fatty acids with a proportion of 10% omega 3
- Flaxseed oil - linum usitatissimum - contains 91% unsaturated fatty acids with 55% omega 3. For this oil, there is a very important precaution of use because it goes rancid quickly if it is not conditioned in the refrigerator.
- Olive oil - olea europaea - contains 83% unsaturated fatty acids, including 72% omega 9 and 1% omega 3.
- Argan oil - argania spinosa- contains 82% unsaturated fatty acids. It is similar in composition to olive oil.
- Chia oil - salvia hispanica- contains 91% unsaturated fatty acids, 62% of which are omega 3. Wonderful oil at the nutritional level but its use will be mainly cosmetic. Moreover, it is a product originating from Mexico which is difficult to access in Europe.
- Avocado oil - persea gratissima - contains 82% unsaturated fatty acids. It is recommended for its nutritional benefits in vitamin D, E and H.
In our daily consumption, it will be important to focus on organic quality vegetable oils and of first cold pressure. Moreover, oils of this type are not designed to be heated - except for olive oil, which can rise to a temperature of approximately 200 degrees. However, if you choose an extra virgin olive oil, it will not be suitable for cooking either. Therefore, consider these oils as oils to be consumed raw, as a side dish and as a seasoning.
Sources : Les bienfaits des huiles végétales aux Editions Marabout