Our compatriots heard about refined vegetable oil not so long ago.

TM "Oleina" became the flagship in the expanses of the post-Soviet space - its advertising appeared in the late 90s, more precisely in 1997.

Until that time, there was no special variety of oils, only the usual unrefined.

It was used for salads and for frying, although not everyone liked the taste and smell of such "goodies", too bright relish gives unrefined oil to products that are fried on it.

And also, under the influence of high temperatures, it releases harmful substances that adversely affect the human body.

Having tried the refined (refined) oil, none of the housewives returned to unrefined oil, at least for frying.

Unrefined oil today is used only for fresh consumption, which, however, is correct.

Affordable cost, economical consumption, complete absence of smell and taste of vegetable oil, as well as burning in the process of cooking, brought national love and recognition to the refined product.

At one time, it completely ousted unrefined from store shelves, in which advertising played an important role.

She drew the attention of potential consumers to the fact that products cooked in refined oil are dietary, low-calorie.

It's good that over time, these two types of oils divided the market, because, in fact, they are not competitors, they are both beneficial to health in their own way, they each have their own field of application, their own advantages and disadvantages.

Refined and unrefined oil: what's the difference?

The key difference between unrefined and refined vegetable fats is the way they are produced.

If we omit the details of the processes of making vegetable oil, which dictate the rules of super-profitable commerce, then ideally they should look like this.

To obtain the most useful unrefined oil, raw materials (for our latitudes are sunflower, corn, flax, pumpkin seeds, for warm countries these are olives, sesame seeds, almonds and other oilseeds) are subjected to powerful presses, that is, they are obtained by the same method of cold pressing.

This will be virgin oil obtained by cold pressing. But since it is impossible to squeeze out all the oil from the raw material in this way, an extraction method was invented to help him, which is used after pressing.

The essence of the extraction consists in heating the residues of the cake, processing them with organic (I would like to believe it) solvents, which increase the return of the oil, and then are removed from the final product.

Thus, re-pressed oil is obtained, it is no longer as valuable and useful as that which is obtained in the first pressing by a press.

As for the refined vegetable oil, the raw material for its production is the unrefined product. During forced refining, various impurities are removed from it:

• aromatic and flavoring substances;
• those that can precipitate and spoil the appearance of the finished product - phospholipids;
• pigments (refined oil is almost colorless);
• all waxy substances and the wax itself that cause the oil to cloud;
• unbound fatty acids and others.

This is a brief description of the technologies for producing oils. Today, unfortunately, the production of vegetable oils is, first of all, a big business, which provides for the use of far from harmless technologies.

They allow you to get a marketable product with minimal material and time costs.

In some varieties of refined vegetable oil, all components useful for the body may be completely absent, and instead of them, very harmful ones are present.

Therefore, any oil should be bought only from trusted manufacturers, and preferably directly at the oil mills, if possible.

Unrefined vegetable oil - benefits

Crude oil is a storehouse of vitamins and components valuable for the body. It is very tasty and aromatic, makes the usual dishes richer and richer.

But on it you can’t! fry to get the maximum benefit, use such oil only fresh.

1. Saturates the body with vitamins.

2. Essential fatty acids (which exactly depends on the type of oil).

3. Supplier of antioxidants.

4. It is an excellent means of preventing thrombosis and atherosclerosis.

5. Stimulates the production of growth hormone in children and adolescents.

6. Regular consumption of such vegetable fat improves the condition of hair, nails, skin.

7. Has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system.

8. It is used in cosmetology for the preparation of nourishing and anti-aging compositions.

9. Normalizes the functions of the organs of the reproductive system in men and women.

10. Increases the immune properties of the body.

11. Improves the permeability of nerve impulses through cell membranes.

12. Is an essential component of a healthy diet.

13. Normalizes metabolic processes in the body.

Despite the obvious benefits of cold-pressed oil, it should be consumed in very limited quantities - a couple of tablespoons per day, but regularly.

Refined oil, of course, loses to unrefined oil in terms of benefits, since it contains significantly less natural biologically active components with which the crude product is saturated.

But it is ideal for preparing healthy dietary food - stewed, baked and even fried, if you don't eat a lot of it and eat it every day.

Many are skeptical about refined vegetable oils, but without them they would have had to completely switch to boiled food, or rather harmful ones, fried in animal fats.

And so, refined, like the golden mean - it is universal, suitable for dressings and for heat treatment of products.

In conclusion, we can say that there should be two types of oil on the table- one for consumption in its pure form, externally and internally, and the other so that food gives maximum benefit and pleasure to consumers. Be healthy.

The rich and aromatic olive oil, like wine, is a matter of personal preference. Residents of many regions have long been convinced of its unusual taste and useful properties, and the production of this product has become a profitable and large-scale process. The wide variety of products available in retail outlets around the globe often confuses the average consumer. Many buyers do not know which one to buy and which olive oil is healthier since the taste of a product can vary greatly, and its price can fluctuate over a wide range.

Factors affecting the taste and beneficial properties of the oil are:

• ripeness and type of olives;
• method and timing of harvesting;
• soil conditions and the place where the olives were grown;
• the length of time between harvesting and pressing;
• spinning technique;
• storage period and method;
• package.

The choice of product should be determined depending on the above factors, as well as the ultimate goal pursued by the person. For example, to improve your health (when using a product raw), you should choose natural varieties, and using high-quality extra-virgin oil for frying is likely to be a waste of money.

Types of unrefined olive oil

According to the standards of the International Olive Oil Council, there are three main varieties of this product (natural, refined and pomace), within each of which several types are distinguished.

All types of "extra-virgin" and "virgin" are natural products of the first pressing, as a result of which about 90% of the olive juice is released. it unrefined olive oil, in the production of which chemical and heat treatment is not used. The varieties "virgin" are considered the most beneficial for health, but "extra virgin" has the best taste and aroma, and also contains the maximum amount of nutrients and vitamins, which causes its increased cost.

1. "Premium extra-virgin olive oil" - due to its extremely low acidity and high quality, it is used raw in dishes where you can appreciate its exquisite taste and aroma. This olive oil should be used as a salad dressing, bread sauce, or as a condiment.
2. Extra-virgin olive oil has a characteristic fruity taste and can have colors ranging from pale yellow to light green. Its acidity is no more than 0.8%. This unrefined oil is not used for frying, but is used as a dressing for cold dishes.
3. Fine virgin olive oil has good taste, and its acidity level is no more than 1.5%. It costs an order of magnitude cheaper than the previous two, but is as close as possible in quality and can be used raw.
4. "Virgin olive oil" is also a natural unrefined product, the acidity of which is less than 2%. It is used both for cooking and as a dressing or sauce.
5. "Semifine virgin olive oil" - olive oil with an acidity of no more than 3.3%. Most often used for food preparation.

Olive oil that is not suitable for human consumption (due to bad taste or smell, acidity levels above 3.3%) is sent for further refining. It can be subjected to thermal and chemical treatment, as well as filtration. After processing, the oil loses its specific smell and taste, and its acidity level is about 0.3%, which increases the shelf life of the product. This is its only major advantage. Refined olive oil contains only a small amount of nutrients that can benefit the human body.

Unrefined olive oil is much healthier than refined olive oil. It has a strong aroma and taste, is rich in nutrients and vitamins, and its use in its raw form can improve the functioning of many physiological systems of the body and prevent the development of serious medical problems.

The main health benefits of unrefined oil:

1. Improving sex life.
2. Prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
3. Weight loss
4. Preventing the development of diabetes.
5. Improving metabolism.
6. Slowing down the aging process of the skin.
7. Preventing the formation of gallstones.
8. Strengthening the human immune system.
9. Preventing and slowing the development of cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer's disease.
10. Improvement of the digestive tract.
11. Prevention of the development of cancerous tumors.

In addition, natural olive oil has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves the condition of the skin and hair, and its use during pregnancy can improve the psychomotor reflexes of a bearing child, which also testifies to the undeniable benefits of this product and the need to introduce it into the diet on an ongoing basis.

Based on materials

• bodyandsoul.com.au
• recipes.howstuffworks.com

1. Types of natural oils

Everyone knows about the benefits of natural vegetable oils and their magical cosmetic effect. But not everyone knows that the same natural oil can be of several types.

First, there are base oils (they are also called fatty oils) and essential oils (they are also called esters or oil extracts).

1) Refined - passed several additional technological stages of purification.

2) Unrefined - only primary mechanical filtration has passed. They are also called virgin oils or virgin oils.

2. The usefulness of different types of oils

Does the degree of cleaning affect natural oil for its usefulness and how many nutrients and trace elements remain in it? - As it turns out, it has practically no effect. The usefulness of the oil is determined composition of components that it contains. So, in the process of refining (additional stages of purification and filtration), the composition and amount of useful vitamins, fats and acids in it changes very slightly. Therefore, both types of oil are beneficial. regardless of the degree of cleaning.

Of course in unrefined oil quantity there will be a little more nutrients... But not in all cases and not all people, unrefined oil is suitable. Why and what are the main differences, see below.

3. What are the differences between oils

So what is the difference between oils if both types are equally beneficial for their cosmetic and health purposes?

At first, - consistency. Unrefined oils are often more saturated and fatty in composition. Refined oils are softer and lighter in character.

Secondly, - smell. Due to additional filtration and purification, the refined oil is generally odorless. Unrefined - has a natural smell, each oil has its own. For example, unrefined coconut oil has a bright coconut aroma, while refined coconut oil has almost no smell.

Thirdly, - Colour. Refined oils are usually colorless and usually have a transparent yellowish tint. Refined oils often have their own characteristic color. For example, unrefined avocado oil has a green tint of the avocado fruit, while refined oil has a transparent yellowish tint.

Thirdly, - shelf life. Refined oils, due to the highest degree of purification, have a longer shelf life. Unrefined oil has a form that is closest to the original source, therefore, its shelf life is shorter.

4. Which oil to choose

As noted above, unrefined oils are richer in nutrients, vitamins and trace elements. Therefore, for cosmetic purposes, as a rule it is better to use unrefined oil... But they are not always and not for everyone.

Consider when is it better to use refined oils.

1) For children under 2, 3 years old. For the delicate skin of a child, unrefined oils can be more than saturated, there can be oversaturation. Refined oils are more neutral and work well for baby's sensitive skin.

2) For pregnant and lactating women. During pregnancy, a woman's body is more susceptible and needs psychological and physical calm. Therefore, it is better not to use unrefined oils during this period. For the sensitive and receptive body of a woman during this period, there can be many of them. Therefore, pregnant and lactating women are advised to use refined oils.

3) For sensitive, delicate, thin skin. If you have this type of skin, you need to see if there will be a lot of unrefined oils for you and how your skin will react to them. In most of these cases, the use of refined oils is recommended.

4) Susceptibility to odors. Almost all unrefined oils have a scent. Each oil has its own. If you are sensitive to odors, refined oils will suit you. They have no smell.

5) In some cases, for massage and cosmetic mixtures. Perhaps when creating a mixture of fatty base and essential oils, you will want to get a certain aroma. In this case, it is necessary to determine if the aroma of unrefined oil is suitable for the overall composition of the aroma. If not, you can use refined oil.

Cabbage juice is a useful life-giving drink that can give our body a lot of necessary and useful substances. We will talk about what useful properties of cabbage juice exist, and how to drink it correctly, in our article. Cabbage is one of the most beneficial vegetable crops because it has very valuable properties. This product is tasty and nutritious, moreover, it is an affordable medicine that everyone can grow in their garden. Many health problems can be eliminated by consuming cabbage. Although everyone knows that because of the fiber in cabbage, this vegetable is difficult to digest, causing gas. To avoid such problems, it is more useful to drink cabbage juice, getting the same beneficial substances contained in the vegetable.

Freshly squeezed cabbage juice contains vitamin C, which increases the body's resistance to infections. Scientists have calculated that in order to meet the daily requirement of our body for vitamin C, you can eat about 200 g of cabbage. In addition, the vegetable contains the vitamin K we need, which is responsible for the full formation of bones, as well as for blood clotting. There are B vitamins and a very rich set of minerals, including iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and other elements, in the composition of cabbage, and, accordingly, cabbage juice.

What is very pleasant for people who are losing weight, cabbage juice is very low in calories (25 kcal per 100 ml). This is a diet drink that will help you lose weight. Cabbage juice has wound healing and hemostatic properties. It is used as an external agent, for treating burns and wounds, and for oral administration (for treating ulcers). Effectively use fresh cabbage juice to treat gastritis and ulcers. The effect is provided by the vitamin U contained in the juice. This vitamin helps in the regeneration of cells in the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. The juice is used to treat hemorrhoids, colitis and inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines, as well as bleeding gums.

Cabbage juice is used as an antimicrobial agent that can act on some pathogens of dangerous diseases, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Koch's bacillus and SARS. Cabbage juice is also used to treat bronchitis, in particular, it is able to thin and remove phlegm. For such treatment, it is recommended to take juice with honey to enhance the healing effect. Cabbage juice is also used to restore tooth enamel, improve the condition of nails, skin and hair. With diabetes mellitus, using cabbage juice can prevent the appearance of skin diseases.

Cabbage juice must be introduced into the diet of those who want to lose weight, due to its low calorie content and high biological activity. At the same time, cabbage juice can be saturated very quickly without getting extra calories, moreover, it prevents the conversion of carbohydrates into fat deposits. Cabbage juice is able to normalize the intestines, removing stagnant bile in the body, fights constipation and helps to remove harmful substances from the body.

Since the juice contains folic acid, which helps conception and full development of the fetus, it is useful for expectant mothers to drink it. The vitamins and minerals contained in the juice protect against infections and colds.

When using cabbage juice, you should follow the rules. The juice has contraindications and limitations. The drink is able to dissolve and decompose toxins accumulated in the body, causing strong gas formation in the intestines, so you can drink it no more than three glasses a day. It is worth starting to use, starting with one and a half glasses. For the reasons listed above, cabbage juice is not recommended in the postoperative period if the operations were carried out in the abdominal cavity, and during lactation, with gastritis with high acidity, with kidney disease and problems with the pancreas.

The world in which we live often affects the state of our nervous system, as it is full of various stressful situations, chronic fatigue and systematic stress. However, the nervous system should be constantly monitored and not overstrained. To do this, it is necessary to streamline everyday worries, for which to create and adhere to the correct daily routine, if necessary, attend a course of psychotherapy, yoga, auto-training and other events. But the easiest way to relax is a simple cup of herbal tea, aromatic and warm. Evening tea is an excellent natural calming agent that gently affects the nerves exhausted during the day. Teas, which relax the nervous system, help to level irritability, nervous exhaustion and relax before going to bed, fighting insomnia. We will talk about how tea calms the nervous system in our article.

Herbal tea

To prepare this wonderful tea, you should take in equal proportions such plants as St. John's wort, peppermint, chamomile and hawthorn flowers. Grind the ingredients, then st. l. pour the mixture in boiling water in a cup, and leave for 30 minutes, covered with a lid. Strain the cooled infusion and add a small amount of honey to it. Drink asleep. This tea will easily calm the nerves, but it is recommended to drink it for no more than two months.

Lime tea

To make tea, mix the flowers of dry linden and lemon balm in equal parts, pour the mixture with a glass of warm water, and boil for about five minutes. The broth is infused for 15 minutes, filtered, a spoonful of honey is added and taken for tea. If this tea is taken regularly, the nervous system will react more calmly to various irritants of an unpleasant nature.

Motherwort mint tea

Mix 10 g of chamomile and motherwort herb, add 20 g of chopped mint, lime blossom, lemon balm and dried strawberries. Three tablespoons of the mixture must be poured into 1 liter of boiling water and insisted for up to 12 minutes. You need to drink the infusion during the day, add a little jam or honey if desired. Such an infusion is intended not to completely suppress the nervous system, but only to gently calm it down. Such tea should be drunk for a long time, without the risk of adverse reactions that are harmful to health.

Simple teas soothing

We mix the hop cones and valerian roots 50 g each, then we brew a dessert spoon of the mixture with boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, filter. Drink throughout the day in small portions. It is better to drink a whole glass of this tea at night. The remedy quite quickly soothes the nerves and helps in the fight against insomnia.

In equal parts, mix peppermint herb and valerian roots, then pour boiling water over a dessert spoon of this mixture, leave for half an hour and filter. We drink this tea in the morning and in the evening for half a glass. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to add a little anise or dill.

Melissa, valerian root and motherwort are taken in equal proportions and brewed in a cup. Then they insist and filter. You need to drink tea before meals on a dessert spoon.

Drinking half a cup of tea before meals, prepared according to the recipe below, can calm the nerves and improve digestion. To prepare it, place 1 tsp in a half-liter jar. motherwort, hop cones and green tea, pour boiling water over, leave for 12 minutes, drain. Add honey to taste.

Sophisticated soothing teas

Mix in equal proportions peppermint, oregano, St. John's wort and chamomile. Then we brew a dessert spoon of the collection in a cup, insist, filter and add honey. Drink this tea by a glass in the morning and before bedtime.

Stir in equal proportions peppermint, valerian root, hop cones, motherwort and ground rose hips. A tablespoon of the mixture should be brewed in the form of tea, infused and filtered. This sedative should be drunk throughout the day.

Soothing teas for children

To prepare a baby tea soothing tea, you need to mix chamomile flowers, peppermint and fennel in equal parts. Then pour boiling water over a dessert spoon of the collection and hold on a steam bath for about 20 minutes, drain. This tea is recommended to be given to young children in the evening before going to bed on a teaspoon, as it can calm, relax, normalize the healthy alternation of sleep and wakefulness.

The teas described in our article can calm the nervous system and normalize blood pressure. Drinking tea every day helps to improve sleep and skin condition. The medicinal herbs in these teas help to eliminate dark circles under the eyes, improve vision, and improve the functioning of the stomach and intestines.

Previously, people could not imagine that a person's breakfast could consist of various crispy balls with dried fruits, cereals and milk. But these days, such food does not surprise anyone, because such a breakfast is very tasty, and besides, it is easy to prepare. However, such food opens up a lot of controversy and discussion, since it is important for people to know what are the benefits and harms of cereal for human health. The very concept of dry food appeared in 1863, and was introduced by James Jackson. The first meal was compressed bran. Even though it wasn't very tasty, it was healthy food. The Kellogg brothers supported the idea of ​​dry food as early as the beginning of the twentieth century. During this time, both Americans and Europeans were embraced by the idea of ​​proper and healthy eating. At that time, the brothers made breakfast cereals made from soaked corn kernels passed through rollers. These breakfasts were more like raw, torn apart, dough. They were helped by an accident in which this body was placed on a hot baking sheet and forgotten about it. Thus, the first dry breakfasts were obtained. This idea was taken up by many companies, and the flakes were mixed with nuts. Fruit and other foods.

What are the benefits of breakfast cereals?

In the last twenty years, the usual breakfast, which consisted of sandwiches and cereals, has been replaced by dry ones. The main advantage of dry food is, first of all, time saving, which is very important in our time. Few people can afford a full and correct breakfast these days. That is why the main benefit of breakfast cereals is their simple and quick preparation. Such breakfasts are made elementary. One has only to pour milk over the cereal. In addition, milk can be replaced with yogurt or kefir.

During the production of breakfast cereals, all the beneficial substances of cereals are preserved. For example, corn flakes are saturated with vitamins A and E, while rice flakes contain amino acids important for our body. Oatmeal contains phosphorus and magnesium. But, unfortunately, not all breakfasts are good for the human body, some of them can be harmful.

Breakfast cereals include snacks, muesli, and cereals. Snacks are balls and pads of different sizes made from rice, corn, barley, oats and rye. These cereals are steamed under high pressure in order to preserve the maximum amount of beneficial trace elements and vitamins. However, with additional heat treatment, such as frying, the product loses its usefulness. When nuts, honey, fruits, chocolate are added to flakes, muesli is obtained. For the production of snacks, ground flakes, as well as various additions to them, are overcooked. More often children love snacks, so they are produced in the form of different figures. Some manufacturers add a variety of toppings to their snacks, including chocolate. However, after adding sugar and various additives to breakfast, it will no longer be very useful. In this regard, to maintain health and shape, it is better to choose unprocessed cereals or muesli with fruit and honey.

Why are breakfast cereals harmful?

The most harmful product is snacks, since more nutrients are destroyed during their preparation. One serving of such breakfasts contains only about two grams of fiber, while our body needs up to 30 grams of dietary fiber per day. It is more useful to eat unprocessed flakes that have not undergone heat treatment. This product will fill the body with the necessary amount of fiber. Snacks are harmful due to frying, as they become high in calories and fatty.

It is necessary to take into account the high calorie content of breakfast cereals. For example, the calorie content of stuffed pillows is about 400 calories, and chocolate balls - 380 calories. Cakes and sweets have a similar calorie content, and this is not useful. More harm is done by various additives that make up breakfast cereals. That is why buy raw cereals for children, without various additives. Add honey, nuts or dried fruit to your breakfast cereal and skip foods that include sugar substitutes.

Wheat, rice and corn flakes are very easy to digest because they contain simple carbohydrates. This fills the body with energy and provides the brain with nutrition, but excessive consumption of these carbohydrates leads to excess weight.

Cooked breakfast cereals are very harmful. During cooking, the fat or oil used in the cooking process can lead to cardiovascular problems and high cholesterol levels. Flavor enhancers, leavening agents, and flavoring agents are often included in breakfasts. Avoid purchasing products with these additives.

A child can be given flakes from the age of six, not earlier, since coarse fibers are complex for the absorption of the child's intestines.

The pain that people can periodically feel for various reasons can destroy all the plans made for the day, ruin the mood and worsen the quality of life. Pain can be of a different nature, but to get rid of it, people resort to using pain relievers. However, at the same time, few people think that by using an anesthetic, we can harm our health, since each drug has side effects that can manifest itself in a separate organism. However, not everyone knows that some foods are able to reduce or relieve painful sensations, while being effective enough and without exposing the body to additional risk. Of course, when any pain occurs, it is necessary to determine what it is associated with. Pain is a kind of signal from the body, indicating that it has a problem. Therefore, in no case can you ignore the pain, and sometimes it is impossible to do this, because it reminds of itself, sometimes at the most inopportune moment. In our article we will talk about what foods can relieve pain, or reduce its manifestation at least for a while.

For people with chronic diseases that periodically manifest themselves as painful sensations, you can make up some kind of pain-relieving diet to alleviate their condition. So, here are some foods that can soothe pain:

Turmeric and ginger... Ginger is a proven medicine for many diseases that can effectively treat pain. For example, in oriental medicine, this plant is used to reduce toothache. To this end, you need to prepare a decoction of ginger and rinse the mouth with it. Pain from exercise and from intestinal upset and ulcers can be soothed with ginger and turmeric. In addition, these plants have a positive effect on kidney health.

Parsley... These greens contain essential oils that can stimulate blood circulation in the human body, including the blood supply to internal organs. When parsley is consumed, the body's adaptive abilities increase, which speeds up healing.

Chilli... This is another pain reliever. In the course of the studies, it was found that red pepper is able to increase the pain threshold of a person. The molecules of this product activate the body's immune defenses and produce endorphins that act as a pain reliever. Traditionally, this pepper is included in the menu of peoples living in difficult natural conditions and engaged in hard physical labor.

bitter chocolate... As mentioned above, the hormone endorphin, which is also called the "hormone of happiness", is a natural pain reliever. The production of this natural pain reliever is stimulated by the consumption of chocolate. The peculiarity of chocolate to give pleasure to everyone is known, however, this product not only gives mood, but is able to relieve painful sensations.

Whole Grain Products... According to some experts, the pain-relieving properties of foods made with whole grains are prohibitively high. These foods are high in magnesium, which can help relieve muscle soreness. In addition, these foods help relieve headaches by keeping the body hydrated.

Mustard... Mustard has the ability to relieve headaches that come from overwork or other causes. It is enough to eat a piece of bread smeared with fresh mustard.

Cherry... It is very easy to eliminate a headache by eating a few ripe cherries.

Garlic... This is another burning product that can relieve pain, and it also applies to pain resulting from various inflammations.

Citrus... These fruits have pain relievers, just like other foods that contain vitamin C. Citrus fruits relieve pain from a variety of reasons. In addition, these fruits act as a general tonic. Therefore, it is the first product to be transferred to patients in a hospital.

Cinnamon... Another important remedy used in the fight against various inflammations and pains. Cinnamon reduces the negative effects of uric acid, the increased content of which can trigger the development of many diseases, including arthritis.

On sale you can see olive, sunflower, soybean, corn, peanut, sesame, rapeseed, palm oil. What is the difference between these products and what should be guided when choosing one or another?

Vegetable oils are the most common fat used in the diet. They are extracted from finely ground heated seeds and fruits by pressing (squeezing) or extraction. Due to their composition, vegetable oils are physiologically very active, and their nutritional value is determined by the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in them, which our body needs to build cells. That is why vegetable oils should certainly be included in the diet of a person of any age, even a baby.

Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is widely used as the main raw material in the production of margarine and mayonnaise, as well as in the manufacture of canned vegetables and fish. Sunflower oil goes on sale refined and unrefined; Refined oil is also deodorized, that is, odorless. Refined sunflower oil - transparent, golden or light yellow in color, does not emit sediment during storage, has a faint smell of seeds. Unrefined oil is darker in color and has a strong specific odor, and forms a sediment during storage.

Corn oil
Corn oil is light yellow, transparent, odorless. It goes on sale only in refined form. It has no particular advantages over sunflower or soybean oil, however, this oil contains a greater amount of useful accompanying substances, which makes it more popular.

Soybean oil
Soybean oil is very popular in Europe, America and, of course, China. In China - by virtue of tradition. Soybean oil is loved for its characteristic smell and taste. It is extracted from soy beans, which, in addition to a significant amount of oil - 15-20%, contain complete proteins. Soybean oil is refined, but not deodorized. Crude (unrefined) oil is brown with a greenish tint, refined oil is light yellow.

Soybean oil is better than others for baby food, as it contains substances necessary for the formation of the central nervous system and the visual apparatus. It is similar in composition to fish oils: they contain the same polyunsaturated acids.

Cottonseed oil
Cottonseed oil is golden yellow in color, has a faint taste and smell. It goes on sale refined. It consists of a mixture of liquid (70-75 and solid (25-30 fat. mainly in the hot processing of various products.To dress salads, a special salad oil is produced: solid ingredients are removed from cottonseed oil by freezing.

Olive oil
Olive oil is obtained from the pulp and seeds of the fruit of the olive tree. The pulp contains up to 55% oil. High quality olive oil is called Provencal. The best varieties of oil are light or golden yellow in color. It is most loved by Italian chefs who cook sauces on it. The lower grade oil has a greenish tint.

Olive oil has a special place among others. It is the most valuable and nutritious. The percentage of fatty and polyunsaturated acids in it is not so high, but it is absorbed better than others. It is not produced in our country, and it costs much more than any other. The high cost of the product is also due to its special properties, due to which olive oil is often introduced into medicines and cosmetics: lotions, creams, etc.

Olive oil is well tolerated even by people suffering from digestive disorders, liver and gallbladder diseases. Moreover, doctors even recommend such patients to take a spoonful of olive oil on an empty stomach in the morning. It has a mild choleretic effect. A spoonful of sunflower oil in a similar situation can provoke hepatic colic.

Olive oil prevents cardiovascular disease. It has been established that the inhabitants of the Mediterranean rarely suffer from cardiovascular diseases due to the so-called Mediterranean diet, which includes a lot of vegetables, fruits and fish, but little meat and butter. The main source of fat there is olive oil.

Olive oil, like any other oil, can be refined, that is, refined. As a rule, oil of not very high quality is refined. It is most commonly used in cooking. Connoisseurs value unrefined natural olive oil. It has a specific smell and taste, generally unusual for our consumer. But it is this oil that is most valuable and nutritious. It is ideal for preparing vegetable, fruit and vegetable and fruit salads, crab and shrimp snacks. Olive oil makes excellent hot dishes; it is used in the production of canned fish.

Real olive oil can be easily distinguished from counterfeits and surrogates by putting it in the refrigerator for several hours. In natural olive oil, white flakes form in the cold, which disappear at room temperature.

Peanut, sesame and rapeseed oils
Peanut, sesame and rapeseed oils are among the least beneficial vegetable oils. They have much less polyunsaturated acids and relatively high molecular weight fatty acids. These products are used abroad for the production of margarine products and canned food, as well as for preparing salads and frying - for the same purposes as all vegetable oils.

Palm oil
Palm oil is the least valuable of all vegetable oils. It is firm in consistency and looks like pork fat. For cooking, it is used in a number of countries of the East, where, for religious reasons, pork fat is not used. In most countries, this product is used as a hardener for the preparation of margarines, in the culinary and confectionery industries. Palm oil is eaten only when heated - it is not suitable for cold cooking.

What is refined oil
Refining is the purification of oil from various contaminants: residual pesticides and other harmful impurities. The oil is treated with alkali, free fatty acids and phospholipids are removed from it; the product exfoliates, the refined oil rises. Then it is washed and filtered again. It cleans up, but almost loses its taste and smell. It is for this reason that not everyone likes refined oil. Some people prefer the smell and taste of a natural product and believe that cleaning is detrimental to it. But it should be borne in mind that we eat vegetable oil every day, and if any harmful substances remain in it, then, gradually accumulating in the body, they can contribute to the occurrence of various diseases. Therefore, refining is necessary at least for safety reasons. In addition, during refining, only a small part of nutrients is lost, so that in terms of nutritional value, refined and unrefined oils are approximately equal.

No taste, no color, no smell
If you take different vegetable oils: sunflower, corn, soybean, olive, cottonseed, etc. and refining them completely, you cannot tell them apart. These will be exactly the same viscous liquids, lighter than water, without taste, odor and color - the so-called impersonal oils. Their nutritional value is determined only by the presence of essential fatty acids (mainly linoleic and linolenic). These acids are the most important thing that refined vegetable oil contains.

Essential fatty acids, also called vitamin F, are responsible for the synthesis of hormones, maintaining immunity. They give stability and elasticity to blood vessels, reduce the body's sensitivity to ultraviolet rays and radioactive radiation, regulate smooth muscle contraction, and perform many more vital functions. These beneficial substances in the oil remain even after deep refining. To make the oil clear, phospholipids (or phosphatides) are removed from it.

Let's understand the terms

According to the degree of purification, the oil can be:
* unrefined - only mechanical impurities are removed;
* hydrated - filtration and hydration (water treatment to remove phosphorus-containing substances) was carried out;
* refined non-deodorized - filtration, hydration, neutralization (alkaline refining), bleaching (discoloration)
* refined deodorized - the oil has passed all the previous operations of refining and deodorization.

There are several stages of refining.
* The first is getting rid of mechanical impurities. After going through this procedure, the oil goes on sale as a commodity unrefined.
* The next step is the removal of phosphatides (hydration). Such processing makes the oil transparent, after which it is called marketable hydrated.
* The third step is the elimination of free fatty acids. If the content of these acids is too high, the oil develops an unpleasant taste. The oil that has passed these three stages is called refined, non-deodorized oil.
* After bleaching (fourth stage), there are no pigments left in the oil, including carotenoids, and it becomes light straw. Deodorization removes volatile compounds, deodorizes the oil and turns it into a refined deodorized oil.
* And, finally, the last stage of cleaning, during which a colorless, viscous liquid is obtained - freezing, with its help wax is removed.

After going through all the stages, the oil becomes impersonal. Margarine, mayonnaise, cooking fats are made from such a product, and used for canning. Therefore, it should not have a specific taste or smell in order not to disturb the overall taste of the product.

On the shelves, sunflower oil most often gets either refined, non-deodorized - outwardly transparent, but with a characteristic odor and color.

Or refined deodorized - very transparent, light yellow, odorless and tasteless of seeds.

Or unrefined - it is darker than bleached, maybe with sediment or suspension, but nevertheless it passed filtration and, of course, retained the smell that we all know from childhood.

Based on materials from the "Demand" magazine