Physiological effects of vegetable oils
Our vegetable oils can aid countless diseases
Vegetable oils are rich in unsaturated fatty-acids and vitamin E, unlike fats, in which blasting cholesterol and mainly saturated fatty-acids can be found. The excessive use of saturated fatty-acids can increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases. These fatty-acids may deposit and block the blood stream in the veins and so increase the cholesterol-level. The energy content of vegetable oils and fats are equal but oils don’t contain cholesterol. Our body needs unsaturated fatty-acids to support the nervous system, help to produce hormones and to enhance the metabolism of fats.
We distinguish unsaturated fatty acids by the conformational freedom of the certain fatty acid. The differences in geometry between the various types of unsaturated fatty acids, play an important role in biological processes. The essential fatty-acids are the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty-acids. Both play an important part in the production of prostaglandin, a hormone-like chemical messenger. Prostaglandins have the effect of controlling inflammations and control bleedings. They also play part in cell growth and the fat movement inside the system.
The main source of the omega-6 Fatty acids (linolenic acids) are sunflowers. The needs of an adult per day are about 4 grams. This amount equals about 2 coffee-spoons of sunflower-oil or 1 handful of almond. In a slightly bigger dose it can save from coronary artery diseases, the use of 25 grams or more can increase the production of free radicals.
The omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acids) control the blood’s cholesterol level (the ratio of healthy/bad cholesterol) and reduce the risks of cardiac diseases. In nature we can find it in the oil two plants, the Egoma (Perilla frutescens) and the Linseed (Linum usitatissimum). The needs of an adult per day are about 4 grams or about 2 coffee-spoons of linseed oil.
The fatty acid consistency of vegetable oils made from various plants is different but it is typical for the given plant. Thanks to that, various oils evolve their prophylactic and healing effects on various parts of our system.