Palm | Kelapa Sawit

The appropriate amount of fat as a component of daily food consumption is the topic of some controversy. Some fat is required in the diet, and fat (in the form of oil) is also essential in many types of cooking. The FDA recommends that 30% or less of calories consumed daily should be from fat.Other nutritionists recommend that no more than 10% of a person's daily calories come from fat.[2] In extremely cold environments, a diet that is up to two-thirds fat is acceptable and can, in fact, be critical to survival in that type of environment.

While consumption of small amounts of saturated fats is essential, excessive amounts of such fats has been shown to be correlated with coronary heart disease. Oils that are particularly high in saturated fats include coconut and palm oil.Oils with lower amounts of saturated fats, and higher amounts of unsaturated (preferably monounsaturated) fats, are generally healthier.

Health and particular oils

While such general principles can provide general dietary guidelines, it is also important to consider the dietary characteristics of individual oils. Olive oil, for example, raises "good" HDL cholesterol, a heart-healthy effect that need not be limited by an arbitrary figure.

Peanut, cashew and other nut-based oils may also present a hazard to persons with a nut allergy. A severe allergic reaction may cause anaphylactic shock and result in death.

Trans fats

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that are not required or beneficial for health. Hydrogenation, a process that adds hydrogen atoms to fat molecules to make them more saturated, is responsible for most dietary transfats. Oils are hydrogenated to increase their melting point (for example in making margarine).

Cooking with oils

Heating an oil changes its characteristics. Some oils that are healthy at room temperature can become unhealthy when heated above certain temperatures. When choosing a cooking oil, it is therefore important to note the oil's heat tolerance, and to match the oil to its use in cooking. Oils that are suitable for high temperature frying (above 280°C/500°F) include:

* Almond oil
* Apricot kernel oil
* High-oleic safflower oil or sunflower oil
* Carotino oil
* Peanut oil
* soybean oil