Firm urges healthy edible oil use to cut ailments

A vegetable oil producing firm, Golden Terra Soya Oil, has called for the use of healthy cooking oil to cut fat-related issues causing heart-related fatalities. A statement by the firm yesterday cited a World Health Organisation (WHO) report that estimates that over 500,000 deaths from heart-related disease occur every year due to trans-fat intake. The […]

A vegetable oil producing firm, Golden Terra Soya Oil, has called for the use of healthy cooking oil to cut fat-related issues causing heart-related fatalities.

A statement by the firm yesterday cited a World Health Organisation (WHO) report that estimates that over 500,000 deaths from heart-related disease occur every year due to trans-fat intake.

The company said the type of fat in diets has an impact on growth and development of the heart and body functions as well as the brain functions.

“Scientifically, all edible oils are 100 per cent fatty acids – This is true for all types of oils! However, what makes them different is the type of fats they contain.”

It said the fatty acids of all edible oils contain one type of fat or the other. However, only those that contain trans fats could increase levels of Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. It said this is well-accepted for cardiovascular disease risk, and decreases levels of HDL-cholesterol, which carries away cholesterol from arteries and transport it to the liver, which secretes it into the bile.

“A healthy body is needed to drive all of life’s aspirations; a healthy oil consumption habit starts with a step in the right direction. For us, we advocate the use of our soya oil for cooking. It is pure Soya oil, sourced and manufactured in Nigeria and should be adopted by every Nigerian for a healthy life,” said Golden Terra.

It advocates that edible oil consumers should replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health issues.

“The unsaturated fats help protect the heart by maintaining levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol while reducing levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in the blood. The more unsaturated fats an oil has the better for consumption,” the company noted.

Esther Chomnu