Hello! I'm Miko, the store manager.
Today I would like to write a little about an important topic about oils that you may not normally pay attention to. (If I were to write about it seriously, I could write a book about it.)
Well then, let's get started!
The role and importance of oil
Oil, together with water, is essential for living, and is closely related to cholesterol, neutral fats, hormones, and so on. Furthermore, oil is the basis not only of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, but also of nerve cells, nerve tissue, and cell membranes. Therefore, choosing the right oil may be even more important than seasonings.
How to choose a good oil
Basically, when it comes to oils to use in your cooking, just like with seasonings, you want to choose oils that are made the traditional way, that is, without any unnecessary processing, and that are extracted slowly at low temperature.
Unfortunately, such oils are rarely sold in supermarkets because, like seasonings, they cannot be mass-produced and mass-sold.
If you see it for sale, you should be skeptical about whether it is really genuine. In fact, it is said that more than 80% of the olive oil on supermarket shelves is fake , and it is even said that it is extremely difficult to find high-quality genuine olive oil.
What are the dangerous oils called "trans fatty acids"?
By the way, the cheap oils sold at those supermarkets are in fact oils that have been unnaturally extracted using chemicals . This process produces "trans fatty acids." It is safe to say that most cheap bottled vegetable oils contain trans fatty acids.
Trans fats are currently considered the most dangerous fats in the world.
These trans fatty acids are said to be involved in a whole host of diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, candidiasis, allergies, depression, and chronic fatigue.
New York City has completely banned its use, but in Asia, including Japan, regulations are still lax and only a few people are aware of the dangers.
Typical examples of trans fatty acids are margarine and shortening . Trans fatty acids are unnatural chemicals that are not effectively used as nutrients in the body, but simply accumulate in the body as foreign substances. Despite this, they are highly valued in the food industry as cheap, long-lasting oils, and are used extensively in snacks, sweets, bread, and processed foods.
How to identify trans fats
Of course, the term "trans fatty acid" is not written on the package or ingredient list. So how can you tell if a food contains trans fatty acids? The basic way is to check the label .
Remember that if you see "hydrogenated fats" or "vegetable fats," they are 100% trans fatty acids. Also, if the product has a detailed ingredient list, it will always be listed as a breakdown of the fat content, so be sure to check. Animal fats such as lard also contain about 5% trans fatty acids. Take this into consideration when thinking about a balanced diet.
History of oil-related incidents
In 1968, there was a major issue in Japan known as the Kanemi Yusho Incident.
This was a food poisoning incident caused by oil extracted from rice bran that spread mainly in western Japan.
The cause of the incident was that the harmful chemical polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were mixed into the chemicals used as a heat medium in the deodorization process of rice bran oil during production, and some of them turned into highly toxic dioxins , which have had a lasting impact not only on the victims who ingested the contaminated oil at the time, but also on their children and grandchildren, and the victims are still fighting to be adequately compensated. Incidentally, a similar incident occurred in Taiwan in 1978. Undeterred, there was another incident in 2014 where cooking oil made from waste oil was distributed in large quantities.
In most cases, these types of incidents are only discovered after victims have been found. They are often discovered when people complain of skin rashes or feeling unwell, so unless people have prior knowledge, they will eat them without thinking. If you think about it that way, the trans fatty acids that we eat now will also become an increasingly big problem in the future.
Problems with oil used in restaurants
It is safe to assume that almost 100% of the frying oils used in the food service industry contain trans fats.
French fries at fast food restaurants, big chicken platters and salted chicken sold at night markets are all lumps of trans fats. The same can be said for the stir-fry oil at vegetarian restaurants. The same can be said for all the oils in the dressings and sauces sold in stores. The same can be said for the prepared foods at convenience stores and supermarkets. In any case, it's safe to say that most foods sold outside are full of trans fats.
There are people who say things like, "I'm busy, so I just eat out, it's easier and cheaper." You really need to be careful.
Because if we continue to eat these foods without worrying for the next 10 or 20 years, what will happen to us in the future?
If you get sick, you'll have to spend time going to the hospital, pay medical expenses, and put a strain on your family... If you're smart, it's self-evident which option is ultimately cheaper.
In Japan, medical expenses are becoming huge every year, and the number of patients with allergies and mental illnesses, which did not exist in the past, is skyrocketing. I think that the reason behind this is the result of the dreamlike food processing technology developed by large corporations.
summary
Easy and convenient meals are so familiar and readily available, but that is why we need to take a step back and become smart enough to distinguish between the real thing and the fake.
I assume that all of you who read my blog on a regular basis are very conscious and high-level people, so I'm sure you already know this, but I would like to say once again that even if it's a little more expensive, please get your hands on ``real unprocessed oil extracted by the power of nature'' and use ``good quality additive-free, naturally produced seasonings'' to cook your own meals, even if it's simple!
When you go out to eat, please go out and enjoy something extravagant every once in a while. A good restaurant uses good ingredients and good seasonings! I hope so from the bottom of my heart.
Eliminate the bad things that have accumulated in your body before they build up!
Detox products sold at Kogaiko Shoten
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