In today's world, many people are wary of animal fat because consuming animal fat, which is high in saturated fatty acids, can easily lead to increased cholesterol and blood lipids, resulting in atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Many people avoid animal fat for this reason.
However, what they don't realize is that a long-term preference for vegetable oil can also cause vascular disorders and heart disease, which is equally detrimental to health and longevity.
Under normal circumstances, when the body's lipid metabolism is functioning properly, even with the intake of a large amount of saturated fatty acids, cholesterol can still be regulated to a normal level. When lipid metabolism is abnormal, cholesterol levels will remain high even without consuming saturated fatty acids. This is because when the intake of external animal fat is low, the body accelerates the breakdown of its own fat and converts carbohydrates into fat. As a result, secondary hyperlipidemia can occur, promoting the formation of atherosclerosis.
In recent years, research by medical experts and nutritionists has shown that vegetable oils contain relatively high levels of unsaturated polyenoic acids. This substance is prone to auto-oxidation, generating peroxides. Therefore, when there is a preference for vegetable oil, the amount of unsaturated polyenoic acids in the body increases, leading to a higher production of peroxides. Peroxides can not only damage the red blood cell membrane and mitochondrial membrane, causing symptoms such as hemolysis, but can also combine with proteins to form aging pigment—lipofuscin, which produces age spots on the skin. If peroxides form on the blood vessel walls, they can cause vascular aging and lead to arteriosclerosis; when they form in the liver, they become one of the causes of cirrhosis;
when they form on brain cells, they can cause cerebral embolism. They can also oxidize and decompose various vitamins, especially vitamin C, causing them to lose their normal function. This affects the body's absorption and utilization of vitamins, leading to vitamin deficiency.
In fact, whether it's animal oil or vegetable oil, both are essential nutrients for maintaining life. The key is to maintain a balance of nutrients. Excessive consumption or a preference for either one is detrimental to human health. Therefore, as the dietary conditions for the elderly continue to improve, their diet should be primarily based on vegetable oil, with appropriate amounts of animal oil. The consumption of animal and vegetable oils can be scientifically combined based on one's physical condition, needs, and level of physical labor. A more ideal ratio is to add 0.5 to 1 part of animal oil to every 2 parts of vegetable oil, in order to achieve a reasonable balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
This way, it can enhance the flavor of dishes without causing disease.