This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
We all know that home cooking can be an extremely healthy way to stay in shape and make sure you’re eating right. But there are also many mistakes that you can make while cooking, and if you don’t know what habits to avoid, you may end up cooking rather unhealthy meals for yourself and your family.
Just about every recipe requires some type of fat, usually butter or oil. Fats aren't always bad, but using the wrong types of fat may cause unwanted health effects. Unfortunately, there is one cooking oil that many people choose because they think it is healthy, but in reality it is one of the worst choices: sunflower oil.
Sunflower oil is seen as a healthier alternative to popular cooking ingredients like olive oil or vegetable oil because it has polyunsaturated fat, which is better for you than other types of fat. But the truth is that sunflower oil can be detrimental to your health because it contains a lot of omega-6 fatty acids, which are not good for you.
Omega-6 can increase the levels of inflammation throughout your body, which puts you at risk for disease and prevents weight loss.
Instead of sunflower oil, try using something more neutral like olive oil or butter. The fat content in these ingredients might not be as ideal as the content of sunflower oil, but they can cause less problems for your health in the long run.