We all use variety of oils in our kitchen and living in a farm rich country we have variety of good oils that help our kids grow stronger. However with the vast changes in lifestyles our food patterns have also evolved, call it the air we are living in, the kind of work we do and the kind of environment we are dwelling as a whole (includes, friends, families, peers, school, office etc.).We are no longer confined to a house bound state where working at home would be enough for a workout, our kids nowadays mostly go to air-conditioned school and buses, have million parties to attend (sometime more than us), have access to the world through screens and phones and many other things that we could not even imagine at our times and if we go back our parents they could not even have dreamt of it. So when we have accepted so many changes why can’t we incorporate some good dietary changes too along with our old traditions .Why stick to our regular oils when we are experimenting so much with food? Never forget that the fat (OIL) your food is cooked in will only bring out its actual nutrition. Ever thought of cooking Chinese in ghee? No, never, just like that evolving with food is the need for the hour and our bodies.
Coming back to the point avocado oil is one of the few oils which is controversial to the extent of it being expensive and an international product, but we fail to understand that there are lots of imports for chocolates , desserts ,sweets and many more things that we offer our children but never compare the prices, as a matter of fact most of the good olive oil is also imported , but we always end up buying some Indian versions of olive oil without knowing that they are all adulterated to lower down the prices . Avocado oil comes with a price for its goodness and reason it is expensive is because it needs a certain climate to grow and flourish to retain its nutrients which sadly is not very compatible in Indian climatic conditions and hence mostly imported from countries like NEW ZEALAND, US, Mexico etc. Good quality avocado oil is usually emerald green in color, with thick consistency and a buttery taste. It is mild in taste but can take time to develop the flavor ,one should only use a cold pressed , extra virgin avocado oil for kids to get its maximum benefits .Below are a few pointers why fats like avocado oil should be incorporated in your child’s meal :
1. High smoke up point: Our Indian cooking is usually with many tadkas, high flames, frying etc. When regular vegetable oils are used at high heats, they begin to smoke and the fumes can contain dangerous carcinogenic compounds, which are not at all favorable for health in the long run. In order to minimize exposure to these it is important to cook only with fats that are stable in high heat. Avocado oil has the highest smoke up point of 270 degree C which is ever higher to ghee which is 252 degree c and olive oil is 160 degree c .Avocado oil does not burn even at high temperatures which are good for children and adults. Thus avocado oil can be consumed raw and even used in high heat cooking’s.
2.Loaded with minerals : Avocado oil is the only oil which is loaded with minerals and vitamins such as A,B C E , K , potassium , magnesium .it has the highest content of vitamin E which further helps in absorption of these minerals in your body .The fatty acid profile is almost primarily unsaturated, so it’s a heart-healthy fat. All these minerals and vitamins targets the bone health, eye health , skin health , and heart heath in your kids and giving it on daily basis will definitely add strength and shall keep them away from chronic health hassles on adulthood.
3.High in calories : As we all know that kids are picky eaters and we as mother always wonder how to feed them right and nutritious food and many times fail as they don’t like the regular meals and we stress ourselves always that have they eaten well ?have they got enough calories ?. So cooking in avocado oil with surely run this worry away. 1 tbsp. of avocado oil (14 gm.) has 124 calories which is higher than ghee and filled with nutrition .it will cover up the nutrition of any leftover veggie or stew .It is also a plant based oil that works best for kids who are lactose intolerant or celiac .And by high in calories we do not mean bad calories, they are just the right amount to give enough energy and to burn that extra fat in the body.
Food is life for us and at no cost I insist on leaving a particular food and incorporate a new one because I know our food pallets is transferred to us by generations and we should abide by them .Eating a lovely aloo parantha in ghee is the best thing that can happen to anyone in the morning (lol), but if we can eat a parantha once a week in ghee and once a week in avocado oil trust me that shall be a game changer and it’s all that is required to start .