PM Modi asks people to cut down on cooking oil, can Indian kitchens find alternatives?

After asking the countrymen to buy less gold this year and refrain from planning international trips, Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t hesitate to enter kitchens, asking people to cut down on cooking oil as well. While the former two were understandable in the context of the ongoing West Asia disturbance, the informal curb on edible oil did turn some heads.

In his monthly virtual address ‘Mann ki Baat’, he urged people to reduce consumption of cooking oil by 10 percent, saying these small steps can protect them against lifestyle diseases. To initiate a chain effect, he encouraged people to pass on the challenge to ten others.

As per reports, he has often linked oil consumption to obesity and lifestyle disorders. So, the caution isn’t the first of its kind. 

However, India’s high dependency on oil imports could have also driven him to make the informal request. 

In a previous virtual event on the PM-Kisan scheme, he had said that India is self dependent in production of rice, wheat and sugar but lags behind in making of edible oil.

India imported 16 million tones of edible oil for nearly INR 1.61 trillion in the year 2024-25, stated the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India.

As per experts, West Asia conflict and tightening of the vegetable oil supplies in the global market can put India in a vulnerable spot.

What are the alternatives?

So, the most reasonable step is to find alternatives for cooking oil – thankfully Indian kitchens can make up for it.

From a health perspective, some fats are better for your health than others. Cooking oils have an edge over solid fats like cheese, butter or even ghee which pose greater risk to heart health. 

Cooking oil includes fats that can remain liquid at room temperatures and are used for frying, baking, dressing and other cooking activities.

They can be a blend of both vegetable and animal fats.

Most of them contain unsaturated fats and are generally not harmful to the body, however, they are rich in calories and can contribute to obesity if used without discretion.

Among the oils imported in India are – Palm oil (sourced from Malaysia and Indonesia), soybean oil, sunflower oil and some others. Of all the imports, Palm oil constitutes for about 55 percent.

If one reduces or removes these foreign oils from the plates, there are still some authentic and home-grown oils that can fill up the space.

Among the budgeted cooking oil Indians can use is — mustard oil. This pungent, reddish-brown oil, known for its distinct smell is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and is considered good for heart health. It is also a good choice for high-heat cooking if one wishes to make vegetable fritters.

Groundnuts are also abundant in the country and so is the oil extracted from them. Also made of unsaturated fatty acids, groundnut oil can also replace the foreign varieties.

While not aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision board and high on import, olive oil and avocado oil have proven to show exceptional health benefits in not elevating levels of bad cholesterol. While a little on the expensive scale, these oils are a better alternative to the heavily imported palm oil.

One can also rely on other home grown oils such as rice bran oil, safflower oil, flaxseed oil and on occasional days one can rely on saturated fats like ghee, butter and coconut oil. 

As per health experts, oil cannot be completely removed from the diet as it plays a role in formation of healthy fats in the body but one can limit its use. 

Many people are also switching to using air fryers for oil-free snacking.