India, Dec. 23 -- What we eat today shapes our metabolic health for years to come - not fleeting food trends. One everyday ingredient that often escapes scrutiny is cooking oil, despite its central role in weight regulation, heart health, and inflammation control. In many Indian households, refined vegetable oils are still considered "light" or "healthy" by default. However, growing nutritional and clinical evidence suggests otherwise, pointing to the need for smarter oil choices that better support long-term metabolic health.

Dr Pankaj Sharma - the Director of the Department of Robotics, Bariatric, Laparoscopic and General Surgery at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, and Founder of Shalya Clinic in Rohini, New Delhi - spoke to HT Lifestyl...