Let’s talk today about refined vegetable oil. Refined cooking oils are usually found in processed foods, including margarine, salad dressings, sauces, cookies, baked goods, and mayonnaise. Some well-known refined vegetable oils include soybean oil, canola oil, and safflower oil. What harm does refined oil do to the body? Let’s figure it out.
Good vegetable oil is a source of beneficial fats and vitamins. Healthy fats are very important for your cell membranes, organ function, energy levels, hormonal health, and brain function. They are necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as some minerals and antioxidants. A diet rich in healthy fats can help keep inflammation levels under control, regulate blood sugar levels, lower triglycerides, and increase life expectancy.
Using oils in cooking can be a great way to add healthy fats to your diet — and, of course, improve the taste and quality of your dishes. They are an integral part of a healthy diet.
However, it’s important which oils you use! Not all oils are beneficial. Some oils, such as refined vegetable oils, are not good for our bodies, while other oils are healthy fats that can help improve your health. Unlike olive oil, coconut oil, and animal fat, refined vegetable oils were not available until the 20th century when the technology to produce them emerged.
How is refined vegetable oil produced?
It’s a long and complex process before refined vegetable oils end up in your kitchen or in our processed foods.
- The first step is to collect all the corn, soybean, canola, safflower, or cotton seeds.
- Then these seeds are heated at very high temperatures. This leads to the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, as well as by-products that are toxic to both animal and human health.
- This is followed by treatment with a petroleum-based solvent, which allows extracting the maximum amount of oil from the seeds.
- Since at this stage most vegetable oils have a pungent odor, the next step is a deodorization process, which results in trans fats that are very harmful to health.
- In the final stage, chemicals are added to impart color, after which the refined oils are ready to be bottled, sold in stores, or used in processed foods.
Therefore, when you see the label “refined and deodorized oil,” you should understand that during its production process, it has been very much altered and has become literally toxic to our health.
Harm of refined oil to the body
The harm of refined oil to the body is reflected in cardiovascular health and increases cholesterol levels. The high temperatures used in the refining process remove all valuable and natural elements from them. Instead, the amount of trans fats increases, which are known to raise levels of bad LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin and lower levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. All these LDL and trans fats are deposited in the arteries, causing plaque formation. Plaque buildup can narrow these arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart. Eventually, reduced blood flow can cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or other signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease. Complete blockage can cause a heart attack. If plaque ruptures, it impedes blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke.
Impact on gastrointestinal health
Omega-6 and Omega-3 are important fats necessary for brain development, hormone production, cell health, and the immune system. These fats need to be in the right balance. The correct ratio of omega-3 to 6 is from 1:4 to 1:2. Unfortunately, refined oils contain a ratio close to 20:1. Researchers have found that excessive consumption of omega-6 has a detrimental effect on gut health and can cause inflammatory bowel diseases, colitis, and damage to immune cells. Consequently, our diet should be rich in omega-3 to improve gut health, as they have anti-inflammatory properties.
Refined vegetable oils are incredibly unstable and easily oxidize when exposed to heat, chemicals, or light. These factors can lead to the formation of trans fats and lipid peroxides. Trans fats can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, while lipid peroxides can disrupt your DNA, membrane lipids, and proteins. Both can increase the risk of chronic diseases and lead to early signs of aging.
Refined vegetable oils tend to be very unstable. To reduce this problem, synthetic antioxidants are added during the production process to reduce the risk of oxidation and rancidity. These synthetic antioxidants can have endocrine, immunodeficient, and carcinogenic effects, as well as cause food allergies, food sensitivity, inflammation, and other health problems.
Oils to avoid in the kitchen
I recommend you avoid using the following refined cooking oils in the kitchen:
- Corn oil
- Canola oil
- Sesame oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- Peanut oil
- Rice bran oil
- Refined coconut oil
- Refined olive oil
What oil to use?
Alternatives to refined oils include organic cold-pressed oils and organic virgin oils. Using organic oils is important because nowadays, oilseed crops are intensively sprayed with pesticides and are mostly genetically modified!
Organic cold-pressed oils: Cold-pressed oils are produced by pressing seeds, nuts, or fruits at low temperatures without using heat or chemicals. These oils retain their natural taste, aroma, and nutrients, making them a healthier alternative to refined oils.
Organic Virgin oils: Virgin oils are produced by pressing seeds, nuts, or fruits without using heat or chemicals. These oils undergo minimal processing and retain their natural taste, aroma, and nutrients.
References used for writing the article:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28841772/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28752053/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120115/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9366580/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462476/
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4615-9561-8_15
- https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/sites/default/files/ntp/roc/content/profiles/butylatedhydroxyanisole.pdf
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