Why you should pay attention in selecting your cooking oil. As because cooking oil has serious impact on health as it finds it’s place in your kitchen in day to day basis. Major constituents of cooking oils are fats. Fats are bad, fats are good. Bad fat harm you health and in opposite good fat promote your health in wonder way. In similar way, different cooking oils can affect your body in different way. Many cooking oils, marketed as healthy, actually are not. But how do you select your cooking oil? What should you know in choosing your cooking oil? I will help you to decide what is best suited for you here in our article Cooking oil guide: How to choose right cooking oil for your kitchen.
Cooking oil guide: How to choose right cooking oil for your kitchen
Four Important factors you should know
1. Smoke point
Smoke point is the temperature at which oil starts to produce smoke. When cooking oil reaches smoke point it’s biochemical or chemical structure changes. It loose beneficial properties and produces harmful toxins. And thus consuming such oil or fat increases toxicity, produces free radicals and creates inflammation inside the body. Free radical and inflammation promote numerous lifestyle diseases including heart disease and cancer.
Research found that heating vegetable oils can lead to release of aldehyde which is toxic and related to many health hazards including liver disease, embryo toxicity/teratogenicity, diabetes/hypertension, sclerosing peritonitis, cerebral ischemia/neurodegenerative diseases, and other aging-associated diseases.(1)
Refining process usually increases the smoke point. Oil with higher smoke point can withstand higher temperature but that is not the complete story for choosing your cooking oil.
2. Composition of the oil
Cooking oil contains fats or Fatty Acids as major constituents in natural. Fatty acids are chain of carbon atoms bonded with hydrogen and oxygen (carboxyl group). In structural composition at one end of the chain of carbon, one carbon atom is linked with a carboxyl group, for that reason it is technically called fatty acid.
Fatty acids which are the major component of edible oil are characterized by numbers of bond between carbon atoms. More the numbers of bonds more the weak structure, more likely to break apart.
Major components of oil or fats contain group of fatty acids as saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid. In general edible oils contain varied percentage of these groups of fatty acids as well as some nutrients or vitamins.
Saturated fatty acid (SFA)
In saturated fatty acid all the available bond of carbon chain occupied and saturated with hydrogen atoms, no double bond between chain of carbon atoms and chemically more stable. So, saturated fatty acids are the most stable fatty acid out these three groups. They are not easily oxidized and more stable to heat. Butter, ghee(clarified butter), lard, tallow, tropical oils like coconut oil, palm oil etc belongs to this group. Saturated fat also enhances taste to the dish.
These types of fats were used mostly in past days. Saturated fats were believed to be linked with heart disease and people started to avoid this. Vegetable oils came to the market and people start consuming as healthy choice. But it happened in the opposite direction, rate of heart disease has increased that was less common in earlier days. Epidemiological studies revealed that.
Study results:
Saturated fats have been studied intensely, but researchers have not found significant link with heart disease or cardiovascular disease.
A meta analysis of prospective cohort studies with 21 studies of 5–23 y of follow-up of 347,747 subjects, concluded that there is no significant evidence of dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk heart or cardiovascular disease.(2)
Another Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 32 observational studies (512 420 participants) of fatty acids from dietary intake; 17 observational studies (25 721 participants) of fatty acid biomarkers; and 27 randomized, controlled trials (105 085 participants) has been published in the journal of Annals of Internal Medicine in 2014. They concluded that evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.(3)
Different types of saturated fats
It should be kept in mind that saturated fatty acid is a group of fatty acid and they are further differentiated from each other according to the length of the carbon chain, such short chain, medium chain, long chain, very long chain. They also further are subdivided with molecular structure and thus biochemical properties are varying accordingly. Due to varying effects of different saturated fatty acids it is difficult to give an ultimate conclusion on saturated fats as a whole. Apart from these your body also produces saturated fat.
On the other way, unsaturated fats are missing hydrogen atoms at carbon bond so less stable than saturated fats and damage early than saturated fats.
Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)
Monounsaturated fatty acids miss two hydrogen atoms from their carbon chain. Hence two carbon atoms in carbon chain are joined together with double bond. So, monounsaturated fatty acids are less stable than saturated fatty acids but more stable than polyunsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil, avocado oil, almond oil, some nut oils belongs to this group as common source.
Monounsaturated fatty acid has beneficial roles in cardiovascular health. Oil with high monounsaturated fatty acid can be used for moderate temperature cooking.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)
Polyunsaturated fatty acids lack four or more hydrogen atoms and has two or more double bonds of carbon atoms in carbon chain. So they are the most delicate and can be easily oxidized or damaged by heat. They also have shorter lifespan. Damage, oxidized fat or oil has negative effects on health. For these reason you should never heat oil with major percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
This group contains omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 types of fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids have beneficial effects on health when you take in proper way, also not use heat to them. You should keep your oil with polyunsaturated fatty acid in refrigerator or cool place. You will find omega 3 fatty acid in very less sources of food which includes some fishes, krill as animal source and flax-seed as most common plant sources. On other hand most of the vegetable oils and nuts are loaded with omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Many experts believe that omega 3 and omega 6 ratio in body should be somewhere near to 1:1. That’s why you should pay attention on this.
Related post:
10 Health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids
3. Manufacturing process
In earlier days, people had used stone press oil extraction process for extracting oil. Traditional process like stone press and other modern process like cold press or expeller press, doesn’t involve high heat generation. These type extraction processes retain originality of oil. However such oil has comparatively lower smoke point to some extent that it’s refined version and shorter self life.
Industrialized refining
Industrialized oil extraction process differs from traditional extraction process. Most industrialized oil production process adopts high heat oil extraction and refining process and also use chemicals. Such process involves squeezing of seeds or oils at very high pressure to extract last drop of oil and also generates high heat. Further refining or cleaning or odor removing process also involves generation heat and use of chemical. Delicate fatty acid especially polyunsaturated fatty acids and nutrients mostly get damage in those processes. You can imagine what will happen to those delicate oil or fatty acid as well as nutrients. Some manufacturer practices enrichment of nutrient to fulfill loss of nutrients but such enrichment doesn’t meet the quality and balance of nutrients that the natures have.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most delicate and prone to oxidation more easily at high heat. Oxidation of PUFAs happens frequently during food processing and storage, cooking and even after food ingestion.(4,5)
Oxidation process produces free radicals as well as increases oxidative stress. Free radicals and oxidative stress promotes numerous diseases as well as early aging.
Some of the seeds of vegetable oils such as sesame, flax-seed are naturally oily and oil can be easily extracted from cold press or expeller press. However most of the other vegetable oils which are not naturally oily need industrialization process to extract oil. I am not telling that vegetable oils are bad but the way of extracting vegetable oils matters.
Bottom line:
Cold press, virgin oil retains originality of oil and are the best choice when in organic form. Physically refined oil can be a better choice over chemically refined oil. Some manufacturers label their oil as pure oil, by which they intend to indicate they are not using any other ingredient with the oil. That doesn’t indicate the manufacturing process. Many manufacturers cleverly hide actual things in label of the packaging.
Hydrogenated oil/trans fat:
Partial hydrogenation is a patented process which turns unstable vegetable oil into solid fat in room temperature, a cheap substitute of natural saturated fat. In this process oil is treated with hydrogen gas in high pressure, high temperature reactor with nickel catalyst. After other industrial process like odor removing, treatment, compressing, such oil appears like butter. Here position of the hydrogen in the chain of fatty acid is changed, called as trans configuration. Although externally they look like saturated fat biochemically they are very different. Common examples of such fat includes margarine, spreads etc. Such fat or oil has many negative health effects.
In order to avoid regulation on trans fat or partially hydrogenation, some manufacturer adopt fully hydrogenation of such cheap quality unstable oils. Here carbon bonds are filled with hydrogen.
With such process, manufacturer can use cheaper quality oil and also can enhances self life of such fat or oil. So, always check the label on oil, fat or processed food before buying.
Industrialized trans fat are toxic to health and strongly linked with inflammation, cardiovascular disease including heart disease, risk of insulin resistance and type II diabetes and some others.(6) That’s why you should always look at ingredients of food label.
Natural sources of trans fat:
Saturated fat like butter, meat may also contain small amount of natural trans fat (trans vaccenic acid or VA). Small percentage of natural trans fats (trans vaccenic acid (VA) also occur in saturated fat like butter, meat. Human milk also contains small amount of VA. Which differs from man-made synthetic hydrogenated trans fat. Several studies, reviews, meta-analysis had concluded that intake of small amount of such trans fats does not appear as harmful.(7,8) Even they can reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and obesity.(9)
Long term lipid researchers and experts Mary Enig and Sally Fallon Morell had also mentioned their clear view about fat. They had challenged dietary guideline many years ago with their book Nourishing Tradition. What they had advocated many years ago, are going more strong now with more vigorous researches.
4. Source of oil:
Oil should be preferable organic. Some of oils come from genetically modified source with cheaper quality, also contains Avoid GMO or genetically modified organism source of oil. Some regulations are coming for the case of labeling of product from genetically modified organism or GMO. In future we hope for better labeling for more clear picture.
Take home message
One thing you should know that fat is a vital nutrient to the body. Cutting all fats, you are going to lose some health beneficial nutrients Low fat diet has many negative health effects including dementia, improper cell and brain function. Human body needs fats for numerous processes and reactions inside the body for betterment of health. Body needs fats to process vitamin A, D and K as they are fat soluble vitamins, not soluble in water. Fat are reserved as source of energy and needed for maintaining body temperature. What we need is identify bad, damaged or rancid fat.
Oxidized fat has toxic effect to health. Your body can absorb oxidized fatty acids in intestine. Further such oxidized fatty acids incorporated into lipoproteins and could potentially impose an oxidative stress and exacerbate risk of heart disease.(10)Such oxidation process produces reactive oxygen species or free radicals as well as induces inflammation inside the body. Both promotes numerous lifestyle disease, so you should always take control over those.
Related article:
Free radical sources and free radical fighter
Common cause of inflammation and prevention
Most common causes of lifestyle diseases and prevention
Zero cholesterol labeling is almost meaningless as dietary cholesterol is poorly linked with your blood cholesterol. Cholesterol performs many vital functions inside the body, even you don’t eat cholesterol your body will make cholesterol in response to different health conditions. And you should know that your abnormal blood cholesterol is a symptom only, not a cause. Apart from these cholesterol is not major player of heart disease or stroke. Your risks of heart disease are some others. You can also read more about cholesterol with this link and also read about 10 best cholesterol lowering food.
Cooking oils matter a lot, as most people use cooking oil on daily basis. So, you should pay attention for choosing your oil as well as oxidation of your oil or fat. You can use oil with high percentage saturated fatty acids(SFA) can be used for high temperature cooking and stir frying, oil with monounsaturated fatty acid can be used for light temperature cooking and salad dressing. And you should not heat the most delicate polyunsaturated fatty acid, keep refrigerated and use only for salad dressing. I have shared a list of oils along with composition of fatty acids as well as smoke point below. Look at it and check your oil. I don’t prefer industrialized vegetable oil with higher percentage of polyunsaturated fat.
And you should never reuse your cooking oil again.
I will come in coming article with some best oils available in the market.
Related article:
9 proven way to lower as well as reverse your risk of heart disease naturally.
And definitely you should take control over poisonous added sugar, you can read about what sugar can do to your body as well as sugar alternative here. Also you should know that refined and processed foods are your enemy specially refined carbohydrates, not a good fat when taken with proper way, Your body turns excess carbohydrates to triglyceride and stores as fat. That makes people more obese today.
Composition and smoke point of various oils:
Types of oil/fat |
SFA |
MUFA |
PUFA |
Omega 3 |
Omega 6 |
Smoke point |
| Almond | 8% | 66% | 26% | 0 | 17% | 221 °C (430 °F) |
| Avocado oil | 12% | 74% | 14% | 0.95% | 12% | 271 °C (520 °F) |
| Butter | 66% | 30% | 4% | 0.30% | 2.70% | 150 °C (302 °F) |
| Butter, clarified, Ghee | 65% | 32% | 3% | 0 | 0 | 190–250 °C (374–482 °F) |
| Canola oil | 6% | 62% | 32% | 9.10% | 18% | 225 °C (437 °F) |
| Coconut oil (virgin) | 92% | 6% | 2% | 0 | 1.80% | 177 °C (351 °F) |
| Corn oil | 13% | 25% | 62% | 1.10% | 53% | 235 °C (455 °F) |
| Cottonseed oil | 24% | 26% | 50% | 0.20% | 50% | 216 °C (421 °F) |
| Diacylglycerol (DAG) oil | 3.05% | 37.95% | 59% | 0 | – | 215 °C (419 °F) |
| Grapeseed oil | 12% | 17% | 71% | 0.10% | 69% | 204 °C (399 °F) |
| Hemp oil | 9% | 12% | 79% | 18% | 55% | 165 °C (329 °F) |
| Lard | 41% | 47% | 2% | 1% | 10% | 183–205 °C (361–401 °F) |
| Linseed oil[74] | 11% | 21% | 68% | 53% | 13% | 107 °C (225 °F) |
| Macadamia oil | 12.50% | 84% | 3.50% | 0 | 2.80% | 210 °C (410 °F) |
| Margarine (hard) | 80% | 14% | 6% | 2% | 22% | 150 °C (302 °F) |
| Margarine (soft) | 20% | 47% | 33% | 2.40% | 23% | 150–160 °C (302–320 °F) |
| Mustard oil | 13% | 60% | 21% | 5.90% | 15% | 254 °C (489 °F) |
| Olive oil (extra light) | 14% | 73% | 11% | 0 | 0 | 242 °C (468 °F) |
Olive oil (extra virgin) |
14% |
73% |
11% |
0.70% |
9.80% |
190 °C (374 °F) |
| Olive oil (refined) | 14% | 73% | 11% | 0 | 0 | 225 °C (437 °F) |
| Olive oil (virgin) | 14% | 73% | 11% | 0.70% | 9.80% | 215 °C (419 °F) |
| Palm oil | 52% | 38% | 10% | 0.20% | 9.10% | 230 °C (446 °F) |
| Peanut oil | 18% | 49% | 33% | 0 | 31% | 231 °C (448 °F) |
| Pumpkin seed oil | 8% | 36% | 57% | 0% | 64% | 121 °C (250 °F) |
| Rice bran oil | 20% | 47% | 33% | 1.60% | 33% | 213 °C (415 °F) |
| Safflower oil (high oleic) | 6% | 75% | 13% | 242 °C (468 °F) | ||
| Safflower oil (linoleic) | 6% | 14% | 75% | 242 °C (468 °F) | ||
| Sesame oil (semi-refined) | 14% | 43% | 43% | 0.3 | 41% | 232 °C (450 °F) |
| Sesame oil (unrefined) | 14% | 43% | 43% | 0.3 | 41% | 177 °C (351 °F) |
| Soybean oil | 15% | 24% | 61% | 6.70% | 50% | 240 °C (464 °F) |
| Sunflower oil (high oleic, refined) | 9% | 82% | 9% | 0.20% | 3.60% | 244 °C (471 °F) |
| Sunflower oil (linoleic, refined) | 11% | 20% | 69% | 0% | 56% | 240 °C (464 °F) |
| Sunflower oil (mid-oleic, refined, NuSun) | 9% | 65% | 26% | 211 °C (412 °F) | ||
| Tea seed oil | 22% | 60% | 18% | 0.70% | 22% | 252 °C (486 °F) |
| Walnut oil (semi-refined) | 9% | 23% | 63% | 10% | 53% | 204 °C (399 °F) |
Source: wikipedia
Disclaimer:Above information is generalized health information only
Sources and references:
1.Aldehyde sources, metabolism, molecular toxicity mechanisms, and possible effects on human health.
O'Brien PJ1, Siraki AG, Shangari N., Crit Rev Toxicol. 2005 Aug;35(7):609-62
2.Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with
cardiovascular disease, Association of Dietary, Circulating, and Supplement Fatty Acids With Coronary Risk: A Systematic
Review and Meta-analysis,Rajiv Chowdhury, MD, PhD; Samantha Warnakula, MPhil *; Setor Kunutsor,
MD, MSt *; Francesca Crowe, PhD; Heather A. Ward, PhD; Laura Johnson, PhD; Oscar H. Franco, MD, PhD;
Adam S. Butterworth, PhD; Nita G. Forouhi, MRCP, PhD; Simon G. Thompson, FMedSci; Kay-Tee Khaw,
FMedSci; Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH; John Danesh, FRCP *; Emanuele Di Angelantonio, MD, PhD,
Annals of Internal Medicine, March 2014
4.Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and its Impact on Food Quality and Human Health,
Ling Tao,
5.Effect of Heating on the Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidation Products of Flaxseed Oil,
ZHEN-SHANZHANG, DONG Li and LI-XIAZ HANG,Asian Journal of Chemistry, Vol.25, No.18(2013)
6.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-trans-fats-are-bad
7.Effects of Ruminant trans Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: A Comprehensive
Review of Epidemiological, Clinical, and Mechanistic Studies, Consumption of industrial and ruminant trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease:
a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies,N T Bendsen, R Christensen, E M Bartels
& A Astrup,European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 773–783 (2011)
9.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402152140.htm
10.Penumetcha, M., N. Khan, and S. Parthasarathy. Dietary oxidized fatty acids: an atherogenic risk?
J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 1473–1480
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