- By Bornika Das
- Fri, 02 May 2025 07:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Toxic Cooking Oils: When it comes to healthy eating, people focus on choosing the right vegetables, proteins and grains. However, what they forget is the cooking oils they use. Cooking oil is the staple of every kitchen and is used for sautéing, frying and other purposes. They play an important role in adding colour, texture and taste to dishes. But little do people know that cooking oils can be the root cause of health issues. There are many cooking oils that are unfit or toxic for the human body. These toxic cooking oils can silently sabotage even the most nutritious meal.
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, the compounds produced when certain cooking oils are overheated or reused, such as aldehydes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been linked to various health concerns, including cancer, respiratory issues, and genotoxicity. These toxic cooking oils seem to be widely used in many homes and restaurants and praised for their affordability and high smoke points. Here are the five popular cooking oils that are doing more harm than good.
Toxic Cooking Oils That Harm Health
Canola Oil
Also known as rapeseed oil, canola oil is highly processed and often genetically modified. It is refined using high heat and chemicals like hexane, which can create trans fats and harmful oxidation byproducts, which are not good for the human body. Moreover, it is rich in omega-6 fatty acids and its excessive intake, especially without balancing omega-3s, can promote chronic inflammation.
Soybean Oil
Although it is cheap and versatile, it contributes to several health concerns. It is commonly GMO (genetically modified) and high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation when consumed in excess. Besides, it is also unstable at high heat, leading to toxic compounds. Soybean oil also undergoes high-heat processing and chemical extraction using hexane, a petroleum-based solvent. This process can leave behind toxic residues and destroy beneficial nutrients.
Popular Cooking Oils That Harm Health (Image Credits: Canva)
Vegetable Oil
It sounds to be a healthy oil, but it is a highly processed one, having cheap seed oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, and cottonseed oil. This oil is rich in trans fats and pro-inflammatory compounds. Heating this oil produces toxic byproducts like aldehydes and free radicals and are linked to cancer, DNA damage and inflammation.
Refined Sunflower Oil
While high-oleic versions are better, regular refined sunflower oil contains excessive omega-6s and becomes toxic when heated above its smoke point. When this oil is heated, the fats get oxidised easily, forming toxic aldehydes and free radicals, which are linked to inflammation, cancer and heart disease. Moreover, the refining process includes deodorising, bleaching, and chemical solvents like hexane that destroy the nutrients in the oil.
Rice Bran Oil
This oil contains high omega-6 levels and is often extracted using chemical solvents. It can form harmful compounds when reused at high heat and can pose certain health risks. Refined rice bran oil undergoes extensive processing, including chemical extraction using hexane, bleaching, and deodorising, which makes it unfit for the human body.