Are Vegetable Oils bad for you?
I’ll get straight to the question and answer with a big
YES.
Read on to find out why and what you should be using instead!
What are common Vegetable Oils and other oils to be avoided? These are the main one’s to look out for:
-Canola Oil
-Vegetable Oil
-Palm Oil
-Sunflower Oil
-Corn Oil
-Peanut Oil
-Grapeseed Oil
-Rice Bran Oil
-Soybean Oil
-Cottonseed Oil
-Safflower Oil
-Margarine
-Fake Butter (vegetable oil spreads)
-Shortening
What are they commonly found in?
Oh so much! It’s disgusting, obviously it can be bought by itself and used for cooking. But it’s also found in pretty much any processed food that lines a supermarket shelf. I’m talking: milk (especially plant based milks), snacks, confectionary, rice packs, sauces, marinades, dried fruit, nuts, gum, mayonnaise, ice cream, the list is endless… They are also heavily used in restaurants and cafes. Due to them being so cheap, they are unfortunately used in many food products.
How are Vegetable Oils made?
The way it’s produced is by extracting oil from the seeds through a mechanical or chemical method. Mechanical extracting involves squashing the seeds to produce oil. The very commonly used chemical method uses solvents to extract the oil. It then goes on to be refined and purified. To extend shelf life and improve taste it can also be chemically alternated.
They are significantly refined through a process involving extraction, the use of chemical solvents (like petroleum), the use of sodium hydroxide (lye a very harsh chemical), high pressure, heat, filtering, bleaching, further chemical treatment and finally deodorising (to rid the rancid smell). This leaves you with odourless, colourless, and flavourless oil ready to be used in products or to be bottled in plastic chemically treated bottles (to improve performance) and then sold. Yuck right! It’s a shame they even have the word vegetable in it… cause that aint no veggie!
How does Vegetable Oil affect our health?
-Okay so we have established that they are ultra-processed, and they are also very easily oxidised. They are predominantly omega-6 fats which can cause serious inflammation when overconsumed.
-Chronic inflammation throughout the body is becoming very common due to this over consumption, this can lead to numerous health concerns and an increased risk of cancer. The body can become depleted of antioxidants due to the body trying to cope with this oxidisation. Basically these oils oxidise, which cause free radicals which leads to cellular damage and ultimately disease.
-The extreme heat processing can cause the omega 3 fats to turn rancid which can lead to them becoming trans fats (the bad fat)! Omega 3 fatty acids usually fight against inflammation but in this case would be causing it!
-They are high in polyunsaturated fats which easily oxidise and are definitely not heat stable.
-Vegetable oils in the last few decades were promoted due to them being low in saturated fat, but we have since discovered that saturated fat is not the problem! So let’s get with the times people, scientific research has uncovered that vegetable oils actually contribute to disease (like cardiovascular disease), and saturated fat doesn’t!
-Not to mention the harsh chemicals and pesticide residue that are involved through its highly refined process, is not doing the body any help either! Some have artificial antioxidants (like BHA and BHT) added to prevent spoilage.
-Oh and they are commonly sourced from genetically modified seeds.
-And of course there are environmental issues to consider as well.
They really are bad news. Hence, why I say stick clear! Always turn over food labels and check ingredient lists.
What oil should you be using?
Nature provides an abundance of healthy fats to support our body. These are what I recommend using:
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
-Tallow & Lard
-Flaxseed Oil
-Macadamia Oil
-Hemp Seed Oil
-Walnut Oil
-Almond Oil
-Avocado Oil
-Inca Inchi Oil
-Grass-Fed Butter and Ghee can be used too
Always be conscious of quality and smoke points. Always opt for cold pressed. There are so many options to use in a variety of ways, there is absolutely no need for poor quality vegetable oils.
Want to learn more about pantry staples?
I highly recommend doing my Natural Eating Course where I tell you exactly what you should be buying and what you should be ditching! Sign up here!
If you’re after some recipe inspiration that use healthy oils head here.
