A 10-point CI ranking reduction for using non-organic vegetable oil instead of a healthier cooking oil, like olive oil or avocado oil.

 

Vegetable oil is a type of cooking oil that is extracted from a variety of different plants, including:

• Canola

• Coconut

• Corn

• Cottonseed

• Linseed

• Olive

• Palm

• Peanut

• Poppyseed

• Rapeseed (canola oil)

• Rice bran

• Safflower

• Sesame

• Soybean

• Sunflower

 

Oil is first removed from the plants, which can be done through either mechanical or chemical extraction. Mechanical extraction involves crushing or pressing seeds to extract the oil. Chemical extraction, on the other hand, is a process that uses chemical solvents like hexane to remove the oil. The oil is then purified, refined and chemically altered as needed to improve the taste, texture and shelf life of the final product. Some oil is also hydrogenated, which is a chemical process that is used to turn liquid oils into a solid at room temperature. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is often preferred by manufacturers due to its longer shelf life, improved texture and enhanced flavor stability. However, hydrogenated oil may also contain trans fatty acids, which can have detrimental effects on health. The oil can also undergo other types of processing to produce products like brominated vegetable oil; a common food additive and emulsifier found in many soft drinks.

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The vegetable oil found on most supermarket shelves is usually a blend of several different types of oils that have been highly processed and refined, which negates any of the potential vegetable oil benefits. There are many  vegetable oils sold in grocery  and some specialty stores; they are more cost effective to produce and have a longer shelf life because of their processing methods, however, these methods are unhealthy.

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Most vegetable oils contain a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) – which are unstable and break down rapidly when exposed to chemical stress and heat. When we get PUFA from whole foods like sunflower, chia or flax seeds, it’s well protected by antioxidants nature builds into the seed. These protectants get stripped away during the industrial scale refining of sunflower and the other vegetable oils. The refining process not only strips away antioxidants, but it also makes PUFAs toxic by exposing them to heat, pressure, metals and bleaching agents. This chemically alters the molecules into a wide variety of potent toxins.

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Varnish is what carpenters use to finish wood. Varnish is made from vegetable oils, including soy and linseed, because these oils are chiefly composed of PUFAs. PUFAs react with oxygen in the air to help polymerize the varnish into a nice hard coating that helps preserve the wood. Varnish is good for your floors, but not so good for your brain, your arteries or mitochondria.

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Cooking with vegetable oils releases high concentrations of toxic chemicals called aldehydes, a result of degradation of the fatty acids in oils, which have been linked to diseases, including arthritis, heart disease dementia and cancer. Researchers from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU, Spain) have been the first to discover the presence of certain aldehydes in food, which are believed to be related to neurodegenerative diseases and some types of cancer. Source: Sciencedaily.com. 

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Stay away from products with terms such as “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated”. Hydrogenation is a chemical process that converts liquid vegetable oil into solid fat and can contribute to heart disease.

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1. Omega-6

One of the main disadvantages of vegetable oil is its content of omega-6 fatty acids. Most of us consume far too much omega-6 and not nearly enough heart-healthy omega-3s. The ratio omeg-6 to omega-3 in the average Western diet is closer to 15:1. This can increase inflammation and contribute to chronic disease.

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2. Oxidation

Because of the vegetable oil chemical formula, these types of cooking oils are also easily oxidized. That means that they break down and deteriorate when exposed to heat. This can increase the formation of free radicals, which are harmful compounds that cause inflammation and oxidative damage to cells.

 

3. Trans fats

Hydrogenated oils tend to be high in trans fats, a type of fatty acid that has been associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even certain types of cancer.

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4. Other disadvantages

Brominated vegetable oil is an emulsifier sometimes used in soft drinks that can also be incredibly harmful. According to studies, potential brominated vegetable oil side effects include headaches, fatigue, memory loss, impaired development, and alterations in heart, liver and thyroid health.