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The Safety and Health Effects of Reusing Frying Oil: Can it Cause Cancer?

Frying oil is often reused in homes and restaurants, so is this safe? Is it related to cancer? Medical data on that in this report with details about the types of frying oil and their effects on health, and signs of frying oil spoilage.

Does reuse of frying oil cause cancer?

We start with a study published in 2019 in the Journal Cancer Prevention Research, which was conducted on mice.

The researchers found that reheated cooking oil may lead to changes in cells that can promote the growth of late-stage breast cancer.

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tested what they called “thermally abused frying oil,” cooking oil that has been reheated to high temperatures multiple times, on lab mice and found that it increased the growth of metastatic breast cancer. .

Metastatic cancer is cancer that is in another area separate from the first area in which the primary cancer arose. For example, cancer may start in the intestine and then move to the liver.

Also known as carcinoma metastases and metastases, this cancer is a precancerous growth caused by cancer cells emerging from the original tumor.

The metastasis separates from the original tumor, and moves to other organs in the body, after which it grows there and turns into secondary tumors.

Soybean oil

The scientists put all the lab mice on a low-fat diet for a week. Then, they gave some rats fresh, unheated soybean oil for 16 weeks, while the rest ate “heat-evenked frying oil” instead.

The scientists chose soybean oil; Because restaurants usually use it for deep frying. To simulate breast cancer, they injected breast cancer cells into the tibia of each mouse, which are highly aggressive and have a wide rate of metastasis to multiple distant sites. As a result, they most often appear in the lymph nodes, liver and lungs.

And 20 days after the injection of the cancer cells, there was a marked difference in the rate of metastatic growth between the two groups of mice. In mice fed “heat-adjusted frying oil,” the metastatic growth of leg tumors was four times greater than that of mice fed fresh oil.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

We turn to a research review published in 2019 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

Researchers found that the consumption of frequently heated cooking oils has been associated with a number of malignancies, including lung, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer.

The researchers said that frequent reheating of cooking oils can generate different types of compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which have been reported as carcinogens, and indicated that inhaling the fumes of these oils may pose a health risk.

Why might reheated oil be bad?

Repeated reheating of cooking oil changes its composition and releases acrolein, a toxic and potentially carcinogenic chemical.

It should be noted that the topic was dealt with by presenting the most prominent studies only, but there are no official recommendations that say that reheating frying oil causes cancer.

However, the existing data indicates that it is not wise to use frying oil more than once, especially when it is used in deep frying, that is, which includes high temperatures.

What oil is used for frying?

There are many choices when it comes to choosing the type of oil to use for frying. This raises the question, “Which oil is right for you?” The answer is that it largely depends on the type of cooking you do.

The smoke point of the oil, which is the point at which the oil begins to burn and smoke, is one of the most important things to consider. If you heat the oil past its smoke point, not only will it damage the flavor, it degrades many of the nutrients in the oil, and the oil will release harmful compounds called free radicals, according to a report in Time.

What is a “smoke point”?

The smoke point of an oil represents the oil’s resistance to heat, which is the temperature at which the oil begins to burn and smoke, imparting a pungent, burnt flavor to the foods you use to cook. This occurs when the compounds in the oil degrade as a result of exposure to heat.

The following are some of the most prominent frying oils, and details about them:

olive oil

Nutrition and cooking experts agree that one of the healthiest oils for cooking is olive oil, as long as it’s extra virgin.

Extra virgin olive oil contains a large amount of monounsaturated fats and some polyunsaturated fatty acids. Several studies have linked it to better heart health. Olive oil has a relatively lower smoke point compared to other oils, so it is best for low and medium heat cooking.

corn oil

Corn oil is very popular in cooking methods such as frying due to its high smoke point.

Although its vitamin E content may offer some health benefits, it is also highly refined and high in inflammatory omega-6 fats. Thus, it has potential negative health effects.

Try to use healthy alternatives, such as olive oil, whenever possible.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is very bad for health and should be avoided or eaten very little. It contains a large amount of saturated fat. And unlike other vegetable oils, coconut oil is primarily a saturated fat.

canola oil

Canola oil is derived from rapeseed, and contains a good amount of monounsaturated fats and a decent amount of polyunsaturated fats. Of all the vegetable oils, canola oil tends to have the least amount of saturated fat.

Canola oil has a high smoke point, which means it can be useful for high-heat cooking.

Avocado oil

Avocado oil is a great choice. It’s unrefined like extra virgin olive oil, but it has a higher smoking point, which means it can be used for cooking at a higher heat and is great for stir-frying. It does not have much flavour, which makes it a good choice for cooking.

sunflower oil

This oil contains a high percentage of Vitamin E. One tablespoon contains 28% of a person’s recommended daily intake of nutrients. It has a high smoke point and doesn’t have a strong flavour, which means it won’t overpower the dish. However, sunflower oil contains a lot of omega-6 fatty acids that the body needs, but omega-6 is believed to be pro-inflammatory, while omega-3 is anti-inflammatory. Consuming too many omega-6s without balancing them with omega-3s can lead to excess inflammation in the body, so moderation is key.

peanut oil

Peanut oil has one of the highest monounsaturated fat contents among cooking oils. It is usually savory with a nutty taste and aroma.

Walnut oil

This oil has a low smoke point, so it is not good for cooking.

flaxseed oil

Flaxseed oil is high in omega-3s and has a very low smoke point, which means it should not be used in cooking either.

Sesame oil

This oil is often used for its strong flavour. It contains mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

It has a higher smoke point and can be used in high heat recipes.

Which is better corn or sunflower oil for frying?

Corn oil has a lower smoke point (the temperature at which combustion begins) than sunflower oil. This makes sunflower oil a better choice for high-heat cooking such as deep frying. Sunflower oil also has less flavour, so cooking with it is unlikely to mask the attributes of the other ingredients.

What are the best cooking oils?

The best cooking oil is olive oil. It’s so versatile, it’s used in everything from stir-fries to salads. It is also rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and polyphenols, all of which have shown protective effects against cancer, liver and heart diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Is coconut oil used for frying?

It is not recommended to use coconut oil for frying.

How often can frying oil be used?

It is not recommended to use frying oil more than once.

Signs of spoilage of frying oil

Food fried in oil becomes greasy and not soft. The presence of foam on the surface when the oil is heated. The oil turns dark when heated. Smoke rose from the oil before it was hot enough to use.

2023-09-05 17:43:28

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