Introduction

In today’s modern world, we are eating lot of refined oil products knowingly or unknowingly. From early morning breakfasts till late evening dinner, we eat the food prepared with refined oils. The dietary refined oil is main ingredient for different cooking methods like sautéing, baking, frying and dressing. According to Wikipedia, clinical trial show that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated vegetable oil can reduce cardiovascular hearth problem by 30%. As per science direct research paper, cardiovascular diseases are known as most leading cause of deaths in developed and developing countries. The improper consumption of dietary refined oil is highly associated with cardiovascular hearth problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) article also mentioned to reduce trans fat consumption for better health and wellbeing. Replacing oils containing high trans fat with healthier alternatives will have no impact on taste of food but will have drastic positive impact on our health and wellbeing.

This post aims to shed light on why refined oil is bad for human health, exploring its various alternatives and possible ways to cut down refined oil intake from your daily life.

1. Types of Dietary Oils

Cooking oils are categorized as either refined or unrefined. Refined oils undergo an extraction process using high heat, which can lead to a loss of natural nutrients, flavor, or aroma. In contrast, unrefined or cold-pressed oils are extracted using pressure, with little to no heat applied. Consequently, these oils retain most of their natural nutrients and possess a distinct flavor and aroma that remains uncompromised. The refined cooking oils are best suited for cooking at high temperatures due to their longer shelf life, making them more convenient and adaptable to a balanced eating routine.

Unrefined or virgin oils are more nutrient-dense compared to refined counterparts but have a shorter shelf life. It’s simply extracted carefully from the source using mechanical methods. This type of oil is considered the highest quality available. The term “virgin” is commonly used for various oils, particularly olive and coconut oils, to signify that they are unrefined and of superior quality compared to other oils.

A. What are the Refined Oils?

Refined oils are oils that have undergone a process to remove impurities and unwanted components, resulting in a clearer, lighter oil with a neutral taste and higher smoke point. The extraction process typically involves pressing or solvent extraction to obtain the crude oil and then subjected to refining processes.

The two main oil-extraction methods are Mechanical extraction and Solvent extraction. Mechanical extraction is extracting oil from seeds or nuts can be achieved through three main methods: Centrifuge Extraction (common for olive & avocado oils), Hydraulic Press (used for roasted nut oils), and Continuous screw press (or expeller press, utilized for most seeds). It’s crucial to control the pressing temperature. Keeping it below 100°F ensures a “cold” pressed oil, preserving its quality and nutrients. If the oil extracted mechanically doesn’t require refining, it’s termed virgin oil; if it necessitates refining, it’s referred to as crude oil. Solvent extraction is also known as chemical extraction, this process employs solvents like hexane to extract oil from the source. It’s highly efficient and widely used for commercial or commodity oils such as soybean oil. Many fast-food restaurants use solvent-extracted oils for frying. However, solvent-extracted oil needs refining before it’s suitable for consumption.

Below are most common refined cooking oils available in the market:

• Palm oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Peanut oil

We highly recommend you to use healthier alternatives of the refined cooking oils. Below are some of the healthier alternatives you can choose from:

• Ghee
• Unrefined Coconut oil
• Unrefined Mustered oil
• Unrefined Olive oil
• Unrefined Sesame oil

B. The Refining Process of Dietary Oil

The refining process for dietary oil involves several key steps to remove impurities and enhance the oil’s quality. Degumming removes impurities like phospholipids (gum) from the oil. These impurities can cause cloudiness and instability in the oil. Neutralization removes free fatty acids, which can contribute to off-flavors and reduce the oil’s stability. This process involves treating the oil with an alkaline substance such as sodium hydroxide. Bleaching is treating oil with adsorbent materials like activated clay or activated carbon to remove pigments, trace metals, and other impurities that contribute to coloration or off-flavors. Deodorization is to remove any remaining odor or flavor compounds. Then with high temperatures under a vacuum, the oil evaporate volatile compounds. This step helps improve the oil’s taste and smell.

Each of these steps plays a crucial role in refining dietary oils, resulting in a clearer, more stable product with an improved flavor profile and longer shelf life. However, it’s important to note that while refining enhances certain aspects of oil quality, it may also result in some loss of natural nutrients and antioxidants present in the crude oil.

The refining process may lead to a loss of certain nutrients present in the crude oil. For instance, vitamins such as vitamin E and beta-carotene, as well as phytochemicals like polyphenols, can be reduced during refining. These nutrients are beneficial for health and provide antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are compounds that help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Some refining methods can result in the removal of antioxidants present in the crude oil, reducing the oil’s overall antioxidant capacity.

2. Explore why Refined Oil is bad for you

Lets see how improper intake of refined oil plays a significant role in the global rise of obesity and heart related health issues. According to BMC medical research article, there is relation between consumption of refined oil and human health. There is also association of regular intake of refined oil with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Also according to the article from National Library of Medicine, refined edible oil has relation with Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Refined oil impact on Nutritional Health

The refined oils that undergo extensive processing may lose some of their natural nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, diminishing their overall nutritional value. Nickel is one of the toxic element which is sometimes used during refining of natural oil and it can be responsible for increase in cancer cases.

Refined oil impact on Heart Health

Some refining processes may remove beneficial compounds like antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids which are associated with the health of heart. Also increases the amount of trans fat which can cause multiple heart problems like blockage in valves or heart attack. Additionally, certain refined oils high in omega-6 fatty acids, such as soybean oil, may promote inflammation when consumed in excess.

Refined oil impact on Diabetes

Some refined oils with a high glycemic index, such as those derived from corn or rice bran, may contribute to spikes in blood sugar levels when consumed in large amounts or in combination with high-glycemic foods.

Refined oil impact on Obesity

There is also association of weight gain with regular consumption of refined oil. The regular consumption of refined oil can cause weight gain which can also lead to other chronic illnesses.

Refined oil impact on Gut Health

The usage of sodium hydroxide during refining process can cause several problems such as gastrointestinal infection, tumors, ulcers and acidity.

3. Exploring Common Products with Hidden Oils

Most of us thinks that the quantity of refined oil we consume is moderate but reality is that they take up a huge portion of what we eat each day. Some of the processed, packed and canned food items contain hidden oils and might not be healthy for consumption. Consuming foods that contain refined oil is okay. However, problems occur when you consume food having refined oil on regular basis. We have listed out most commonly used food items which contains refined oil and you should avoid consuming them on regular basis and start using the healthier alternatives.

Restaurant Food

Just because it is tasty, does not means it is healthy as well. The most of restaurant food items prepared with refined oil.

Health tip: Try to avoid regularly eating restaurant food. You can still ask restaurant chef to use less or no oil for your food.

Snacks Food

The most commonly used snacks like packaged nuts, biscuits, cookies and packaged breads contains large quantity of refined oil.

Health tip: Be careful and read the nutrition facts label when choosing food items.

Instant Packaged Food

The instant food like nuts and seeds, snack food and microwave popcorns contains refined oils.

Health tip: Avoid eating the frozen and packaged food. Prepare the fresh food at home.

Biscuits, Cookies and Bakery Food

The bakery foods like crackers, breads, biscuits contains refined oil.

Health tip: Avoid the bakery food. Be careful and read the nutrition facts label when choosing any bakery food.

Packaged Sauces

The ready to use sauces like mayonnaise or pasta sauce contains high amount of refined oil.

Health tip: Avoid the ready to use sauces. Try to prepare the fresh sauces are home.

Why read food labels?

Doing so is a really important part of being healthy, and we will tell you why. Food labels typically contain information on calories, serving size, and amounts and/or daily values of several macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals (e.g., fats, carbohydrate, and calcium).

It’s essential to know how much of an ingredient is in a food, especially if you have specific health concerns. For example, if you have high blood pressure, you want to steer clear of foods that are high in sodium. If you want to lose weight, knowing the calorie count of a dish or meal is key to staying on track. Fiber is crucial to keeping the digestive system running smoothly, so being aware of the fiber content in a food is important. Knowing which oil is used as an ingredient will help you to take better decisions with regards to your heart health.

Understand nutrient content claims.

•  A zero-calorie product can actually contain up to 4 calories per serving.
•  A fat-free product can contain up to 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
•  A low-fat product can have as much as 3 grams for solid products and 1.5g for liquid products.

The Food Label is designed to help people to choose foods well. By knowing how to use it, you can understand how a specific food item can fit into your overall diet. You can more effectively and efficiently select foods and choose between products. So go ahead, check the label and better manage your health.

4. Tips for Reducing Refined Oil Intake

The World Health Organization article emphasizes the importance of reducing trans fat consumption for improved health and well-being. Substituting oils high in trans fat with healthier alternatives not only maintains the taste of food but also yields significant positive effects on our health and well-being.

Refined oils aren’t a necessary part of your diet. Although moderate amounts are fine, they can cause serious harm if you consume large amounts on a regular basis. The best way to avoid hidden refined oil in your meals is to make them at home so you know exactly what’s in them. However, if you need to buy prepackaged food, make sure you check the label to identify any refined oil used.

With our real life experience, we are offering practical tips on how to minimize refined oil consumption through simple lifestyle changes.

• Use cold pressed unrefined oil.
• Do not reuse already used oil again.
• Try cooking without oil.
• Prefer air fried or baked food over oil fried.
• Avoid bakery food.
• Avoid packaged food.
• Read food labels to know ingredients.
• Use healthier alternatives of refined oils.
• Avoiding regularly eating restaurant food.

Conclusion

Consuming the foods that contain low trans fat and prepared with cold press unrefined oil is okay. However, problems occur when you consume food prepared in refined oil on regular basis. As more and more studies find links between refined oil and health issues, it is important to be aware of the dangers of refined oil consumption.

Although clearer labeling is helping, the best option is to look toward the healthier oil options. One of the easiest ways to reduce refined oil intake is to avoid deep fried food and reuse of used cooking oil. Avoiding bakery food is also one of the way to reduce oil intake as most of bakery items are prepared with refined oils. Try to use the healthier alternatives of refined oils if you still want to use refined oil.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiovascular_disease
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417300985
• https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-021-01961-2
• https://www.who.int/teams/nutrition-and-food-safety/replace-trans-fat
• https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/opinion-editorials/detail/remove-and-replace-eliminate-trans-fats-advance-health-and-wellbeing