How To Use Cooking Oil Safely, & Ways To Cook Without Them

Cooking oils is an essential part of the kitchen and widely used throughout the world. And used wisely, can be a healthy choice to make, provided you don't cook with them, or at least, heat them at a high-heat.  Because that healthy vegetable stir-fry, or fresh fish we thinks a healthy choice to make,  we could be cooking up a deadly toxic dinner linked to many illnesses and diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, diabetes and dementia. 

Professor Martin Grootveld, from Leicester University explained that, "certain types of oils oxidise very easily and they generate very toxic compounds known as aldehydes. Aldehydes are a group of molecules which are extremely toxic. They have been implicated in many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, their pro inflammatory and carcinogenic, and a meal fried in vegetable oil such as fish and chips contains is up to 200 times more aldehydes than the daily limit set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

The High-Heat Cooking Test - Using Three Oils

A scientific experiment was performed using sunflower oil, vegetable and coconut oil. They were used to deep-fry chips/fries.The darker the liquid, the higher the aldehyde content was. The clearer the liquid, the fewer the aldehyde content. Oil used many times increases the amount of oxidation, so think about your local fish and chip shop. What oil are they using? How often is their oil changed? Rude to ask I know.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is very high in aldehydes when cooked at high heat revealed a large amount of aldehydes.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil still contains aldehydes. Not as much as sunflower oil. Some of the vegetables oils we buy in the supermarket are great if we use them as salad dressing. They're certainly not good for cooking because of what happens to the molecules when they're subjected to those very high temperatures. 

Coconut Oil 

Coconut oil had little or no colour, meaning there are minute traces of aldehydes. Coconut oil that has been refined contains fewer aldehydes because its rich in saturated fats which are more stable at high temperatures. Regarding the Coconut oils health benefits, the jury's still out. It may 'not' have 'any' health benefits, but it's a good choice to make to minimise the consumption of chemicals the body would rather do without.

There is 'no' such thing as "what is the "healthiest" oils to use for cooking"? What's the "least" unhealthiest is more apt.

Concentrations Of Toxic Aldehyde Per Litre Of Oil When Heated At 180'c

As soon as you heat 'any' oil, it starts to tarnish. The longer you cook with it, and the higher the heat, the more toxins occur. The aroma, flavour, and nutrient content will also become tarnished.

What Can I Use 'Instead' Of Oils To Cook With?
Many foods such as sausages, bacon, tomatoes can all be grilled instead of frying. Eggs can be boiled and poached. * Roast meat instead of frying.* Vegetables steamed, or slowly boiled. * Meats and fish can be poached, steamed or slow-boiled. * Some gadgets available to buy can fry chips and cook crispy bacon 'without' oil. I won't be trying them as I prefer oven healthy sweet potato fries. Once cooked, drizzled with extra virgin or avocado oil.

Spending weeks without cooking oils in the home I realised, I don't need it.

Not-So-Toxic Oils To Use For Cooking At Medium To High Heat.

If you 'have' to use it, go for coconut oil to minimise aldehydes from forming. Other options are safflower oil. Extra virgin organic coconut or olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil. Grapeseed oil, Pecan oil, and peanut oil. Animal fats including lard (fat from pigs). Duck, goose fat, and butter.

Food for thought: The majority of chefs on television I observe use butter to cook with. What do they know that they're not telling us!

How To Cook With Oils Safely. 

  Fry chips by using a kitchen appliance that can cook them using just one tablespoon of oil. * Meats like chicken, chops and steaks can be browned quickly in the frying pan, then transferred to the oven to fully cook.* When I fry Veal or Lambs liver, I use extra virgin coconut oil. (never too much, and not too little)  Heating the pan and oil, then immediately lowering the heat when the oils starts to move. Then I'll add the liver and 'slowly' cook with minimal sizzling sounds to minimise any toxins occurring. Before I turn over my liver, I've already added some 'fresh' oil to the other side of the pan to cook the remaining side in fresh oil. * Remember to use a kitchen towel/paper to soak-up any oil (aldehydes) leftover on all foods cooked with oil.

Catch 22. Cooking meat need to be heated to at least 140 degrees to kill the bacteria in meat. In theory it kills the bacteria but increases the aldehyde toxin.

The Healthiest Oils To Consume Raw / Uncooked.

For ultimate health, extra virgin olive oil is always highly rated, if you don't cook with it. It contains the most vitamins and minerals contained in olives. * Contains oleocanthal, a natural organic compound scientifically proven to have health benefits. * Polyphenols is another natural component found in extra virgin olive oil and also contributed to many health benefits. * Choose oils with polyunsaturated and mono unsaturated fats and avoid saturated fats. * Choose an oil that doesn't require heavy processing to extract. * Unrefined is better than refined. tips when buying extra virgin olive oil

The Healthiest Natural Foods High In Good Fats.

When it comes to good and bad fats, our brains alone are comprised of 60% fat, this makes me consume as many healthy and natural fats as possible from fish, nuts and seeds. Avocados, eggs, and cheese, to of course, extra virgin olive oil.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), oils can be a great source of healthy fats, but choosing the right oil is key.

Lastly.

• Oils that you choose to use don't have to have any actual health benefits. The main thing is to not tarnish them through any heating, let alone anywhere near the smoking point. The general consensus is, fried foods contain up to 200 times more toxic aldehydes than the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organisation. They also set a daily limit for our sugar intake. TOWP (me) would say, 'zero-amount' of sugar and 'zero-amount' of aldehydes is recommended.
• It's been highly documented that a 'Mediterranean Diet' rich in olive oil has been linked to good health and long life. This cannot be replicated elsewhere because the climate in Greece is different, the soil they grow vegetables is more nutrient and less polluted with chemicals. Their genes and life-style all contribute to 'their' good health and longevity. This does not take away the fact that olive oil can still contribute to overall good health, along with a healthy lifestyle.
• Think about all the foods cooked with oils such as doughnuts and crisps/potato chips. Check the list of natural ingredients. Think about how often food processing factories, or chip and burger shops change their oil. This worries me. They have probably mastered how many times to use their oil, before it becomes obviously rancid. My motto, If in doubt, make your own, or go without. 
• The only way to be free of aldehydes from heating oils is don't heat 'any' oils. Cooking foods at home without any oil is easy with imagination and ingenuity.

The Solutions To All Dangerous Particles, Poisons & Pollutions. 

About TOWP - theonlywayproductions.blogspot.co.uk - tinyurl.com/towpblog - 20.11.17.