Be careful with the oil you choose for your cooking, as some may prove toxic. Good alternative to butter and animal fats, vegetable oils are often highlighted by health professionals for their virtues. However, when heated“chronic, low-grade inflammation may be the root cause of many diseases common to Western society”, explains Trista Best, dietician, in the New York Post. “It is the result, in part, of a imbalance between fatty acids Omega 3 and omega-6”.
In fact, they are both essential fatty acids for the body. However, “omega-6s are highly inflammatory when outnumbered by omega-3s and that they are consumed in large quantities (…)”, indicates the dietician. This is particularly the case for polyunsaturated vegetable oils, because when cooked at a certain temperature, they become poisonous according to several studies.
Olive oil: the least harmful for cooking
To choose, opt instead for olive oil. A true ally of the Mediterranean diets recommended by many doctors and scientists to stay healthy longer, olive oil has many health benefits. Rich in omega 9 and antioxidantsshe has in particular beneficial effects on cholesterol and on the cardiovascular health. It is also useful against hypertension, to prevent constipation, to limit oxidation, and therefore the aging of cells, and has an anti-inflammatory and immune role.
Olive oil is also to be preferred, as its content of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids makes it more stable when cooked than other vegetable oils. Indeed, at high temperature, some of them oxidize and decompose fairly quickly into aldehydes. However, it is an organic compound considered as a carcinogen and linked to an increased risk of heart disease, even consumed or inhaled in small amounts. Olive oil ultimately remains the best option for cookingbecause it is the one that gives off the least aldehydes.
Discover the list of oils to avoid for cooking.