When we talk about cooking, oil is an essential part of it as it is used in so many different ways to enhance the flavour or give food a certain texture.
As much as the use of oil helps us in the preparation of lip smacking dishes, it poses an unhealthy threat when we reuse leftover oil.
In a bid to be economical, many households reuse the same oil over and over again to minimise wastage but it has been found out that this can have deleterious consequences on general well being and health.
Keep on reading to find out some health hazards posed by the use of the leftover oil.
1. Leads to toxicity in the body and upturn the chances of heart and cognitive disorders
When the already used oil is heated again, it let out a higher concentration of varied toxic chemicals like Aldehydes that are linked with multiple health glitches like heart-related ailments, cognitive problems like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. Likewise, another poisonous substance that is released when oil is re-heated is 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nominal (HNE) which is poisonous and quite toxic to the body and can hamper bodily functions of DNA, RNA, and proteins.
2. Gives you acidity and burning sensations
Reusing cooking oil leads to a poisonous process known as rancidity. After a little exposure to moisture, air or light, oils go through incomplete or complete oxidisation and this process is known as rancidity. Each time the oil goes through the heating process, its particles get to modify and affix a bad taste and smell to the oil and the food cooked in it. Consumption of such oil and food can increase the risk of acidity, burning sensation in the stomach, throat problems and many more.
3. Paves the way for LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
When cooking the oil at a high temperature, some fats get converted into trans fats. And when this smoked black oil is rewarmed, it even releases higher quantities of trans fats which are extremely bad for the overall health. Following the same process for a longer period of time drag you close to health complications like stroke, obesity, chest pain, stomachache indigestion and even heart diseases as high consumption of trans fats increases the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body.
4. Elevate the risk of inflammation and cancer
A carcinogen is a substance that is associated with the formation of cancer in the body. Re-heating cooking oils increases the harmful substances in it like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and aldehydes that are linked with high risks of cancer and inflammation in the body. Moreover, if you have been suffering from high inflammation for a longer period of time, then the consumption of bad or reused cooking oil can be the culprit. If not treated properly, this can decrease the immunity and further make you prone to various illnesses and infections.
References: pinkvilla.com, guardian.ng
