Increased consumption of refined oil is associated with rise in low density lipoprotein (LDL), which poses the risk of cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes, says Dr MC Mishra, former AIIMS director, New Delhi, in an interview with Ashish Srivastava.
Q. Oil is an inseparable component in our kitchen. However, should we be concerned about blended cooking oils?
Oil is not just an important component of the kitchen but a vital substance for our body that helps in absorption of various minerals. But yes, unregulated blending of different kinds of oils, especially with palm oil is concerning. The problem is that different oils have different boiling temperatures. If we blend oils with different boiling temperatures, the chemical reaction will not be uniform and eventually affect food quality.
Q. There was a shift in increased use of refined oil after the 90s. Now refined oil is being questioned for its quality and people are switching back to traditional oils. Is there a health risk associated with refined oil?
Traditionally, our country has been using mustard oil for cooking, mainly in the northern parts. Down south, cooking is mostly done in coconut oil. Ghee has also been a part of food culture. Now, the attention is on olive oil. All of them have health benefits if we use them judiciously and without adulteration. However, this is not the case with the refined oil. The oil should break down into high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is also called good cholesterol. However, increased consumption of refined oil has been associated with rise in low density lipoprotein (LDL), which poses the risk of cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes.
Q. Is adulteration the only problem with refined oil?
Adulteration is the problem with all edible oils. To save costs and increase profit margins, companies mix palm oil with natural oils, which is harmful. Besides, repeated use of the same oil in cooking also poses major health risks. If you visit roadside eateries, they fry snacks and other items in the same oil repeatedly. This practice degrades the quality and also makes the product carcinogenic.
Q. The word 'refined' gives an impression that the oil has been filtered with enhanced quality. Is it a misleading claim?
Most of the people are ignorant and adding terminology such as ‘refined' contributes to the confusion. In fact, refining edible oils degrades the quality of the natural oil we use in cooking. During refining process, natural oils are treated with chemicals to achieve some expectations of better odour, taste and smell. Increasing shelf life was also a factor, so palm oil was added by manufacturing firms. Natural oils are refined through the process of hydrogenation, which destroys all the vital minerals in the natural oil.
Q. As per your experience, which oil should be used for cooking and what should be avoided?
If you can afford, opt for olive oil. It should be the first choice. Then we can also have cold-pressed coconut and mustard oils, and ghee in pure form. In natural oils, safflower and other oils can also be consumed, but in very limited quantity. Refined oil mixed should be the last option and never touch palm oil. Avoid reusing oil as it can be dangerous and has carcinogenic properties - it applies to all oils and ghee.