If you’re on social media, you might have seen all the talk about vegetable oil being unhealthy, even dangerous. Although many experts say that vegetable oil can be part of a healthy, balanced diet, others suggest that these oils (also called seed oils) should be avoided.
So, should vegetable oil really be on your list of things not to eat, or can people eat it and still be healthy? We dug into the research to find out so you can know, once and for all, whether vegetable oil is healthy or not.
What is vegetable oil?
Vegetable oil is an oil that is extracted from certain plants, such as corn, soybeans. Seed oil is also considered a vegetable oil. On the other hand, oils extracted from fruits (like olive and avocado oil) may or may not fall under the classification of vegetable oils, depending on a person’s definition of the term.
Canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower oils are all examples of vegetable oils. These oils are liquid at room temperature and many typically have a mild flavor.
Vegetable oils can be produced in different ways. Refined oils are extracted from their original source using a chemical solvent. Cold pressed oils are produced by applying pressure to the plant to extract the oil.
These oils are found in a wide variety of recipes like salad dressings, baked goods, and some mayonnaises and marinades.
Vegetable oil nutrition
Hearing the word vegetable can conjure up tons of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. But unlike many whole vegetable options, like spinach and carrots, vegetable oil doesn’t contain the nutrients you’d expect to see in a vegetable.
Vegetable oil is a source of fat. In some cases, vegetable oil consists primarily of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. Your body cannot produce PUFAS, and depending on the American Heart Association, consuming these fats may have beneficial effects on heart health, especially if you use them to replace sources of saturated fat in your diet. Under the PUFA umbrella are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Some vegetable oils can be quite high in omega-6 fatty acids, which is an important factor to note. But more on that later.
Vegetable oils can also contain monounsaturated fats, which have also been linked to heart health benefits.
According to USDA1 tablespoon of soybean oil, a commonly consumed vegetable oil, contains the following nutrients:
- calories: 120
- Protein: 0 grams
- Fat: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 grams
Some vegetable oils naturally contain plant compounds that may provide health benefits, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, notes a 2021 research in Trends in food science and technology. Some vegetable oils contain synthetic antioxidants. Natural additives may be added to extend the shelf life of the oil, depending on the Journal of Food Science and Technology in 2020. This is because the fats in oil can oxidize when exposed to light or oxygen.
Heating can impact oil nutrition
Vegetable oils are a staple for many recipes that require a source of fat to achieve high heat, such as fried foods. But once some of these oils are heated, certain compounds can form, which is where there may be cause for concern.
For oils that contain high amounts of an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid (think rapeseed, soy and sunflower), heating them to a certain temperature forms a compound called hydroxynonenal, research in Advances in Nutrition in 2020. Typically, this happens when oils are heated beyond their smoking point. Once consumed, however, the compounds may promote disease, the authors point out.
How Oil Is Processed Can Impact Its Nutrition
One way to make vegetable oil relies on hexane, a compound found in many products, such as cleaning agents and stain removers. Hexane is used to extract the oil from the plant. Inhalation of high levels of hexane can cause dizziness, nausea, and headache; long-term exposure can cause muscle weakness, blurred vision, fatigue, and headaches, depending on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All of this certainly sounds troubling. And even small amounts or traces of hexane left over after processing can add up if you consume it from multiple sources, a study conducted in food in the 2022 notes.
THE Community of the European Union (EU) suggested a consumption limit of up to 1 milligram of hexane per kilogram of body weight. A 2017 study in the Jreview of experimental and clinical toxicology analyzed the hexane content of various oils, including sunflower, corn and canola. The researchers found that the 40 oils studied all contained levels of hexane below the maximum residue limit set by the European Union.
How Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acid Ratios Impact Health
Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are PUFAs, and both types of omega are important in supporting our overall health. However, consuming high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids while simultaneously eating low amounts of omega-3 fatty acids may not be good for your health. Since some varieties of vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, this is a factor worth noting.
A diet high in omega-6 but low in omega-3 may increase inflammation, while a diet including similar amounts of each type of fatty acid may reduce inflammation. Vegetable oils with higher proportions of omega-6 fatty acids include sunflower, corn and soy, according to a 2020 study Advances in Nutrition. Omega-6 fatty acids don’t have to be avoided, but they should be balanced with enough omega-3s in your overall diet to help balance the fatty acid ratio.
In short, if you consume vegetable oils, it may be healthier to also eat sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish, nuts and avocados.
The essential
Depending on the source of your nutritional information, vegetable oils are either considered a positive addition to your healthy diet or one of the worst things you can eat. Very disturbing.
According to the medical literature, the consumption of vegetable oils is linked to health outcomes such as a reduced risk of stroke, according to the American Heart Association. It is important to remember that the amount of oil you consume matters. Including small amounts of vegetable oils in an otherwise healthy diet (especially when these oils replace saturated fats) can be fine.
For the best way to include vegetable oils in your diet, remember to avoid heating vegetable oils beyond their smoking point and also eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Go ahead, feel free to enjoy a savory caraway dressing or delicious EatingWell Waffles, both made with vegetable oil, knowing that despite what Dr. Google will have you believe, your overall health will be just fine.