The ‘Toxic’ Ingredient Health Experts Say You Need To Stop Cooking With

Whether we’re whipping up a stir-fry or whipping up pasta, many of us use processed oils in our daily lives and can’t imagine cooking without them. After speak directly with health experts Y investigating the suggestions of othersEveryone seemed to agree on one thing: Frequent cooking of (and consuming) processed oils can pack on extra tricky calories that make it that much harder to stay on track with healthy eating and weight loss.

This can be toxic or destructive to your health if consumed in excess. Read on to hear from the experts and for healthier replacements for your favorite (but ultimately unhealthy) processed oils.

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Why you should be careful with processed oils

Many recipes call for the use of olive oil or some other natural oil, and while these aren’t necessarily bad on their own, it’s the processed types that you should be aware of.

Arika Hoscheit, a registered dietitian nutritionist told the New York Post that processed oils such as grapeseed, soybean, canola, cottonseed, corn, and vegetable oils are “generally detrimental to human health and should be avoided.” This, he said, is because they are heated to extremely high temperatures during processing, which oxidizes the oils.

“Oxidation produces free radicals that can cause damage throughout the body. As we age, our bodies have to work harder than before to recover from insults,” Hoschiet explained.

He advised readers to “try to limit or avoid processed oils and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants.” Getting plenty of antioxidants can help protect the body from free radicals that are produced, Hoscheit added.

We spoke with a health expert Jenny Branco, who recommends researching the oils you use daily (including processed vegetable oils, canola oil, and soybean oil). “A common kitchen mistake that makes weight loss much more difficult is cooking with refined oils that oxidize at low smoke points,” says Branco, according to Hoscheit’s advice.

Branco added that these inflammatory oils can “damage cell membranes and eliminate insulin sensitivity,” causing blood sugar dysregulation and preventing you from losing weight.

dr josh ax, DNM, CNS, DC, agreed that “hidden calories” like “poor quality oils, dressings and butter” can get in the way of your weight loss goals. “These are high-calorie, high-fat sources that can make your meals taste a little better, but ultimately they’re not very filling considering how calorie-dense they are, nor do they provide a lot of nutrients,” he told us.

We also asked a nutritionist about healthier alternatives to these oils and how you can cook delicious meals without them (or using smaller amounts or less often).

Healthier alternatives to processed oils

Nutritionist Lisa Richards explains that the use of oil in the cooking process can be replaced by water or low-calorie sauces. “Most vegetables can be sautéed with water or liquid amino acids instead of oil,” Richards said. “This leaves you with a much lower calorie food because you haven’t introduced unnecessary calories from the oil.”

Branco also suggests using “healthy fats with higher smoke points.” These include “avocado oil, ghee, butter, coconut oil, or tallow for cooking and general health,” he said.