Recent research has highlighted the risks associated with consuming overheated cooking oil. The study showed that rats and their offspring that ingested this type of oil showed greater neurodegeneration compared to those that followed a conventional diet.
The link between fried foods and various diseases, including cancer and diabetes, was already known; However, the implications of repeated use of cooking oil had not been deeply explored until now.
This is especially relevant, since reheating oil for frying is an everyday scene in both homes and restaurants, which places the conclusions of this study at the forefront of public health.
Oil reuse: increase in harmful compounds
Specifically, the study highlights that reheating the oil not only reduces its antioxidants – in addition to other original health benefits of the oil – but also increases the presence of harmful substances such as acrylamide, trans fats and peroxides.
According to a press release, these changes in the composition of the oil negatively impact the communication network between the liver, intestine and brain. This axis, they say, is essential for the maintenance of various physiological functions, and its alteration is linked to neurological disorders.
“Frying at high temperatures has been linked to several metabolic disorders, but there has been no long-term research on the influence of fried oil consumption and its detrimental health effects,” Kathiresan Shanmugam, associate professor at the University of California, said in the statement. Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur (India).
“To our knowledge, we are the first to report that long-term consumption of fried oil increases neurodegeneration in first-generation offspring,” he added.
The study
In developing the study, Shanmugam and his team at the University of Illinois at Chicago distributed a set of female rats into five groups, subjecting them to varied diets for 30 days. While one group was kept on the standard diet, the others were given the same diet plus 0.1 milliliters of sesame or sunflower oil, both in their natural and reheated forms, mimicking the use of reused cooking oil.
The animals that consumed the reheated oils showed a buildup of toxins and significant inflammation in the liver, as well as damage to the colon. This led to an alteration of hepatic lipid metabolism and a decrease in the transport of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid essential for the brain.
“This, in turn, caused neurodegeneration, which was observed in the brain [anatomía] of the rats that consumed the reheated oil, as well as their offspring,” Shanmugam explained.
The study not only reveals these adverse effects, but also proposes a light at the end of the tunnel: supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and nutraceuticals such as curcumin and oryzanol could offer an antidote to liver inflammation and neurodegeneration induced by the reused oil. However, the authors call for action, suggesting that it is crucial to conduct clinical studies in humans to evaluate the adverse effects of repeatedly consuming foods fried in reused oil.
Keep reading:
* Know the types of vegetable oil
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* How can I fry food without using oil?