If you are like most people, I bet you have used your frying oil more than once to cook. The thought of disposing of the leftover oil seems wasteful, coupled with the amount of money you spent buying the oil. Throwing it away just seems wrong on all levels.
Nevertheless, did you know reusing oil poses health risks? The number of times that you can safely reuse it will depend on what kind of oil it is, the temperature it was heated to and for how long it stayed outside.
When oil is heated, its fat molecules reduce. This makes it get to a point where it starts to smoke and gives off a bad odour more quickly each time it is used.
What are the health risks associated with reusing cooking oil?
Free radicals are also produced when oil reaches its smoke point. These are molecules that damage cells in our bodies and can potentially cause cancer.
Trans fats are “bad fats” that increase the risk of heart disease. At high temperatures, the fats in oil change into trans fats. When oils are reused, the amount of trans fats gets even higher.
Consuming too much oil is actually bad for one’s health and this should be avoided. It is advisable to cook using other methods rather than frying. Grilling is a great way to cook your meal, so also is oven roasting is a better alternative to frying.
Nevertheless, we still need oil for cooking our meals so concentrate on using cholesterol-free cooking oil; you can get them here when next you need them.