Misconceptions About the Use of Vegetable Oils

Misconceptions About the Use of Industrial Vegetable Oils

Myth #1: Olive oil is expensive, so it must be high in nutritional value.

Olive oil is priced higher due to its difficulty in extraction and the high labor value involved in its production. Of course, olive oil offers numerous benefits, such as softening blood vessels, providing certain preventive measures against cardiovascular diseases, and lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics. It can also help prevent cancer and Alzheimer's disease in the elderly. Olive oil promotes the growth of epithelial tissues and can be used to protect burn and scald wounds without leaving scars. It is rich in vitamins and contains indispensable ω-3 fatty acids.

Nonetheless, one should not solely rely on olive oil. Each type of vegetable oil has its unique qualities, so the best choice is to alternate between different oils. Other oils like sunflower, soybean, and corn oil are also top performers. They are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which can boost the immune system, improve skin conditions, accelerate the healing of stomach ulcers, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and provide the necessary ingredients for the brain to function normally.

Myth Two: Refinement is the guarantee of quality in plant oils.

The refining process (including purification and deodorization) can eliminate the unpleasant smell of plants and remove toxic substances that may have entered the seeds due to improper storage. However, in the process of removing these impurities, many beneficial substances such as vitamins are also lost.

Myth Three: Say Goodbye to Animal Oils Forever

People believe that consuming animal fats can easily lead to coronary heart disease and obesity, thus preferring vegetable oils. However, this perspective is quite one-sided.

Animal oils (excluding fish oil) contain saturated fatty acids, which can lead to arteriosclerosis, but they also contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipoproteins, and other substances beneficial to the cardiovascular system, which can improve the nutrition and structure of intracranial arteries, help prevent hypertension, and reduce the risk of stroke. Oils like lard, as lipids, also contribute to satiety, protect the skin, maintain body temperature, and aid in the protection and stabilization of organs.

Consuming only plant oils can lead to an increase in peroxides within the body, which bind with human proteins to form lipofuscin. This substance accumulates in organs, accelerating the aging process. Furthermore, the rise in peroxides can affect the body's absorption of vitamins and increase the incidence of breast and colon cancer. Peroxides can also form on the walls of blood vessels, liver, and brain cells, causing diseases such as arteriosclerosis, liver cirrhosis, and cerebral thrombosis.

The proper way to consume oils is a combination or alternation of both plant and animal oils, in a ratio of 10:7. Mixing plant and animal oils is also beneficial for preventing cardiovascular diseases. Plant oils contain unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for preventing arteriosclerosis. Therefore, consuming a mixture of one part animal oil and two parts plant oil can complement each other's benefits.

Myth Four: Oils labeled "cholesterol-free" are the best oils.

The cholesterol-free label is merely an advertising term. In principle, it's impossible for plant oils to be completely cholesterol-free. In biochemistry, cholesterol and its derivatives are fundamental components of all organism structures. Animals have a significant demand for it, and plants cannot be said to have no need for it either.

During the refining process of vegetable oils, cholesterol cannot be completely removed from the fats. However, the cholesterol content in vegetable oils is still significantly lower compared to lard and butter. The cholesterol level in animal fats is roughly 10-25 times that of vegetable oils. Even so, it cannot be said that cholesterol is entirely absent from vegetable oils.