The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently warned that repeatedly heating vegetable oil can increase the risk of cancer.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Indians released earlier this month, “The practice of ‘reusing’ vegetable oils for cooking, (which have been repeatedly heated during food preparations) is very common, both at homes and in commercial establishments. Repeated heating of vegetable oils/fat, results in oxidation of PUFA, leading to the generation of compounds which are harmful/toxic and may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.”
Ipsita Chakraborty, senior nutritionist at Hungry Koala explains, “If you repeatedly heat vegetable oils, it leads to the formation of harmful compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aldehydes, and acrylamide. These compounds are formed through a series of chemical reactions, including oxidation, hydrolysis, and polymerisation, that occur when oils are subjected to high temperatures multiple times.”