Health risks associated with improper cooking oil usage

Certain cooking habits involving oil usage can pose significant health risks, including an increased likelihood of developing cancer. Medical experts warn against two specific common practices.

First, heating oil beyond its smoke point is dangerous. When oil reaches this stage, fatty acids break down and undergo thermal decomposition, producing toxic compounds such as acrylamide and benzopyrene. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have classified these substances as high-risk carcinogens, which can contribute to gastrointestinal and lung cancers.

Second, reusing cooking oil multiple times is harmful. Research from the University of Illinois indicates that repeated heating causes the heavy decomposition of neutral fats, releasing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The accumulation of these toxins in the body can damage the stomach lining, cause cellular DNA damage, and increase the risk of malignant tumors.