How healthy is it to recycle leftover cooking oil?

Oil is a major ingredient in cooking. Oil is used in almost every dish in Bengali cooking. But many times we save the leftover oil from cooking to use again later. But is this really right?

Reusing used cooking oil can pose a number of health risks. It can increase the risk of acidity , heartburn, stroke, Parkinson's, heart disease and even cancer. Heating the oil repeatedly at high temperatures creates harmful compounds in it, which can be very harmful to the body. Therefore, to maintain good health, one must be very careful when recycling cooking oil.

Let's find out what kind of problems can arise if we reuse used oil.

The harm that can be caused by recycling leftover cooking oil

1) Toxic compounds are formed: Heating the same oil repeatedly can cause food poisoning. Which is very harmful to the body. Repeatedly heating oil gives off a bad smell, a harmful substance called HNE is formed in the oil which increases cholesterol levels, which can also cause heart problems in many people.

2) Loss of nutritional value: When using burnt oil, some invisible particles from the previous cooking remain in the oil. When cooking in the same oil, various chemical changes occur, as a result, even if you cook fresh food, the taste of the food and especially the nutritional value are greatly lost. And it causes harm to the body.

3) Digestive problems: Using old oil can cause digestive problems, acidity, and heartburn. If this continues for a long time, the risk of liver problems and cancer may increase.

4) Trans fats are formed: Repeated heating of oil increases the amount of trans fats in it, which can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, and increased cholesterol.

5) Free radicals increase: Used oil produces free radicals , which damage cells and accelerate the aging process.

What should I do to reuse leftover cooking oil?

Although it is not advisable to reuse cooking oil, sometimes we use this oil again in cooking. But there are some methods to recycle used oil. Let's learn about them.

1) After frying something, the oil left over should be cooled, strained and then stored in an airtight bottle. Care should be taken to ensure that there are no food particles in it.

2) Before using the old oil, check to see if the color and fluidity of the oil are correct! If you feel that the color of the oil has changed and it has become more sticky and thicker than usual, then that oil should not be used.

3) If something is deep fried in oil, that oil should not be reused. However, depending on the quality of the oil, frying time, temperature, etc., it can be reused. However, you can use that oil for cooking, not for frying any food.

Remember, food is not just a means of filling the stomach, it is fuel for our body. Therefore, we need to be aware of every ingredient in cooking. Repeatedly heating or reusing oil can be seriously harmful to our health, increasing the risk of heart disease, digestive problems, and even cancer. For a healthy lifestyle, we should not reuse oil, cook in a pure and healthy way, and develop conscious eating habits. A little caution on our part can be the key to our long-term well-being.