Cooking oils are an essential ingredient in all kitchens worldwide. From frying to sautéing and adding that delicious tadka to the dal, to making vinaigrettes for salad dressings, oil is a must-have to enhance our food-eating experience. Now that we have a million options of oils to choose from when we head to the supermarket; it can get quite overwhelming to read the packaging, research, and then choose your cooking oil. So, you’ll most likely just pick the brand you’re familiar with and move on.  However, knowing the nutritional content in your oil can make all the difference between a heart-healthy meal and a high-cholesterol meal. If you use refined oil for cooking at home or are planning on switching from unrefined oil to refined ones, understanding if refined edible oil is good for you is a smart decision.  So, without much ado, let's delve into the journey of discovering what refined oil is and the health benefits you can achieve by using it.

What is Refined Oil?

Refined vegetable oil is what you obtain after refining and removing the harmful impurities in crude oil and achieving purified oil.  The ingredients of the refined oil may vary according to the oil you pick. In Saffola, the main components are rice bran oil and safflower oil for Saffola Total, and rice bran and sunflower seed oil in Saffola Gold. Refined oil has many advantages over non-refined oils as it is more sanitary and more suitable for your daily edible uses. The oil is non-deteriorate, easy to store and produces less lamp black when cooking as well.

What are the ingredients in refined cooking oil?

The primary ingredient in refined oil is crude oil, which is extracted from various plant sources, such as soybeans, olives, sunflowers, rice bran, peanuts, and rapeseed. Crude oil is a mixture of triglycerides, which are made up of three fatty acids on a glycerol backbone. The specific ingredients used for refining edible oil differ based on the type of oil that is being refined. However, the most popularly used ingredients are caustic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid and activated carbon. They are used as they help remove impurities from the oil and neutralise any acids present in the oil.

Is refined oil actually good for health?

There is quite a bit of a conundrum regarding the health benefits of refined oils. It is often criticised for the low levels of nutrients it retains after going through the refinement process. Although, over the years due to technological advancement the refining process has seen a notable evolution. Refined oils have a higher smoke point compared to other oils, making them ideal for frying food. The benefit of a higher smoke point is that while cooking at high temperatures the oil does not break down and release harmful toxins. As opposed to, unrefined oils which have a low smoke point and are not the best for frying food. 

Benefits of Refined Oil 

Let’s take a look at the health benefits of refined cooking oil in more detail: 

1. Nutritional Benefits of Oryzanol

It is important to keep your cholesterol levels under control as they can cause several heart problems. Oryzanol not only helps you maintain your cholesterol, but it also helps prevent obesity and is proven to be anti-diabetic. 

2. Benefits of Vitamins

Using refined cooking oil containing vitamins can aid you against night blindness, and help you build stronger bones. 

3. Presence of Antioxidants

The primary role of antioxidants is to protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals can cause cholesterol oxidation. Refined oils do retain some natural anti-oxidants which help improve immunity & heart health. Saffola Total provides care for your health by attempting to maintain your cholesterol levels through nutritious cooking.

4. Eliminates Aflatoxin

Aflatoxins are a family of toxins created by particular fungi found on agricultural crops. These toxins result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury. Longer exposure to these toxins can lead to more severe health complications. The process of refining oils gets rid of aflatoxin, eliminating the risk of you or your family coming into contact with it. 

5. Promotes Heart Health

Good fats are essential and help in keeping your heart healthy. MUFAs and PUFAs are fatty acids that are a type of healthy fats. They help control your cholesterol levels by increasing HDL Cholesterol and decreasing LDL cholesterol.  Essentially, both fatty acids aid in promoting your heart’s health and reduce the risk of heart problems in the long run. The best way to achieve the benefits of MUFAs and PUFAs is by consuming a blended oil that combines the two.  Saffola Gold is characterised by a dual seed technology that helps you achieve a good balance of the two healthy fatty acids to obtain better nutrition through fats. To sum it up, refined edible oil is a staple ingredient in every kitchen, and the refining process is critical in making the oil safe and suitable for consumption. The process involves removing impurities and unwanted components from crude oil to produce a pure, stable and consumable product. If you are looking for a refined edible oil to keep your cholesterol levels in check, try Saffola Total. With significant improvements in refining methods and strict regulations in place, a safe and healthy choice for monitored thoughtful consumption.