Corn Oil: Friend Or Foe On Keto?

Corn oil is a highly refined oil that is widely used in cooking, especially for deep frying. It is cheap, flavourless, and has a high smoke point. However, it is not recommended for a keto diet due to its high degree of processing, which adds free radicals and artificial trans fats that are harmful to health. Instead, keto dieters are advised to use oils such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and palm oil.

Corn oil is highly refined

The processing of corn oil also adds free radicals and artificial trans fats, which are harmful to health. Corn oil is a polyunsaturated fat, which is considered one of the "bad fats" that should be avoided on a keto diet. Polyunsaturated fats, such as corn oil, are fragile and easily oxidized, even with just a little bit of heat. When these oxidized fats enter the bloodstream, they can form plaques in the arteries, contributing to heart disease.

Corn oil is also linked to an increased risk of obesity, as it is a common ingredient in many packaged foods. The high-linoleic content of corn oil, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, is believed to be a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. This, in turn, increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and other health issues associated with metabolic syndrome.

In addition, corn oil is not a stable fat for cooking due to its high polyunsaturated fat content. When heated, the fat molecules in corn oil become oxidized, leading to the formation of inflammatory compounds. These oxidized fats enter the bloodstream and contribute to heart disease by increasing oxidative stress and inflammation in the arteries. Therefore, it is recommended to choose other keto-friendly oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or palm oil, which are considered healthier alternatives.

It's prone to oxidation

Corn oil is a highly refined oil, extracted using high heat and chemicals. This process makes corn oil prone to oxidation, which can cause inflammation in the body.

Oxidation occurs when the fat molecule in the oil is missing multiple hydrogen bonds, creating openings for free radicals to come in and oxidize the fat. This breaks the integrity of the fat, making it inflammatory. The oxidation of corn oil can lead to the formation of plaques in your arteries, which can eventually block them and lead to heart disease.

Polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in corn oil, are the most fragile and the worst for cooking. They start to oxidize even with just a little heat. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using corn oil for cooking, especially at high temperatures, as this increases the rate of oxidation.

To maintain a healthy keto diet, it is important to choose healthy, monounsaturated and saturated fats instead of highly refined oils like corn oil. Keto-friendly alternatives include virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and ghee. These oils are not only healthier options but also offer a variety of nutritional benefits.

It may cause inflammation

Corn oil is a highly refined oil, extracted using high heat and chemicals. This process makes corn oil prone to oxidation and may cause inflammation in the body.

The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of corn oil is particularly high in omega-6 PUFA linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fat, meaning the fat molecule is missing multiple hydrogen bonds. The more missing bonds a fat molecule has, the more sites are open for a free radical to come in and oxidize the fat, breaking its integrity and making it inflammatory.

Oxidation occurs more readily at high temperatures, which is why cooking with corn oil is particularly problematic. When corn oil is heated, the oxidation process can begin, and the oxidized fats enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation and forming plaques in the arteries. This can lead to cholesterol buildup and an increased risk of heart disease.

In addition, the high omega-6 content of corn oil can contribute to an unbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the diet, which has been linked to obesity and weight gain. This, in turn, can further increase the risk of inflammation and heart disease.

It's a bad fat

Corn oil is a highly refined oil, extracted from corn using high heat and chemicals. This process strips the oil of its nutrients and replaces them with harmful chemicals. As a polyunsaturated fat, corn oil is prone to oxidation, which can lead to inflammation in the body and cause damage to the liver.

The processing required to produce corn oil introduces free radicals and artificial trans fats, which are harmful to your health. The oxidation of polyunsaturated fats can lead to the formation of plaques in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

In addition, corn oil contains high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which can contribute to an unbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. This imbalance is believed to be a significant driver of obesity and can also lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

For these reasons, corn oil is considered a "bad fat" and should be avoided on the keto diet, despite being low in carbs and high in fat. Instead, keto dieters should opt for healthier alternatives such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee. These oils are high in healthy fats and do not undergo the same degree of processing as corn oil.

It's not heat stable

Corn oil is a highly refined oil, meaning it is extracted using high heat and chemicals. This process strips the oil of its nutrients and replaces them with harmful chemicals. Therefore, corn oil is not recommended for a keto diet.

The high heat and chemicals used in the extraction process make corn oil prone to oxidation, which can cause inflammation in the body. This is because the oil's fatty acids degrade at high temperatures, producing secondary oxidation products that cause it to become rancid.

Research has shown that the oxidative properties of corn oil change significantly with rising temperatures. Acid value, peroxide value, oxidative indices, total oxidation value, and p-anisidine values all increase as the temperature rises. This means that the oil becomes more oxidised and rancid as its temperature increases.

Corn oil has a high smoke point, which is the temperature at which an oil starts burning and smoking. While this makes corn oil suitable for deep frying, heating it past its smoke point will harm its flavour and cause the oil to release harmful compounds called free radicals.

Therefore, corn oil is not heat stable and should be avoided on a keto diet.

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