Pay attention to smoke points: cooking oils can damage lungs
Pay attention to smoke points: cooking oils can damage lungs. That’s the message from doctors today, who call for cooks to take care with frying oils in the kitchen. That’s because of the damage smoke can have on the lungs. Rates of lung cancer are higher among Taiwanese women than in some other countries, even though tobacco consumption is low. Experts say that might be due to air pollution, but kitchen smoke could also be a major overlooked hazard. The key thing to pay attention to is the type of oil you use, and how hot your pan is. If you want to fry on a high heat, be sure to use an oil that has a high smoke point.
Member of public
Yes, olive oil is healthier, that’s reported in newspapers and magazines.
Member of public
Yes, I know. I use it occasionally.
What oil do you use to fry vegetables at home? If you ask the passerby on the street, olive oil is the No. 1 answer. People imagine to it to be a healthy, premium choice. But if you’re frying on high heat, choosing the wrong oil could, in fact, lead to health risks.
Yen Tzung-hai
Toxicologist
Extra virgin olive oil has a low smoke point. It’s fine for sauteing. But if you use it for deep-frying or frying chicken or pork cutlets, it will go over the smoke point and start to smoke.
There are lots of different types of olive oil. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 191 degrees Celsius, while for extra virgin olive oil, it’s 199 degrees. For refined olive oil, it’s 230 degrees.
Yen Tzung-hai
Toxicologist
If you want to deep-fry, you should choose an oil with a higher smoke point. That will prevent oxidization.
For 42 years in a row, the type of cancer that claims the most lives in Taiwan has been lung cancer. People who smoke and those who have a family history of the disease are at an elevated risk. More men develop lung cancer, but women also develop it, even without smoking.
Liu Heng-hsuan
Taiwan Young Patient Association head
Lung cancer rates are higher in Taiwanese women than in women in Europe and North America, even though smoking rates are actually lower among Taiwanese women than European and American women. So experts have suggested that this may be because of smoke produced from cooking oils, or from air pollution. These are important factors leading to lung cancer for Taiwanese people.
There are many different risk factors for lung cancer, including air pollution, airborne particulates and second-hand smoke. But smoke from cooking oils is an invisible factor that may be most commonly ignored. The next time you head to the kitchen, think carefully about which oil to reach for.
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2024-08-08
