Not all oils are equal: Why experts warn against 9 everyday kitchen fats

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Sunflower Sabotage

It sounds healthy—but refined sunflower oil breaks down into toxic compounds when heated. Behind that golden glow? A mess of free radicals and inflammation-triggering chemicals.

Soybean Trap

Lurking in processed foods and home kitchens, soybean oil is a hormonal hazard—packed with omega-6s, likely GMO, and chemically extracted. Too much can mess with metabolism and mood.

Canola Con Job

It’s sold as “heart-healthy,” but canola oil is ultra-refined, chemically deodorized, and possibly loaded with trans fats. It’s what’s left after rapeseed’s worst parts are scrubbed out.

Corn Oil Crash

Fried in corn oil? You might be oxidizing your arteries. Made from genetically modified corn, it turns toxic at high temps and floods your system with inflammation-fueling omega-6s.

Cottonseed Contaminant

This oil comes from a pesticide-heavy crop not meant for eating. Add natural toxins like gossypol, and you’re cooking with a chemical cocktail—not nutrition.

Fake Fat Bomb

Margarine and shortening were once seen as healthy alternatives. Now? They’re industrial trans fat bombs that spike bad cholesterol and double your heart disease risk.

Palm Oil Problem

Refined palm oil raises cholesterol, loses antioxidants, and spews toxins when overheated. Bonus: it’s helping torch rainforests across Asia. Your frying pan’s carbon footprint is real.

Grapeseed Gimmick

It’s marketed as chic and clean. But grapeseed oil is a high-omega-6, oxidation-prone oil often made with hexane. Fancy name, but the health risks are anything but boutique.

Blended Deception

“Vegetable oil” often hides a murky mix of corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils. Poorly labeled, packed with omega-6s, and often containing trans fats—it’s a metabolic minefield.