RBD’s- Refined, Bleached, Deodorized

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In July we covered GMO and bioengineered foods, but today I wanted to drill down specifically to common oils used in todays kitchen’s. We have been taught that fats are bad for us, but we all need some in our diets, so what are good fats?

Bioengineered, the new GMO

Saturated fatty acids pack together easily and tend to be solid at room temperature. Butter, tallows, suet, palm oil and coconut oil are classified as saturated fats because they contain a preponderance of saturated fatty acids. Saturated fats are stable and do not become rancid when subjected to heat, as in cooking.

Monounsaturated oils tend to be liquid at room temperature but become solid when refrigerated. Olive oil, peanut oil, lard, rapeseed and canola oils are classified as monounsaturated oils. Monounsaturated oils are relatively stable and can be used for cooking.

Polyunsaturated oils are very fragile, do not pack together easily and tend to be liquid, even when cold. They tend to develop harmful free radicals when subjected to heat and oxygen, as in cooking or processing. Soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and flax oil are polyunsaturated oils. 

Be careful when shopping for a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Many times the cheeper oils are cut with canola or other vegetable oils. If the package says the oil is from several countries, it is very possible that it is not pure. A good way to test if you have PURE olive oil is to put it in the fridge and see if it solidifies.

The consumption of vegetable oils increased drastically in the last century. While some vegetable oils have been linked to health benefits, there are concerns about the excessive intake of omega-6.

It’s important to note that not all plant oils are bad for your health. For example, avocado oil and olive oil are both excellent choices. Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, meaning that you need some of them in your diet because your body can’t produce them.

Some vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Scientists have hypothesized that eating too much omega-6 can lead to increased inflammation in the body and potentially contribute to disease.

The top four vegetable oils consumed in the United States are soybean, canola, palm, and corn oil. These are referred to as refined, bleached, deodorized oils – or RBD for short – because this describes the process by which they are manufactured.

Most canola is chemically extracted using a solvent called hexane, and heat is often applied which can affect the stability of the oil’s molecules, turn it rancid, destroy the omega-3s in it, and can even create trans fats.

Consumption of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFAs) is a well-established health risk factor that correlates with the increased risk of developing all sorts of chronic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, cancer, and diabetes.

One of the most suprising facts I found was what happens during commercial deep-fat frying operations with canola oil. Canola oil used to fry French fries for seven hours per day for seven days at 185°C (365°F) resulted in increasing the total trans-fatty acid content of the oil from 2.4% to 3.3% by weight of total fat.

If a product lists hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient, it likely contains trans fats. For optimal health, avoid these products, although with the trans fat ban, this are likely to only be present in very small amounts now.

Sources include: Cornicopia Institute, Top 10 Most Common GMO Foods, Effects of Cyclic Fatty Acid Monomers from Heated Vegetable Oil on Markers of Inflammation, Differential effects of dietary canola and soybean oil intake on oxidative stress, Effect of canola oil consumption on memory, synapse and neuropathology, Harvard School of Public Health, Concerns about canola oil, Weston Price Foundation, The Great Con-ola, Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Saturated fat –a never ending story? & Saturated Fat: Part of a Healthy Diet.