[MIRROR.CO.UK] Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases, according to new research.A study has claimed cooks should use olive oil , coconut oil, butter or even lard as a substitute.
Scientists found that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease and dementia.
In contrast, heating up butter, olive oil and lard in tests produced much lower levels of aldehydes. Coconut oil produced the lowest levels of the harmful chemicals.
Official advice has previously advocated the use of cooking with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats - such as corn oil and sunflower oil.
Health chiefs have previously said they are better for the health than the saturated fats in animal products.
Martin Grootveld, a professor of bioanalytical chemistry and chemical pathology, said that his research showed "a typical meal of fish and chips", fried in vegetable oil, contained as much as 100 to 200 times more toxic aldehydes than the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organisation .