The Oil Aisle Illusion: Nature vs. The Lab

If the devil ever opened a health food store, I reckon half the shelves would be lined with bottles labeled “heart healthy,” filled with the same industrial sludge they use to grease machines and make lipstick. We’ve gone from lard to lab coats, trading bacon grease for something cooked up in test tubes next to synthetic perfume.

These days, folks are terrified of butter but pour canola and soybean oil into their pans like it’s blessed holy water—because some white-coated fella in the ’80s declared fat the enemy. He just forgot to mention which fats. Now our arteries aren’t clogged from biscuits and gravy, but from a slow-motion chemistry experiment gone sideways.

When I was a kid, my mother had an old metal pot by the stove. After cooking, she’d pour the leftover fat into it, let it cool, then stick it in the fridge where it hardened like wax. She’d reuse that same fat until the day she fried fish in it—and from that point on, everything tasted like fish. That was the end of that oil. My dad, ever the practical man, took it outside and poured it on the weeds. Killed ’em dead. We also used real butter on everything, no margarine, and even the mayo was real, but that is another story. Diabetes was rare, so was autism.  Arteriosclerosis was a problem for people in their 90s, I had an aunt that die after falling down at 107. No BS, no one knows if she fell and broke her hip, or broke her hip and fell.

Then came corn oil, which they said was healthier When that turned out to be no good, they gave us canola. Then it was peanut, then grapeseed, then avocado, then back to olive oil like it was some brand-new discovery. For what it’s worth, we always had olive oil on the table—for bread, for salad, for dipping—no fuss, no marketing.

So here’s the moral of the meal:
If your oil needs a processing plant, a chemical bath, and a million-dollar ad campaign to seem edible, it probably isn’t.

Stick to the fats your great-grandma would’ve trusted: butter, lard, olive oil, or the drippings from last Sunday’s roast. They just might keep you standing longer than a ten-dollar bottle of mystery goo with a name that sounds like a cleaning product.

So are we healthier today…. I don’t know honestly. I don’t trust the results of many of test that are designed to promote a healthier product.  I know a lot of old people, the healthiest once I know eat everything. Have moderate exercise, are social and don’t use fancy oils

Because let’s be honest: nature doesn’t need a PR firm—but toxic oils sure do. And that’s worth chewing on.

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🧪 Comparison of 5 Popular Cooking Fats and Oils:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Peanut Oil, Canola Oil, and Bacon Fat

Feature	🫒 Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)	🥑 Avocado Oil	🟤 Peanut Oil	🌾 Canola Oil	🥓 Bacon Fat
Smoke Point	~375°F (190°C)	~480°F (250°C)	~450°F (232°C)	~400°F (204°C)	~325–375°F (163–190°C)
Processing (best version)	Cold-pressed	Cold-pressed	Cold-pressed or refined	Expeller-pressed (rare)	Rendered at home
Monounsaturated Fats	✅ High (~73%)	✅ High (~70%)	✅ High (~46%)	✅ High (~63%)	✅ Moderate (~45%)
Polyunsaturated Fats	⚠️ Low (~11%)	⚠️ Moderate (~13%)	⚠️ Moderate (~32%)	⚠️ Higher (~28%)	⚠️ Low (~10%)
Saturated Fats	~14%	~12%	~17%	~7%	🔺 High (~40%)
Omega-3s (ALA)	❌ Very little	❌ Very little	❌ Negligible	✅ Some (~9%)	❌ Negligible
Antioxidants	✅ High (polyphenols)	✅ High (lutein, vitamin E)	⚠️ Low (unless cold-pressed)	❌ Low (refined)	⚠️ Trace (depends on method)
Flavor	Fruity, peppery, rich	Buttery, mild	Nutty, bold	Very neutral	Rich, smoky, savory
GMO Concern	❌ None (pure)	❌ None	❌ None	⚠️ Often GMO crop	❌ No (animal source)
Best Uses	Salad, dipping, light sautéing	High-heat, roasting	Deep frying, stir-fry, Asian food	Baking, neutral frying	Flavoring, frying, eggs, greens
Health Score (1–10)	⭐ 9.5/10	⭐ 9/10	⭐ 7.5/10	⭐ 6.5/10	⭐ 5/10 (high sat. fat)
Price	💲💲	💲💲💲	💲💲	💲	💲 (free with bacon)

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🔍 Key Notes on Bacon Fat:

• High in saturated fat – may raise LDL cholesterol if overconsumed.
• Tons of flavor – ideal for Southern-style cooking, greens, or eggs.
• Not a health oil — but okay in moderation if you eat a low-processed diet.

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🛑 “Toxic Ten” Cooking Oils – Nutritional and Use Overview

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⚠️ Why Are These Considered “Toxic”?

 

• High omega-6 levels can cause inflammation if not balanced with omega-3s.

• Refined/processed: Many are made using high heat and chemical solvents (e.g., hexane).

• Rancidity risk: Polyunsaturated fats are more likely to oxidize, especially when stored long-term or heated repeatedly.

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🥜 Is Peanut Oil Toxic?

Not inherently. Here’s the nuanced truth:

✅ Pros:

• High smoke point (~450°F) – good for deep frying.
• Decent monounsaturated fat content (~46%).
• Cold-pressed versions retain some nutrients and flavor.

⚠️ Concerns:

• High in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (~32%) – too much without enough omega-3s can contribute to chronic inflammation.
• Refined peanut oil (the most common kind) is highly processed and stripped of antioxidants.
• Allergy risk in sensitive individuals.

🧠 Verdict: Okay in moderation, especially if you balance your diet with omega-3s. Prefer cold-pressed or expeller-pressed if possible.

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🌾 Is Canola Oil Toxic?

Again, not inherently — but concerns are valid.

✅ Pros:

• Low in saturated fat (~7%).
• Contains some omega-3 (ALA) — rare in most vegetable oils.
• High in monounsaturated fats (~63%).

⚠️ Concerns:

• Most commercial canola is highly refined, often chemically extracted (using hexane), and deodorized.
• Processing can create oxidized compounds, especially if overheated or used repeatedly.
• Many varieties are from GMO crops — not necessarily harmful, but a concern for some.

🧠 Verdict: Best avoided in its refined form. If you use it, choose cold-pressed or organic expeller-pressed canola oil and don’t reuse it for deep frying.

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🧾 Bottom Line:

Oil	Toxic?	Better Alternatives
Peanut	❌ No, but high omega-6	Avocado oil, olive oil for moderate heat
Canola	❌ Not directly toxic, but highly refined	Olive oil, avocado oil (for high heat)

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🍽️ Final Thought:

Neither oil will poison you in small amounts, but using refined seed oils as your daily staple without balance (especially omega-3s, antioxidants, and whole foods) may contribute to long-term health risks.

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Many Seeds are Poisonous

Most people don’t realize that many of the seeds used to make common cooking oils—like cottonseed, soybean, canola (rapeseed), and even grapeseed—are naturally toxic or inedible in their raw form. Cottonseed contains gossypol, a toxic compound that can damage the liver and reproductive system. Rapeseed, the parent of canola oil, was originally high in erucic acid, which is harmful in large amounts. Even soybeans require heavy processing to neutralize anti-nutrients like trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid. These seeds weren’t historically used as food—they were industrial crops used for things like lubricants, paints, and animal feed. It wasn’t until the rise of modern chemical processing in the 20th century that companies found ways to bleach, deodorize, and chemically treat these oils to make them “edible.” But calling them food doesn’t change their origins—they’re still products of poison turned palatable by technology, not nature.

 

🏭 How Common Cooking Oils Are Made

1. 🥥 Cold-Pressed / Expeller-Pressed (Natural Method)

These are the healthiest and least processed oils.

Process:

• Seeds or fruit (e.g., olives, avocados, coconuts) are mechanically pressed to extract oil.
• No high heat or chemicals are used in cold-pressed oils (temps stay below ~120°F).
• Oil is then filtered and bottled with minimal processing.

✅ Examples:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Coconut Oil (Virgin)
• Walnut or Macadamia Nut Oil

🔍 Pros:

• Retains natural flavor, aroma, and antioxidants.
• No chemical residue or bleaching.

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2. ⚙️ Refined Oils (Industrial Seed Oils)

This is how most “vegetable oils” and “toxic ten” oils are made.

Process:

1. Seed Cleaning – Seeds (like soy, canola, corn, cottonseed) are cleaned of dirt and debris.
2. Crushing & Heating – Seeds are crushed and heated (~120–160°F) to release more oil.
3. Chemical Solvent Extraction – Typically, hexane, a petroleum-derived solvent, is used to extract the remaining oil.
4. Degumming – Gums and waxes are removed using water or acid wash.
5. Neutralization – Free fatty acids are neutralized with caustic soda (sodium hydroxide).
6. Bleaching – Removes color using clay or activated carbon.
7. Deodorization – Heated again (~400°F) to remove odor and flavor.

⚠️ Examples:

• Canola Oil
• Soybean Oil
• Corn Oil
• Cottonseed Oil
• Sunflower, Safflower, and Rice Bran Oil

❌ Downsides:

• Stripped of natural nutrients and antioxidants.
• Can contain residual solvents or oxidized fats.
• Often rancid before reaching store shelves.

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🔄 Comparison Snapshot

Process Type	Used For	Nutrient Retention	Common Additives	Typical Color & Flavor
Cold-Pressed	Olive, avocado, coconut	High	None	Rich color, bold flavor
Expeller-Pressed	Some non-GMO canola or peanut	Moderate	None/Low	Mild color, light flavor
Solvent-Extracted	Vegetable, corn, soybean, etc.	Low	Hexane, bleach	Pale color, no flavor

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EPILOGUE:

So how did I get here…. I ate a hamburger at Five Guys, and noticed the Fries where fried in Peanut Oil, and then my twisted mind had to do the analysis.  I will stick to my Olive Oil, Avocado and occasional bacon.  But wont feel too guilty with the peanut oil fries compared with ones from BK.

 

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