From Kitchen to Liver: The Dark Side of Excess Seed Oil Consumption

Mustard oil, peanut oil, and sunflower oil are usually used in our homes for tempering and frying food. Our food is not complete without these oils in Indian homes. But have you ever thought that these oils used in our regular food can harm our liver? Yes, recent research indicates that the excessive and improper use of these oils may result in serious liver diseases. 

Seed oils are oils extracted from plant seeds. These include mustard oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and soybean oil. These contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. While they are necessary in the body, problems occur when the level of omega-6 in the diet is more than that of omega-3.

The liver breaks down fat and controls cholesterol in our bodies. When we eat too much refined seed oil or fried food, fat accumulates in the liver cells, increasing the risk of fatty liver disease.

We often reheat leftover oil in a pan and reuse it, which is extremely harmful. Repeatedly reheating oil at high temperatures creates toxic compounds like aldehydes and oxidized fats.

Since the liver detoxifies the body, these toxic compounds directly impact its function and structure. Street food and fried snacks often use similar reused oil, which can cause liver inflammation and metabolic disorders.

An increased amount of omega-6 in the diet and a lack of omega-3 can increase inflammation in the body, which is linked to problems like obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver.

This doesn’t mean you should completely avoid mustard or peanut oil; rather, using cold-pressed oil in limited quantities may be safe. The real problem is excessive oil consumption, repeated heating, and a diet high in refined carbohydrates. Therefore, to protect your liver, be careful with your oil use, avoid fried foods from outside, and avoid reheated oil.