While trying to lose weight, you may make a variety of adjustments to your diet. For example, maybe you’re making an effort to cut out fattening processed foods and work more healthy vegetables into your meals. However, there may be one aspect of your diet that you may not have considered: the oils you cook with. As it turns out, even the healthiest of foods could be made unhealthy when cooked in the wrong type of oil. Unfortunately, many options are loaded with unhealthy fats that could lead to weight gain, inflammation, and visceral fat over time.
To discover some of the worst oils out there that may be holding you back from your weight loss goals, we spoke to fitness nutrition specialist David Sautter. He told us that vegetable oils like soybean oil and corn oil should be avoided as much as possible. Learn more about the risks of these ingredients—and find some healthy alternatives—below.
1. Soybean oil
In addition to being used in the kitchen for baking and frying, soybean oil (which, unsurprisingly, is derived from soybeans) is also prominent in packaged baked goods, snacks, and condiments you may find at the grocery store. According to Sautter, it can take a serious toll on your health and even lead to visceral fat over time due to its high fat content.
"Typically found in processed foods and often partially hydrogenated, soybean oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can contribute to inflammation when consumed in excessive amounts," he warns. This inflammation can also lead to a slowed metabolism, which will also throw a wrench in your weight loss goals.
Instead of reaching for this oil, Sautter recommends you "choose oils with a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, such as flaxseed oil or fish oil." Got it!
2. Corn oil
Corn oil is another major culprit of weight gain to look out for. This oil has a high smoke point, so it's most frequently used for frying. Like soybean oil, though, you'll also find it as an ingredient in many processed foods, from chips to baked goods to salad dressing (luckily, there are a few healthy salad dressing options out there).
Unfortunately, this oil presents many of the same health issues as soybean oil. "Corn oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids and can lead to an imbalanced ratio with omega-3 fatty acids, increasing inflammation," Sautter reiterates.
As a replacement, he recommends opting for "oils rich in monounsaturated fats, like extra virgin olive oil." Not only does using olive oil lower your risk of accumulating visceral fat, but it also offers a number of health benefits to keep your body in tip-top shape.
The bottom line
Ultimately, many factors can contribute to weight gain. If you want to maintain a healthy body weight or shed some pounds, it's important to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet consisting of whole foods. However, cutting out particularly harmful foods like vegetable oils is also important. Choosing healthier alternatives like olive oil or avocado oil can support overall health and reduce the risks associated with visceral fat. Your body will thank you!
