Avoid Smoking Oil When Cooking, Taiwanese Doctor Advises

Cooking oil exceeding its smoke point can generate harmful substances, including the carcinogen benzopyrene, according to Dr. Chiu Hsiao-chen of Xiyuan Hospital. She emphasizes that understanding the smoke point of different oils and controlling cooking temperature are crucial for health.

Dr. Chiu shared her personal cooking method: stir-frying vegetables with a little water until cooked, then adding oil just before serving. This technique keeps the temperature below the oil's smoke point, significantly reducing smoke and the formation of harmful compounds. "Water is the most important brake in the kitchen," she noted, explaining that its presence keeps the temperature around 100 degrees Celsius, well below the point where oils degrade and produce dangerous byproducts.

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Water is the most important brake in the kitchen! As long as there is water in the pot, the temperature is probably kept below 100 degrees Celsius, which cannot reach the smoke point of the oil or the temperature range where harmful substances are produced in large quantities.

She also provided guidance on selecting and using various oils. Extra virgin olive oil and tea seed oil, rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, are best used after cooking to preserve their nutrients and flavor. Avocado oil, with a high smoke point of around 260 degrees Celsius, is recommended for high-heat stir-frying and searing.

Chiu also cautioned against reusing the same oil at high temperatures and stressed the importance of proper storage for cooking oils. Storing them away from light and heat, with tightly sealed caps, helps prevent degradation and maintains their quality.

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Don't worry about the oil itself, but first grasp the cooking method. How many degrees Celsius are you using to cook the cooking oil?