Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder and CEO of Paytm, recently sought insights from ChatGPT on the health implications of reheating cooking oil. He revealed that, according to ChatGPT, subjecting oil to heat multiple times, especially beyond its smoke point, can lead to the breakdown of fatty acids and the formation of trans fatty acids.
Sharing a post on X by Chirag Barjatya, a fitness enthusiast, Sharma said, “I asked Chat GPT to give more details of this and here is directly from GPT4: Reheating and reusing ghee or cooking oil can indeed impact its health properties, including potentially increasing the trans fat content.”
“The process of repeatedly heating oil, especially beyond its smoke point, can lead to chemical changes. This includes the breakdown of fatty acids and the formation of trans fatty acids, among other potentially harmful compounds like aldehydes, which are linked to various health issues,” he added.
Sharma further unpacked the mechanics of how trans fats come into being, highlighting that besides industrial processes like hydrogenation, trans fats can also emerge when oils are subjected to high temperatures repeatedly.
“Trans fats are created through industrial hydrogenation but can also form when oils are repeatedly heated to high temperatures. This transformation occurs because the high heat can alter the molecular structure of the fats, converting some of the unsaturated fats into trans fats, which are known to be harmful to heart health, increasing bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and decreasing good cholesterol levels (HDL),” he said.
Furthermore, everytime oil is reheated, its smoking point decreases, and it becomes more prone to oxidative damage, leading to the formation of free radicals and other harmful compounds, Paytm’s founder stated.
He also advised that using oils and fats within their stability limits and avoiding repeated heating can minimize these negative effects. “If reusing oil, it’s advisable to strain it after use to remove food particles that can accelerate degradation and to store it properly until its next use. However, minimizing the reuse of oil and opting for fresher alternatives when possible is the healthier choice,” he concluded.