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Health Benefits of Corn Oil: Get to Know Why You Need it

health benefits corn oil

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Health benefits of corn oil shouldn’t be forgotten. When we are talking of healthy cooking oils we usually mean olive oil, first of all. However, corn oil is one of healthy oils. There are health benefits of corn oil that give it a place in our diet.While olive oil is ideal for salad dressing, corn oil may give you more benefits in case you want to fry on it.  The main conditions for the corn oil to be healthy are to use it in moderation and to consume the variety of oils.

High smoke point

Corn oil is a wonderful alternative to olive oil if used in frying or grilling. Corn oil has a high smoke point so it won’t break down when you heat it to cook chicken or fish. The smoke points are different in oils and corn oil with it smoke point of 450ºF is considered suitable for high-heat cooking. If you apply this oil for frying you have no need to be afraid of free radicals that can be formed and damage your body cells causing cancer.

 

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Healthy fat

Corn oil is a good source of polyunsaturated fat. This type of fat is considered heart-healthy and is highly recommended for consumption instead of saturated fats by the American Heart Association. Corn oil has a low amount of saturated fat, only 13% according to Wikipedia. Olive oil, for example, contains 14% and canola oil has 7%. Corn oil is a good alternative to butter or margarine as they are much higher in harmful saturated and trans fats. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fatty acids lessens the risk of cardiovascular disease, a heart stroke and heart attack.  So the main health benefits of corn oil’s fatty acids in comparison with saturated fats are:

  • healthy heart as we mentioned above;
  • healthy skin. Omega-6 linoleic acid present in corn oil is vitally necessary for the skin. It supports the integrity of the skin cell membranes. The consumption of corn oil helps moisturize and nourish the skin from inside.
  • lower bad cholesterol level. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can help prevent the rise in cholesterol level. Moreover, corn oil is a source of phytosterols according to the study carried out in the Washington University. Phytosterols are considered effective in lessening the cholesterol absorption.
  • resistance to diseases. Linoleic acid promotes icosanoids production in our body. They take part in the immune system functioning, so corn oil supports our immunity power.

 

Vitamin E

Corn oil is rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E is vital for our health as it is an antioxidant and protects our cells from damage. It also contributes to our skin and hair and slows down the process of aging. One tablespoon of corn oil supplies us with 10% of daily needed vitamin E as nutritiondata notes.

 

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Low price

Corn oil is inexpensive in comparison to olive oil, almond oil or walnut oil. When we use inexpensive oil we don’t have a temptation to reuse the oil. Remember that reusing oils increases the possibilities of free radicals formation.