Nutritional Aspects of Vegetable Oils: Refined or Unrefined?

Nowadays, increase in a health-conscious population, interest in the nutritional properties and bioactive components of foods has also increased. Vegetable oils can be consumed in both virgin and refined forms, but there is a growing interest in the consumption of virgin oils as functional foods. Refining includes the elimination of unwanted components while maintaining essential elements. However, due to severe conditions such as high temperatures and harsh chemicals of the refining process, removal of desirable components and formation of unwanted components are sometimes unavoidable, which can cause serious health issues. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of nutritional and health aspects of refined and unrefined vegetable oils. Their role in causing several diseases and health issues, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, liver disorders, renal disorders, inflammation, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative disorders, allergies, and edema are investigated. Moreover, it is known that virgin oils have beneficial effects on gut microbiota which affect the nervous system and body health, as well as regulating inflammatory and metabolic changes; thus, including virgin oils in the diet is highly suggested. This review is a comprehensive collection of reports on the impact of refining on the nutritional and health effects of vegetable oils.

Automated summary

With the growing interest in nutritional properties and bioactive components of foods, there is an increase in consumption of vegetable oils, both refined and unrefined. However, the refining process can lead to the removal of beneficial components and the formation of harmful ones, which can cause serious health issues. On the other hand, virgin oils have been found to have positive effects on gut microbiota, nervous system, and overall health, making their inclusion in the diet highly recommended.