Rice bran oil is a vegetable oil, and as such, it comes with a lot of the same issues all the other vegetable oils come with. It’s composed mostly of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, with a relatively small percentage of saturated fats. This is a problem because saturated fats are the most stable form of fat, while polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are the least stable.
Paleo and PUFAs
PUFAs are much more likely to oxidize when exposed to heat and light, which is dangerous because consuming oxidized fats tends to lead to oxidized cholesterol in our blood. It’s the oxidized cholesterol that is likely to latch onto the insides of our arteries, causing inflammation and plaque build-up.
Antioxidants to the Rescue!
The good news is that rice bran oil also contains antioxidants like vitamin E, which can protect the fats from oxidizing, but only up to a point. Expose those PUFAs to heat and light for too long and you’ve got problems. You’re much better off with healthy fats like coconut oil or olive oil.
Large Scale Operations
Mark Sisson discussed the pros and cons of using rice bran oil for frying in a restaurant.
