Finally, in the 1860s, a way was devised with which to extract usable oil from the cotton seeds. This had a huge impact on the cotton industry. Since that time, cotton seed oil has become a much used and popular commodity all around the world. The United States, Asian countries, African countries and more all benefit from the production, import, export, and consumption of cotton seed oil.
Unfortunately, cotton seed oil has gotten a bad reputation in current years. Due to misconceptions and untruths, many people believe cotton seed oil to be extremely unhealthy. One of these misconceptions is loosely based on outdated information, as so many believable misconceptions are. A huge issue with natural cotton seed oil is that it contains a compound called gossypol. Gossypol is a very unpleasant compound which is also present in pesticides and can cause health issues. This compound is easily removed from cotton seed oil, and once the Gossypol is removed, the cotton seed oil is just as healthy as any other vegetable oil.
Cotton seed oil that is produced specifically for cooking is free of cholesterol, as most vegetable oils are, and also is free of trans fatty acids. The lack of trans fatty acids is due to the fact that cotton seed oil is a very natural and stable oil, so the hydrogenation process is not required most of the time. Cotton seed oil also contains a large amount of antioxidants, which can assist in the prevention of some cancers as well as heart disease and diabetes. There are many health benefits to using the appropriate cotton seed oil for cooking. Another benefit to cooking with cotton seed oil is that it is an almost flavorless oil, which helps it to bring out the taste of the food you are cooking instead of altering it as some more overpowering oils do.
Yet another piece of misinformation regarding cotton seed oil is that it comes from third world countries where regulations from the agencies governing food production are not as strict or enforced. This is a simple misconception. The United States of America is the number one exporter of cotton seed oil, with Brazil coming in a close second. The amount of cotton seed oil that may be exported from unstable countries is practically negligible. Both the United States of America and Brazil are both heavily governed when it comes to exporting any and all food products. Cotton Seed oil is a safe alternative to many fatty, cholesterol building oils, and it is a pleasure to cook with.
