This month we are looking at Vegetable Oils –
Many people perceive vegetable oils as healthy. Maybe it’s because they have the word “vegetable” in them… vegetables are good for you, right? So vegetable oil must be too…
Mainstream nutrition organisations recommend that we use vegetable oils, because according to them, unsaturated fats are much healthier than saturated fats. However, many studies have now demonstrated that these oils can cause serious harm. The composition of the fatty acids in them is different than anything we were ever exposed to throughout evolution. This is leading to physiological changes within our bodies and contributing to multiple diseases.
Oils like soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil and a few others are often referred to as Vegetable Oil even though they aren’t really vegetables. So like sugar there are several names for the same ingredient
The Process
Humans have been evolving for a very long time, but industrial food processing is brand new. We didn’t start producing vegetable oils until about a hundred years ago. This processing method is really disgusting and involves pressing and heating using various industrial chemicals and highly toxic solvents. This is very similar to the production of Margarine that I published in Newsletter Edition 60!! It worries me that anyone would think this stuff is fit for human consumption.
Before we talk about the process by which vegetable oils are made, let’s first look at one of my favorite traditional fats: Butter. Butter is a simple process that comes when cream separates from milk. This is a natural process that only takes a little patience. Once the cream and milk have separated, all you need to do is skim off the cream and shake it until it becomes butter. (And it really is as easy as it sounds, I made butter as a kid lots of times it takes about 5 minutes)
Now let’s compare that to the production of a type of vegetable oil. Here’s an overly simplified version of the process:
Step 1: Find some rapeseed… most likely genetically modified and heavily treated with pesticides.
Step 2: Heat the rapeseeds at unnaturally high temperatures so that they oxidize and are rancid.
Step 3: Process with a petroleum solvent to extract the oils.
Step 4: Heat some more and add some acid to remove any nasty wax solids that formed during the first processing.
Step 5: Treat the oil with more chemicals to improve the color.
Step 6: Deodorize the oil to mask the horrific smell from the chemical processing.
Of course, none of these chemicals are required to be put on the label as they are not ingredients but just part of the manufacturing process. Now if you want to take your vegetable oils one step further, just hydrogenated it until it becomes a solid. Now you have margarine and all its trans-fatty wonder!
It really isn’t natural and our bodies are not able to process these chemicals in our bodies.
Omega 6 v Omega 3
There are two types of fatty acids that are termed “essential” – because the body can’t produce them. These are the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. It is absolutely essential for the human body to get these fatty acids from the diet, but it must get them in a certain balance.
While humans were evolving, our Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio may have been around 4:1 to 1:2. Today, our ratio is as high as 16:1 on average, with great variation between individuals.
These fatty acids aren’t just inert structural molecules or fuel for our cell’s, they serve vital functions related to processes known to affect various systems like the immune system.
When the balance of Omega-6s and Omega-3s in the cell is off, things can start to go terribly wrong.
There’s a lot of hype about Omega-3’s and how healthy they are. But what often gets neglected is the fact that it’s more about the ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats that are critical to good health. Unbalanced levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats have been linked to many types of cancers and a host of other problems. People keeping buying into labels on vegetables oils that say “a good source of Omega-3s” without realising that they are really just making the imbalance even worse as Vegetable oils contain a very high concentration of Omega 6 fatty acids. In the body Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are used to make substances called eicosanoids. These are modified fatty acids that sit in the cell membranes. There, they play a crucial role in bodily functions like cellular messaging, immunity and inflammation. If you’ve ever taken aspirin or ibuprofen and noticed relief from headache or some kind of pain, then that’s because these drugs inhibit the eicosanoid pathways and reduce inflammation. Whereas acute inflammation is good and helps your body heal from damage (such as when you step on a lego), having chronic, systemic inflammation all over your body is very bad. Generally speaking, eicosanoids made from Omega-6s are pro-inflammatory, while those made from Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory. These different fatty acids compete with each other. The more Omega-6 you have, the more Omega-3 you need. Having high Omega-6 AND low Omega-3 is a recipe for disaster, but this is the case for people eating a Western diet. Put simply, a diet that is high in Omega-6 but low in Omega-3 contributes to inflammation. It is now believed that increased inflammation can contribute to various serious diseases, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression and even cancer.
Polyunsaturated Fat
Vegetable oils are bad because they contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). But did you know that the fat content of the human body is about 97% saturated and monounsaturated fat? Our body needs fat for rebuilding cells and hormone production. And it can only use what we give it. Polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable. They oxidize easily. These oxidized fats cause inflammation and mutation in cells. That oxidation is linked to all sorts of issues from cancer, heart disease, endrometriosis, etc. PUFAs are bad news.
Trans fats are unsaturated fats that are modified to be solid at room temperature. These fats are highly toxic and are associated with an increased risk of various diseases, like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. They are so bad that even the governments around the world have started taking action, setting laws that command food manufacturers to reduce the trans fat content of their foods. However, a little known fact is that vegetable oils often contain massive amounts of trans fats. In one study that looked at soybean and canola oils found on store shelves about 0.56% to 4.2% of the fatty acids in them were toxic trans fats. If you want to reduce your exposure to trans fats (and you should) then it’s not enough to avoid common trans fat sources like cookies and processed baked goods, you also need to avoid vegetable oils.
Beyond the unnatural levels of polyunsaturated fats and Omega-6 fatty acids, there are all the additives, pesticides, and chemicals involved in processing. Many vegetable oils contain BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene). These artificial antioxidants keep the food from spoiling too quickly, but they have also been shown to produce potential cancer compounds in the body. And they have been linked to things like immune system issues, infertility, behavioral problems, and liver and kidney damage.
Oh yeah, and many vegetable oils come from genetically modified sources.
In a nutshell, these oils are extremely unhealthy. They’ve been linked to reproductive problems, low birth rate, hormonal issues, obesity, mental decline, liver problems, and the big problems of our day: cancer and heart disease.
So what is safe to use?
In a world that seems overrun with these highly unnatural and toxic fats, it can seem overwhelming when looking for better solutions. And if you try to keep up on the latest “scientific” findings you may be even more confused. Luckily, you don’t have to be a nutritionist to know the best fats to use. Look to your ancestors. Look to what food was before the chemical and industrial age came in.
To help you, here are some guidelines when it comes to fats and oil.
Good When it comes to any food, keep in mind that where it comes from and how you store it can matter greatly. Traditional oils should be cold-pressed. Organic when possible (especially when dealing with animal fats as the fat is where toxins/pesticides are stored). Do the best you can, and don’t get overwhelmed by all the choices.
- Coconut Oil (Use expeller-pressed to avoid a coconut flavor)
- Tallow
- Lard
- Butter
- Palm Oil (Although, please find from a sustainable source as so much palm oil today is being harvested in horrific ways. When in doubt just stick with coconut oil.)
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (Great for non-heat dishes like salad dressings, humus, mayo, etc. Can be used in cooking at lower temperatures or when combined with another saturated fat like butter or coconut oil.)
- Avocado Oil (Great for non-heat dishes)
- Other fats (not necessarily for cooking, but essential to good health) include meats, eggs, dairy, and fish (nuts are also good in moderation as they have a high level of polyunsaturated fats).
Oils to be used sparingly
The following oils are okay in moderation. Most contain high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids, so they shouldn’t be consumed freely. But they are considered natural fats, and do have health benefits. They are not great for high heat cooking, but acceptable in dressings, mayos, and other non-heat foods.
- Walnut Oil
- Flaxseed Oil
- Macadamia Nut Oil
Oils to avoid completely
Here’s the big list I avoid as much as possible:
- Canola Oil
- Corn Oil
- Soybean Oil
- “Vegetable” oil
- Peanut Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Cottonseed Oil
- Grapeseed Oil
- Margarine
- Shortening
- Any fake butter substitutes
Just as an aside, the next time you eat Fish and Chips or grab a takeaway, just have a think about what your food may have been cooked in!!!! Plus keep in mind that most processed foods contain these oils, too. Salad dressing, condiments, crackers, chips… check your ingredients. It’s hard to avoid rancid vegetable oils completely if you are eating out, and I personally try not to stress about the occasional night at a restaurant. By keeping these bad boys out of my house, I feel okay consuming these oils when out with family or friends. But if I find a restaurant that uses quality fats, you better believe they’ll be getting my business!
