Soybean Oil Detrimental to Metabolic Health

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

soyabean oilAccording to a study recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers at the University of California suggest that soybean oil leads to more cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes compared to fructose oil.

In the animal study, researchers evaluated four diet compositions that were typical of the American diet. It included 40% fat from coconut oil, 40% fat from a combination of coconut oil and soybean oil, and the aforementioned plus fructose.

Researchers discovered that the combined soybean and coconut oil diet group had significantly higher levels of weight gain, fatty deposits, and fatty livers; this group also had an increased rate of diabetes, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance compared to the group that was exclusively fed coconut oil.

The fructose groups didn’t have diabetes or obesity but this group did have fatty livers and prolapsed rectums, common to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Researchers concluded that a diet high in soybean oil may be more detrimental to your metabolic health compared to a diet high in fructose or coconut oil.

Throughout the years, a lot of research has been dedicated to the causes of the obesity epidemic (with diet being the most relevant).

Saturated fats have been known to be harmful, whereas unsaturated fats are beneficial. About 40 years ago, this led to increased cultivation of soybeans to produce soybean oil. Its usage increased more than 1,000%. Today, soybean oil is commonly found in many processed foods like margarine, salad dressings, and snacks.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 77 million acres of soybean crops were planted in 2009; these crops are expanding at a rapid pace, which will lead to a steady flow of soybean oil to Americans.

Sources for Today’s Article:
Deol, P., et al., “Soybean oil is more obesogenic and biabetogenic than coconut oil and fructose in mouse: potential role for the liver,” PLOS ONE 2015; 10(7): e0132672, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132672.
Olson, S., “Soybeans Make The Unhealthiest Vegetable Oil, Could Lead To Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes: Study,” Medical Daily web site, July 22, 2015; http://www.medicaldaily.com/soybeans-make-unhealthiest-vegetable-oil-could-lead-obesity-and-type-2-diabetes-study-344232.