Most Harmful Ingredient: Soybean Oil (Part 2 of 2)

Health Dangers of Soybeans Besides the health hazards related to the trans-fats createdd by the partial hydrogenation process, soybean oil is, in and of itself, NOT a healthy oil. Add to that the fact that the majority of soy grown in the US is genetically engineered, which may have additional health consequences. When taken together, partially hydrogenated GE soybean oil becomes one of the absolute worst types of oils you can consume. Years ago, tropical oils, such as palm and coconut oil, were commonly used in American food production. However, these are obviously not grown in the US, (not including Hawaii) our climate isn’t tropical enough. Spurred on by financial incentives, the industry devised a plan to shift the market from tropical oils to something more “home grown.” As a result, a movement was produced to demonize and vilify tropical oils in order to replace them with domestically grown oils such as corn and soy. Soybean oil is primarily omega-6 fat and though we do need some, it is rare for anyone to be deficient now-a-days as it is pervasive in our diet. North American diet generally consumes way TOO much omega-6 in relation to omega-3 fat, from the consumption of the omega-6 in processed foods. Omega-6 fats are even consumed by nearly every animal food and many plants, so deficiencies are very rare. Soybean oil is omega-6 fat that is highly processed and therefore damaged, which compounds the problem of getting so much of it in your diet. The omega-6 found in soybean oil promotes chronic inflammation in

your body, which is an underlying issue for virtually all chronic diseases. What About Organic Soybean Oil? Even if you were fortunate enough to find organic soybean oil, there are still several significant concerns that make it far from attractive from a health standpoint.p Soy y in and of itself, organically grown or not, contains a number of problematic components that canca wreak havoc with your health, such as: •G •Goitrogens are found in all unfermented so soy whether it’s organic or not, are subst stances that block the synthesis of thyroid ho hormones and interfere with iodine metabolis lism, thereby interfering with your thyroid fu function. (Which could lead to infertility) •I •Isoflavones: genistein and daidzein – Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound resembling human estrogen, which is why some recommend using soy therapeutically to treat symptoms of menopause. I believe the evidence is highly controversial and doubt it works. Typically, most of us are exposed to too much estrogen compounds and have a lower testosterone level than ideal, so it really is important to limit exposure to feminizing phytoestrogens. Even more importantly, there’s evidence it may disturb endocrine function, cause infertility, and promote breast cancer, which is definitely a significant concern. •Phytic acid -- Phytates (phytic acid) bind to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc -- all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates. The soybean has one of the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume, and the phytates in soy are highly resistant to normal phytate-reducing techniques such as long, slow cooking. Only a long period of fermentation will significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans. •Natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients” -Soy also contains other anti-nutritional factors such as saponins, soyatoxin, protease inhibitors, and oxalates. Some of these factors interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. While a small amount of antinutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating is extremely high. •Hemagglutinin is a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together. These clumped cells are unable to p properlyp y absorb and distribute oxy-y gen to your tissues. Worst of All — Genetically Engineered Soybean Oil cause infertility? The genetically engineered (GE) variety planted on over 90 percent of US soy acres is Roundup Ready — engineered to survive being doused with otherwise lethal amounts of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. The logic behind Roundup Ready crops such as soy is that you can decrease the cost of production by killing off everything except the actual soy plant. However, animal studies reveal there may be significant adverse health effects from these GE soybeans, including progressively increased rates of infertility with each passing generation. By the third generation, virtually all the hamsters in one feeding study

were found to be infertile. Second-generation hamsters raised on GE soy also had a five-fold higher infant mortality rate. Another Hazard of GMO Soybeans: Glyphosate The stack of health risks keeps growing, and here’s another one: Research has shown that soybean oil from Roundup Ready soy is loaded with glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup — the broad-spectrum herbicide made by Monsanto. What is alarming glyphosate is easily one of the world’s most overlooked poisons. Research published in 2010 showed this chemical, which works by inhibiting an enzyme called EPSP synthase that is necessary for plants to grow, causes birth defects in frogs and chicken embryos at far lower levels than used in agricultural and garden applications.6 The malformations primarily affected the: Skull, Face, Midline and developing brain and Spinal cord When applied to crops, glyphosate becomes systemic throughout the plant, so it cannot be washed off. And once you eat this crop, the glyphosate ends up inside your gut where it can alter your digestion and enter your blood stream. Separate research has also uncovered the following effects from glyphosate: Endocrine disruption, DNA Damage, Developmental Toxicity, Reproductive Toxicity, Cancer and Neurotoxicity Avoid All Harmful Fats by Eliminating Processed Foods If you want to avoid dangerous fats of all kinds, your best bet is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. •Use organic butter (preferably made from raw milk) instead of margarines and vegetable oil spreads. Butter is a healthy whole food that has received an unwarranted bad rap. •Use coconut oil for cooking. It is far superior to any other cooking oil and is loaded with health benefits. •Be sure to eat raw fats, such as those from avocados, raw dairy products, olive oil, olives, organic pastured eggs, and raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts which are relatively low in protein. Avoid ready-made processed food as much as possible though it’s convenient, it’s really a waste of money and contains very little nutrition. Instead make time to prepare natural whole food meals and avoid processed junk food. Remember, virtually all processed foods will contain either HFCS (probably made from genetically engineered corn) and/or soybean oil — either in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is likely made from GE soybeans, loaded with glyphosate. They’re ALL bad news, if you value your health. Let’s collectively boycott products that contain dangerous ingredients, even if they are made overseas this will force the hand of certain industries to change their manufacturing practices in order to save market share or otherwise risk losing a lot of money. Please share these articles with people you know and let’s spread the word and bring awareness to the corporate lies and manipulation that are impacting the health of so many people today including yours and your family’s health.