Many people think any food product or label slapped with organic is healthy for the body, but not so for soy and canola oil (among many many other oils and additives. . . the big 4 being corn, cottonseed, canola, and soybean oil). Below is an overview on exactly why.
Most of all processed foods have either hydrogenated this or that oil, high fructose corn syrup and or soybean oil that is derived from newer varieties of soy (even if it is organic). These are all unnatural, man made products that, on a cellular level, create a very volatile inner body condition that leads to obesity, heart disease, fertility and reproductive problems.
Part of the problem with partially hydrogenated soybean oil is the type of fat--transfat it contains. The other part relates to the health hazards of soy itself. And an added hazard factor is the fact that the majority of corn, cottonseed, canola and soybeans are genetically engineered (GMO). Newer versions do not have to go through hydrogenation process. They come up from the ground just as dangerous.
Goitrogens, found in all unfermented soy whether organic or not, are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, which interfere with thyroid function. Perhaps this is why thyroid disorders have sky rocketed in the past decade?
Soybean oil also contains phytates (phytic acid) which bind to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. The soybean has one of the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume.
Soybean also contains natural toxins known as "anti-nutrients. "Soy 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.
The majority, (over 90%) of soy produced in the U.S. is genetically modified and the crops are sprayed with the herbicide Roundup, which may be associated with adverse effects on health.
Read labels. Scrutinize them and choose food products and items that are free from soybean oil--even if it is labeled "natural" and "organic".
Canola oil is another sneaky bad-for-you product found in processed foods. It has been heat processed to a point which has destroyed most of its beneficial properties, and then deodorized in order to make it taste and smell fresh and clean.
Canola oil goes through the process of bleaching, degumming, deodorizing, and caustic refining, at very high temperatures. This process can alter the omega-3 content in the oil, and in certain conditions bring the transfat level as high as 40 percent.
The FDA has taken a stance to protect babies from the unknown risks of Canola oil. The FDA prohibits Canola oil from being used in infant formula but does not state why.
Interestingly, canola is a made-up word which stands for “Canadian oil low acid”, and is (not surprisingly) a genetically modified product.
In the 1970′s, food manufacturers came up with a method to genetically modify the rapeseed plant by seed splitting. This process produced a canola oil with less erucic acid, and higher amounts of oleic acid, which lead to additional concerns with canola oil, like:
✦ Blood Platelet Abnormalities
✦ Retards Normal Growth (Illegal in infant formulas)
✦ Free Radical Damage
✦ Higher Cancer Risks Due To The Hydrogenation Process
Again, read labels and avoid canola oil.
Sources: Dr.Mercola.com, authoritynutrition.com, foodrenegade.com, draxe.com, naturalnews.com.
