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soybean oil hiding ingredients vegetable PUFA fat paleo diet canola

Soybean oil in hiding

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If you read the ingredients labels, you’ll have noticed soybean oil is hiding everywhere. Sometimes, you might even see it in a “partially hydrogenated” form, or listed as “may contain canola oil and/ or soybean oil” – as if it’s of no importance what you’re actually consuming. I’ve written before about the problem with soy, but soybean oil is another level.

Soybean oil is high in linoleic acid, as the fatty acid break-down of soybean oil is highly skewed towards PUFA’s (poly-unsaturated fatty acids) – not a healthy ratio and unstable at high heats. On top of this it is commonly genetically modified and highly processed. In other words to be avoided.

soybean oil hiding ingredients vegetable PUFA fat paleo diet canola

The problem is soybean oil is everywhere – and for some reason I’ve noticed it in far more foods in Australia that I did living in the UK. For example, the exact same product, Heinz Salad Cream contains Soybean oil in Australia – and not in the UK version:

Australian Heinz Salad Cream Ingredients:

Soya Bean Oil [Protected with Antioxidant (319)], White Vinegar, Sugar, Egg Yolk, Salt, Mustard, Food Acid (270), Stabiliser (412), Colours (171, 101), Herb Extract.

UK Heinz Salad Cream Ingredients:

Spirit Vinegar, Rapeseed Oil (25%), Water, Sugar, Mustard, Pasteurised Egg Yolks (3%), Modified Cornflour, Salt, Stabilisers – Guar Gum and Xanthan Gum, Colour – Riboflavin.

OK so neither have good ingredients, but it’s interesting how they are so different between the two countries. So different that they’re a completely different product. My salad cream tip? Avoid Heinz and make your own easy paleo mayonnaise.

Where else is Soybean oil hiding?

I’ve also seen it in:

  • Vinaigrette’s/ salad dressings
  • Mayonnaise
  • Sauces
  • Hummus
  • Crackers

Some brands such as Paul Newman’s seem to use Soybean oil across almost all of their products.

So the moral of the story is – check the ingredients carefully – and if you can’t find a good version – make your own!

Coconut-Oil-Spray-Whats-The-Point-paleo-diet

Coconut Oil Spray – What’s The Point?

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Initially I was really impressed when I saw Coconut Oil Spray for the first time in Coles, my local grocery store.

But on reflection, Coconut Oil spray seems to be a bit of an oxymoron, don’t you think?

Why Spray Cans?

Spray cans of cooking oil became popular to enable the low-fat brigade to cook in as little oil as possible. The spray tin enables you to coat the bottom of the pan, using far less oil than you’d use if you poured it in. But we've moved on from low-fat, haven’t we? Chances are, given that you’re reading this blog, you’re careful to incorporate decent amounts of fat in your diet. Coconut oil is probably the most popular cooking oil amongst those who follow a Paleo diet. Most of my Paleo friends will use generous amounts of coconut oil in their cooking – and then pour the oil from the pan onto their plate when they've finished. You can’t so this with a spray can of coconut oil!

Added Ingredients?

The ingredients also include butane and propane which are obviously required to enable to spray mechanism to work – but I wonder if this has any impact on the oil – and whether there is any residue in the oil when it makes it onto your plate? Another reason I’d prefer to spoon my pure coconut oil straight into the pan, and not take the chance that any of the propellants come into contact with my food. The cans are also highly flammable, another plus for the humble jar of coconut oil!

Coconut-Oil-Spray-Whats-The-Point-paleo-diet

Who Buys It?

I find it odd that this particular store only stocks the spray and not the oil in normal jar form (my other local supermarket, Woolworths, stocks jars of coconut oil, but not the spray, which is far more useful). Given the choice, I'm sure almost everyone would opt for a jar of coconut oil, rather than the spray?

I can’t really see who the coconut oil spray is aimed at. Compared to the nasty seed oil sprays, it’s far higher in fat (this is a good thing); surely the conventional wisdom junkies would steer clear? And of course those of us in the know about coconut oil would find the small delivery of coconut oil frustrating? So who is it for? Answers in the comments, if you can offer some suggestions…

I can see that the can is convenient – but a jar of coconut oil and a spoon is hardly inconvenient?

Would you use Coconut Oil in spray form? I’d also be interested to read your comments (below) as to whether coconut spray is widely available where you live too?

Margarine or Butter paleo diet primal health nutrition-min

Margarine or Butter? Seriously?

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I couldn't help myself.  I read through October's Issue of “Good Health” magazine today.  Our ideas on what constitutes good health couldn't be much further apart.

I thought conventional wisdom was starting to come round to realising that natural, animal fat maybe isn't so bad after all.  Clearly not.

So, let's compare the ingredients: –

Butter

  • Cream

Margarine (this example is Flora)

  • Water
  • vegetable oils (including sunflower oil) (so other vegetable oils are also in the mix, with a high omega 6 ratio)
  • plant sterol esters (12.5%) (this is an additive that reduces cholesterol, but interferes with absorption of fat soluble vitamins & hormones)
  • modified tapioca starch, salt (1.0%) (this is a chemically altered thickener)
  • buttermilk
  • Emulsifiers: Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids, sunflower lecithin
  • Preservative: Potassium sorbate, citric acid, vitamin E, flavouring (often synthetic chemicals), vitamin B6, folic acid
  • Colour: Beta carotene, Vitamins A, D and B12

So, this article specifically mentions trans fats.  Well, as Julianne Taylor clearly explains, “trans fat free” margarine doesn't sound too great either.  And as for the trans fat in butter – natural trans fats are created in the stomachs of ruminants (like cows) – and have a completely different fatty acid profile to trans fats found in artificial foods.  A lot of evidence suggests that these natural trans fats may actually be beneficial.

Margarine or Butter paleo diet primal health nutrition-min

Margarine, seriously?