If you’re looking to improve your health but feel overwhelmed by the mountain of information out there, I’m going to make it simple by revealing ONE THING you can eliminate from your diet TODAY which will make a huge improvement in your overall health, including hormonal, thyroid and cardiovascular. Intrigued? Let’s get into it!
When looking to improve one’s diet, there is so much information online and in books and it can be a little overwhelming to know where to start. Whilst there are many steps you can take to improve your diet and overall health, by eliminating this one food, you will be giving your body a great start. What food am I referring to? It’s a class of foods actually, and they are refined vegetable and seed oils. Vegetable and seed oils are often touted as being healthy alternatives to other fats, but the truth is that they can be highly detrimental to our health. In this blog post, we will explore what vegetable and seed oils are, where they can be found, and why they should be avoided.
What are vegetable and seed oils?
First, let’s define what vegetable and seed oils are. These oils are typically extracted from the seeds of plants, such as corn, soybeans, sunflower, canola, and safflower. They are highly refined and undergo a process called chemical extraction, in which the oil is extracted using harsh chemicals such as hexane. This process strips the oil of its natural nutrients and leaves behind a highly processed, unstable oil. Oftentimes these highly unstable oils go through another process called hydrogenation, in which hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid at room temperature. This process is done to ensure the products have a longer shelflife, but the process of hydrogenation changes the fats into trans fats. These are considered the worst types of fats to eat due to their negative impact on our cholesterol levels and their subsequent role in cardiovascular disease.
Where are these oils and trans fats found?
Unfortunately, they are now quite widely used and you will find them in pretty much any processed food, from packaged snacks, baked goods, donuts, oven fries, popcorn, oven pizzas, crisps, mayonnaise, margarine, non dairy creamers and even foods which are considered health foods such as hummus and plant milks. It is very important to always read the label! They are also commonly used in restaurants and fast food establishments as well as takeaway meals. Unless you’re eating at home or a Michelin star restaurant, you will most likely be guaranteed to be exposed to these vegetable oils in your food.
But vegetable oils come from seeds and vegetables, which are healthy – so what’s the problem?
The problem with vegetable and seed oils from a chemical perspective is that they are highly unstable and prone to oxidation. When oils are oxidized, they produce harmful free radicals that can damage our cells and contribute to chronic inflammation in the body. This inflammation has been linked to a host of health problems, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune disorders.
These oils and trans fats are also high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory in nature. This imbalance can again contribute to chronic inflammation and the health problems mentioned earlier.
Impact on thryoid health
Aside from inflammation, did you know that these oils can also be detrimental to our thyroid and hormone health? Due to their high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, they can interfere with the production and metabolism of thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck. It produces hormones that regulate metabolism, including the metabolism of fats. When the thyroid gland is functioning properly, it produces the right amount of hormones to maintain a healthy metabolism. Thyroid hormones help to regulate very important bodily functions such as our heart rate, digestion, menstrual cycles, nervous system health, body temperature and cholesterol levels. By impairing the conversion of thyroid hormones, as well as causing inflammation, it can lead to a host of problems such as weight gain, fertility and menstrual issues, digestive issues, low energy and skin problems.
Impact on cardiovascular and hormonal health
In addition to the problems mentioned above, vegetable and seed oils can also be harmful to our cardiovascular health. They are high in trans fats, which have been shown to raise bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease., stroke, and other health conditions. These oils can also have an estrogenic effect on the body, causing an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone which has deleterious effects on both male and female health.
So what can we do to avoid these harmful fats?
The best way is to avoid processed foods and cook with whole, unprocessed oils instead. Healthy options include coconut oil for cooking, as well as olive oil for drizzling over foods and making salad dressings. These oils are stable and less likely to oxidize, and they provide a host of health benefits. Organic grass fed butter and ghee are very stable fats for cooking too, if tolerated. If you’re eating a lot of packaged foods, or find yourself eating takeaways or going out to eat frequently, reconsider your eating habits and aim to cook more at home with whole, seasonal, unprocessed foods. Not only will it be better for your health, but it will also most likely be better for your wallet 🙂
If you feel like you need some extra support, I would love to chat to you! Click here to book a free discovery call and let’s chat about how some bespoke diet and lifestyle changes can help your hormones flourish.
Further reading:
Estrogen-like activity in vegetable oils and mill by-products https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13802678/
Ray Peat- Unsaturated fatty acids: Nutritionally essential, or toxic?
https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/unsaturatedfats.shtml
Ray Peat – Natural Estrogens
https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/natural-estrogens.shtml
Thyroid-Modulating Activities of Olive and Its Polyphenols: A Systematic Review
