Slippery Seeds

Remember when you were younger and learning how to bake? Maybe you were like me and would pick out a package of brownie, cookie, or cake mix off the shelf at the grocery store. Or maybe you had a homemade cookie or cake recipe, passed down through generations.

Most of these recipes called for an oil or fat to be used. When I was very young, maybe 5 or so, my mom would pull down the Crisco container from the top shelf in the pantry. I asked what it was as I looked at the thick, white, shiny material. Mom said she did not really know either but advised I did not try any, as it did not taste very good. Curiously, I had to see for myself. So when she turned away I stuck my finger in the spoon we had used and … "yuck! What is that?". Well, when it was first introduced by Procter & Gamble with chemists, Edwin Kayser and John Burchenal, a previously unused waste product called cottonseed oil proved to be the newest animal fat replacement. This new oil and how it was processed was advertised to be healthier than the animal fats that were currently on the market. Soon enough new cookbooks were made and handed out for free to help sell the new product. Even if it contained 50% trans fats.

Soon, Crisco was replaced by vegetable oil. Again I was curious by the taste. And again disappointed. Was this new liquid at room temperature and tasteless product healthier? The term "vegetable" does sound a bit healthier but was that exact thought also spoken about in long marketing calls with the team? Vegetable oils often include a soybean and corn oil combination but many other oils are often included. There is a long process beginning with usually GMO seeds, heating, hydrogenation, bleaching, adding many chemicals, and packaging. These hydrogenated oils are then placed on shelves with a low price tag but high health tag.

Hydrogenated oils are inflammatory to our bodies. These trans fats are a major factor in the leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease. Also increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Chris Gupta has even discussed the poor effect on eye health in relation to macular degeneration.

The FDA announced Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs) were no longer GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) in 2015. Companies had to find a substitute for these oils after June of 2018, however there were a few exceptions. Stores were given until January of 2020 to remove these products. Even with this new regulation, more than 100 years of damage cannot be reversed and the reputation for these oils is still prevalent in many households.

Where are these oils commonly found?

-cookies

-cakes

-muffins

-snacks

-creamers

-margarine sticks

-crackers

-frosting

-frozen pizza

-pie curst

-microwave popcorn

-fried and fast foods

-cereals

-vegetable shortening

What are other names for PHOs?

-Trans Fat (acids)

-Partially Hydrogenated (canola, vegetable, cottonseed, soybean, and palm) oil

Do not worry, vegetable oils are not the only option. There is a large variety of oils including nut oils, citrus oils, seed oils, ect.

I use many of these in cooking and homemade cosmetic products. Coconut oil is one of my favorites because of various uses in cooking and baking or used raw on skincare products or in smoothies. Olive oil is another favorite for cooking and its amazing benefits in skincare.

A few other great options are ghee, avocado oil, or back to ancient roots with tallow.

What is the impact of oils products on the environment:

-Waste: Many vegetable oils are packaged in plastic containers, the lifecycle of plastic often has poor side effects. Many other oils, like olive oil, are packaged in glass bottles or tins. These packaging options are easier to reuse and recycle but can still produce abundant waste.

-Labor: Palm oil harvesting specifically has spiked controversy with forced child labor in Indonesia.

-Land: Many fertilizers and/or pesticides are needed to grow many crops used for cooking oils. GMO seeds are often used, especially for soybeans and canola pants. Furthermore, a large of amount of land is cleared to grow agricultural fields. Clearing land for usage destroys habitats, contaminating waterways with fertilizer runoff, air pollution, soil erosion, and altering ecosystems. Rainforests are often cleared out for palm oil plantations. Deforestation not only effects the inhabitants in the forests but also increases greenhouse gas outputs for everyone else.

-Water: Agriculture is often one of the largest contributors to water usage. As more vegetable oils sell, more crops are needed to fulfill demand, more water is then used on these crops.

Logistics: Did the product go through many countries, factories, trucks, planes, and distribution centers to be delivered? In North America we do not often live right next to the fields these oil products are produced in or next to the factories where they are processed.

What is on my shelf these days? For sure not Crisco, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Coconut, avocado, and olive oil all compete for a spot in my next recipe.

Thank you for reading!

"Destiny is Mine"

*Reminder* I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Please refer to your medical practitioner for details pertaining to your specific health.