A new study has revealed that excess use of soybean oil can lead to an unhealthy gut. Overuse of soybean oil has also been related to diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, melancholy, and autism, according to University of California studies.
The oil may also cause ulcerative colitis, a kind of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) marked by persistent inflammation of the large intestine, according to recent studies.
During the study, the scientists examined the gut of mice that were consistently fed a diet high in soybean oil for up to 24 weeks in the lab. The team found that the good bacteria has decreased and harmful bacteria (specifically, adherent invasive Escherichia coli) increased which can lead to colitis.
Reportedly, Soybean oil is the most commonly used edible oil in the United States. Moreover, it is increasingly being used in other countries, particularly Brazil, China, and India. It is noteworthy that Soybean is a good source of protein, is easy and cheap to grow.
“Our work challenges the decades-old thinking that many chronic diseases stem from the consumption of excess saturated fats from animal products, and that, conversely, unsaturated fats from plants are necessarily more healthful,” said Poonamjot Deol, an assistant professional researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and the co-author of the study.
The findings of the study were published in an open access Journal, Gut Microbes recently. According to the researchers, linoleic acid present in Soybean oil is the main cause of concern.
For the heart to be healthy, the American Heart Association suggests that 5 to 10 percent of daily calories come from omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such linoleic acid.
Additionally, the scientists insisted that olive oil is healthier to eat because it contains less linoleic acid.
Source:FE