--- title: Vegetable Oil Is Not What You Think description: Vegetable oil is not as healthy as once thought, but let’s break down what vegetable oil actually is, the different kinds, and how it can be harmful. image: https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/hubfs/Blog%20Header%20Image%20(14).png --- ![Wake Up and Read the Labels](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/hubfs/wakeLogo.svg) - [About](https://jensmiley.com/about/) - [Speaking](https://jensmiley.com/speaking/) - [Podcast](https://podcast.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/) - [Clean Eating Academy](https://wakeupandreadthelabels.com/) - [Contact Wake Up!](https://jensmiley.com/contact/) ![Wake Up and Read the Labels](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/hubfs/wakeLogo.svg) - [About](https://jensmiley.com/about/) - [Speaking](https://jensmiley.com/speaking/) - [Podcast](https://podcast.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/) - [Clean Eating Academy](https://wakeupandreadthelabels.com/) - [Contact Wake Up!](https://jensmiley.com/contact/) [Vegetable Oil](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/tag/vegetable-oil) # Vegetable Oil Is Not What You Think December 18, 2022 **Written By:** [Wake Up and Read the Labels](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/author/wake-up-and-read-the-labels) Doctors [once believed](https://time.com/4291505/when-vegetable-oil-isnt-as-healthy-as-you-think/) that ditching the butter and switching to vegetable oils was a healthier alternative that would help decrease one’s chances of developing certain health issues. It turns out, the data that they were using [may not have been analyzed correctly](https://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i1246), and vegetable oils could actually heighten the risk of some diseases such as heart disease. Rather than decreasing the risk, it actually *increased*. Clearly, vegetable oil is not as healthy as once thought, but let’s break down what vegetable oil actually is, the different kinds of vegetable oils, and how vegetable oils can be harmful.  ### What Is Vegetable Oil? There are over 1,000 vegetable species [known](https://alliancebioversityciat.org/stories/more-thousand-vegetables-many-them-forgotten#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20by%20Bioversity,growth%20forms%2C%20are%20cultivated%20worldwide.), so what is vegetable oil exactly? The name itself sounds fairly broad.  [Vegetable oil](https://thecookful.com/vegetable-oil-made-from/) is an overarching term used to describe any oil that is made from plants. It’s a catch-all term that encompasses many different kinds of seed and plant oils. Using that definition, there are several different kinds of vegetable oils. Let’s list out some common ones you’re used to seeing: - Canola Oil - Soybean Oil - Corn Oil - Cottonseed Oil - Sunflower Oil - Rapeseed Oil - Peanut Oil - Sesame Oil - Olive Oil - Coconut Oil A lot of these you may already know aren’t great for you, but then you’ll also see olive oil and coconut oil on the list. Those are supposed to be good, right? What’s the difference? ### What Is In Vegetable Oil On The Shelf? Next time you’re at the grocery store, flip over the bottle of vegetable oil and look at the ingredients. Chances are, you’ll see “Soybean Oil” listed as the main ingredient.  Why wouldn’t they just call it soybean oil instead? Well, people are more likely to buy vegetable oil as opposed to soybean oil, so it could very well be [marketing related](https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/exactly-what-vegetables-go-vegetable-oil), and any plant oil can be called vegetable oil, so brands are able to get away with it. [The Daily Meal](https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/exactly-what-vegetables-go-vegetable-oil) even mentions that vegetable oil is an odorless and flavorless oil, and by naming it something as specific as soybean oil, consumers may assume that the oil will also contain the flavor soybeans. ### What Does Vegetable Oil Do In Your Body? The vegetable oils that you buy on the shelf are typically high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats rather than omega-3’s.  We [need a good balance](https://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sick/) between omega-3’s and omega-6’s. However, over time we have been consuming way more omega-6’s than omega-3’s, and that imbalance is causing a [slew of issues](https://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sick/) like: - Heart Disease - Diabetes - Obesity - Arthritis - Cancer - Asthma - Chronic Inflammation The list continues, and health continues to decline more and more as these inflammatory oils are consumed.  Coconut oil and olive oil have [lower levels](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/optimize-omega-6-omega-3-ratio#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5) of omega-6’s, and soybean, cottonseed, corn, and sunflower oils all have higher levels of omega-6’s.  Instead of choosing vegetable or canola oil, next time switch to either olive or avocado oil. The smoke point is similar, and these are a Wake Up and Read the Labels APPROVED clean swap. If you’re ***serious*** about making the change and **feeling amazing** *without* giving up the foods you love... 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No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians. #### Share On Social [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/vegetable-oil-is-not-what-you-think%20&body=Check%20out%20https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/vegetable-oil-is-not-what-you-think](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/vegetable-oil-is-not-what-you-think%20&body=Check%20out%20https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/vegetable-oil-is-not-what-you-think) ### Subscribe to Our Newsletter ## Keep Reading [Food Additives](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/tag/food-additives) January 16, 2023 ### 3 Reasons To Choose Grass Fed Butter In the south, there’s a saying that people love to use, “Butter makes everything better.” It adds a richness in flavor that is hard to beat! Butter was once made to be something that was evil and extremely... [Read More](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/3-reasons-to-choose-grass-fed-butter) [Seasonal Favorites](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/tag/seasonal-favorites) December 24, 2022 ### Wake UP’s Clean Peppermint Bark Recipe Peppermint desserts are a go-to favorite during the holidays. One of the simplest recipes to satisfy that peppermint craving is peppermint bark. Mix some semi sweet chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint, and... [Read More](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/wake-ups-clean-peppermint-bark-recipe) [Seasonal Favorites](https://news.wakeupandreadthelabels.com/tag/seasonal-favorites) December 03, 2022 ### Wake UP’s Clean Caramel Apple Spice The holiday season is already upon us, which inevitably means we’re craving all of those yummy specialty drinks. You know the ones. They usually consist of some blend of cinnamon, cloves, all spice, star anise... 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