BravoFilipino | Health Benefits of Refined Soybean Oil | Soybeans are a popular source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Significantly, it’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Many health enthusiasts are becoming interested in the benefits of soybean oil. Because of its high nutritional value, it is popular among health-conscious individuals.
Can it, however, be a healthy substitute for other oils? Can it be consumed regularly? What makes this vegetable oil nutritious? This article will provide you with the answers to your questions. Continue reading for more information.
What is Soybean Oil?
By heating cracked beans with various solvents, soybeans (Glycine max) are converted into soybean oil, an edible vegetable oil. To make the crude oil edible, it is further combined and refined.
The following part lists several benefits of incorporating soyabean oil into your diet.
1. Protects and Nourishes Your Skin
Linoleic acid, isoflavones, antioxidants, and vitamins in crude soybean oil protect and nourish your skin.
Besides, applying soybean oil to your skin can protect it from UVB rays and free radical-induced inflammation, minimize transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and promote skin barrier regeneration.
Significantly, black soybean oil contains antioxidants such as isoflavones and anthocyanins, which help to reduce skin aging in postmenopausal women. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens with estrogen-like action in humans.
Using such plant oils helps keep your skin soft, moist, and free of wrinkles, pigmentation, and fine lines by preventing collagen and elastin loss.
2. Rich in Heart-Healthy Fats
Soybean oil is primarily composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are heart-healthy types of fat with numerous benefits.
According to research, switching to polyunsaturated fats from saturated fats may reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
Research shows that replacing 5% of total daily calories from saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat resulted in a 10% decreased risk of heart disease. Hence, swapping saturated fats for polyunsaturated fats may lower LDL (harmful) cholesterol levels, which is a crucial risk factor for heart disease.
3. Vital for Bone Health
Women are endowed with a hidden weapon known as estrogen, which protects them against the most severe diseases.
The regulation of bone metabolism is one of estrogen’s crucial functions, and its absence has been related to bone loss and an elevated incidence of osteopenia.
The phytosterols called isoflavones, which are plant-derived polyphenols and estrogen substitutes, scavenge free radicals and bind to estrogen receptors on your bones. This encourages healthy bone remodeling and shields you from bone diseases like osteoporosis and osteopenia.
4. Contains Omega Fatty Acids
Each serving of soybean oil contains significant omega-3 fatty acids, linked to various health benefits, including prenatal development, improved heart health, cognitive function, and immunity.
Increasing your omega-3 fatty acid intake can also help reduce inflammation, which contributes to the emergence of chronic diseases.
Alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in soybean oil, is not effectively converted to the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. The study found that only 0.1-7.9% of ALA is converted to EPA and 0.1-3.8% to DHA.
As a result, DHA and EPA, two crucial fats needed for cellular function, are not consistently present in soybean oil.
Even though soybean oil does contain some omega-3 fatty acids, its omega-6 fatty acid content is far higher. While both are required, most people consume far too many omega-6 fatty acids and fewer omega-3 fatty acids. This can aggravate inflammation and lead to chronic disease.
As a result, it’s recommended to combine soybean oil with other meals high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts.
5. Versatile and Easy to Use
Soybean oil has a moderate, neutral flavor that works well in almost any recipe that asks for cooking oil. It’s tasty when combined with vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper to make a quick salad dressing.
Considering soybean has a high smoke point, it can be used in place of other cooking oils when using high-heat cooking techniques, including sautéing, frying, roasting, and baking.
In addition to cooking, you can use soybean oil as a natural moisturizer for your hair and skin.
Furthermore, certain people use it as a carrier oil to dilute essential oils before applying them to the skin.
6. Helps You Gain Weight the Right Way
Even though 80% of individuals worldwide wish to lose weight, many undernourished people have been told to put on weight.
Soybean oil is a healthier alternative to butter or refined cooking oil as it contains more polyunsaturated fatty acids than saturated fats, vegetable starch, and polyphenols.
The oil can be used for baking, ordinary cooking, and salad dressing. To gain weight gradually and healthily without harming your heart, liver, or metabolism, balance it out in your diet with plenty of fiber.
Bottomline
Soybean oil is a standard cooking oil linked to several health advantages. It can promote skin health, prevent bone loss, provide essential omega-3 fatty acids, and reduce cholesterol levels. Moreover, because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor, it is simple to add to several meals as part of a healthy diet. However, remember that soybean oil is heavy in omega-6 fats, which can harm your health if consumed in large quantities. As a result, it’s advised not to rely solely on soybean oil as a fat supply. Instead, incorporate a range of healthy fats in your diet for the correct balance, such as fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, and coconut.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
