15 REASONS TO AVOID VEGETABLE OILS

Because of some of the comments and e-mail I receive about a no-added fat vegan diet, I decided to list and document, in no particular order, 15 reasons to avoid vegetable oils and go very low fat vegan.  I hope they are useful and I dedicate this List to Dr. Esselstyn who, two years ago in an interview with him, changed my life forever. The post is very long so I've just provided the List here and below you can read the expanded version with links, cites, etc.

1. THEY ARE NOT FOOD
2. PREMATURE AGING
3. CLOTTING FACTORS
4. ALTZHEIMER'S DISEASE
5. PLAQUE FORMATION RUSSIAN ROULETTE
6. BLOOD VESSEL ELASTICITY/PRESSURE
7. HEART ATTACK PROOF YOURSELF
8. THE MEDITERRANEAN STUDY MYTH
9. DIABETES
10. IMPOTENCY
11. BREAST CANCER
12. COLON & PROSTATE CANCER
13. OBESITY
14. CRAVINGS FOR FAT
15. DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL

[Full expanded and cited list below; here's a PDF: Download 15_Reasons_To_Avoid_Oil.pdf (44.8K)]

15 REASONS TO AVOID VEGETABLE OILS

1. THEY ARE NOT FOOD:
 "...Chemically speaking, free oils are chains of carbon found in a purified state.  Extraction processes have removed all of the other ingredients of the whole food.  Thus, free oils are no longer intermixed with the naturally-designed and balanced environment of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and ten thousand other chemicals found originally in the plants.  Free-oils are not food..."

...and don't forget the 100+ pure fat calories PER tablespoon.

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

2. PREMATURE AGING:
"In a study released today by The Lancet Oncology, Dean Ornish, M.D., and colleagues found that comprehensive lifestyle changes, including a low-fat vegan diet, increase the body's ability to fight premature aging, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases... Among other beneficial effects that were previously reported, the intervention led to increased levels of telomerase, an enzyme that protects and repairs DNA. Blood levels of telomerase increased by an average of 29 percent during the study..."

PCRM PRESS RELEASE:
http://www.pcrm.org/news/archive080916.html

STUDY CITED:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470204508702341/abstract?isEOP=true

3. CLOTTING FACTORS:
"...One of the most important clotting factors predicting the risk of a heart attack is an elevated factor VII.  All five fats tested-rapeseed oil (canola), olive oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, and butter-showed similar increases in triglycerides and clotting factor VII..."

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

STUDY CITED:
Larsen LF, Bladbjerg EM, Jespersen J, Marckmann P. Effects of dietary fat quality and quantity on postprandial activation of blood coagulation factor VII. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997 Nov;17(11):2904-9.

4. ALTZHEIMER'S DISEASE:
"... A review published in the Nov 2008 issue of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care suggests... that by restricting your intake of calories, a practice known as caloric restriction, you may not have to contract Alzheimer's disease in the first place.  The review led by Gillette-Guyonnet S and Vellas B. from aGérontopôle Toulouse, France bInserm, U558, Toulouse, France says caloric restriction does not just extend lifespan, but may benefit brain functioning as well.

SOURCE:
http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/G_eneral_H_ealth_34/101506092008_Want_to_prevent_Alzheimer_s_disease_Eat_less.shtml

5. PLAQUE FORMATION RUSSIAN ROULETTE:
"...Every forkful of fat, he [Esselstyn] says, causes an immediate biochemical assault on the endothelium, the lining of the arteries. White blood cells collect there, gobbling up bad cholesterol and creating fatty deposits over time. For many people, especially those who smoke or have other risk factors, accumulation of plaque is a time bomb for a coronary event..."

INTERVIEW SOURCE:
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2008/06/exsurgeon_caldwell_esselstyn_e.html

SHORT VIDEO ON PLAQUE FORMATION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNeWCvLZaFM

6. BLOOD VESSEL ELASTICITY/PRESSURE:
"... Back in 2000 Vogel ...wanted to see how olive oil, salmon (fish oil) and canola oil actually affect the  blood vessels.  Using the brachial artery tourniquet test he had 10 healthy volunteers with normal cholesterol ingest 50 grams of fat, in the form of olive oil & bread, canola oil & bread, and salmon.  Measuring their arterial blood flow before & after each meal Vogel could tell whether or not a meal was causing damage to the endothelial lining of the brachial artery, based on how the blood was flowing through the artery after the meal was eaten.  The results really surprised him.  The olive oil constricted blood flow by a whopping 31% after the meal; the canola oil constricted it by 10%; and the salmon reduced it by only 2%.  Why should we care?  Because when the arteries constrict, the endothelium (the vessel's lining) is injured,  triggering plaque build-up, or atherosclerosis..."

SOURCE:
http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2008/07/im-going-to-miss-my-olive-oil---who-knew-it-wasnt-so-healthy-after-all-drs-esselstyn-ornish-vogel-rudel-did.html

STUDY:
Vogel RA. Corretti MC. Plotnick GD. The postprandial effect of components of the Mediterranean diet on endothelial function. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 36(5):1455-60, 2000 Nov 1.

ALSO:
"High-Fat Fast-Food Meals Cause the Heart to Beat Harder and Blood Pressure to Rise:  A new study from the Journal of Nutrition finds that a single fatty meal can cause the heart to beat harder and blood pressure to rise..."

STUDY:
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/137/4/935

7. HEART ATTACK PROOF YOURSELF:
"Every day, nearly 2,600 Americans die of some type of cardiovascular disease, an average of one death every 34 seconds, and 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack during their lifetimes." --- (American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2005 Update. Dallas, Texas: American Heart Association; 2005)

20 years of peer-reviewed research by Drs. Ornish and Esselstyn, independently shows that a very low no-added fat vegan diet can reverse and prevent heart disease.  Modern science has
NOT accomplished this feat by any surgery, drug, or mechanism.

THE ORNISH "LIFE CHOICE" DIET:
http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Dean_Ornish_Diet

DR. ESSELSTYN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.heartattackproof.com

8. THE MEDITERRANEAN STUDY MYTH:
"After four years on the Mediterranean Diet, 25 percent of the people either died or had another major cardiac event. To me, that has absolutely nothing to do with the arrest and reversal of heart disease; that is simply slowing the rate of progression. We want to use nutrition that can arrest and reverse disease, not slow the rate of progression... When you think about it, what does olive oil have in it? A tiny bit of vitamin E, no minerals, no other vitamins, and no fiber. All you are getting is 100 percent fat, 14 percent of which is artery-clogging."

FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ESSELSTYN:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_97/ai_n21193775/pg_5

9. DIABETES:
"Eating a low-fat vegan diet may be better at managing type 2 diabetes than traditional diets, according to a new study... Researchers found 43% of people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 22 weeks reduced their need to take medications to manage their disease compared with 26% of those who followed the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA)... Forty-nine of the participants followed a low-fat vegan diet consisting of about 10% of daily calories from fat, 15% protein, and 75% carbohydrates..."

FROM:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20060726/low-fat-vegan-diet-may-treat-diabetes

10. IMPOTENCY:
"... when you control your risk of a heart attack, you also control your risk of stroke, impotence, kidney failure and even wrinkles. A major cause of all of these is arterial aging, and while arterial aging is typical, it is neither normal nor necessary."

FROM:
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/magazine/article/509629

11. BREAST CANCER:
"... The researchers found that doubling fat intake, from 20 percent to 40 percent, was associated with a 15 percent increase in breast cancer risk. The increase in risk was similar for all types of fat-saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated..."

FROM:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070321161542.htm

12. COLON & PROSTATE CANCER:
"Most importantly, population studies tell us that, worldwide, the lower the total fat intake, the less the risk of common cancers, such as breast, colon and prostate."

FROM:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm

STUDIES CITED:
21) Carroll KK. Experimental evidence of dietary factors and hormone-dependent cancers. Cancer Res. 1975 Nov;35(11 Pt. 2):3374-83.

22) Rao GN. Influence of diet on tumors of hormonal tissues. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1996;394:41-56.

23) Weisburger JH. Worldwide prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases based on knowledge of mechanisms. Mutat Res. 1998 Jun 18;402(1-2):331-7.

13. OBESITY:
LOW-FAT VEGAN DIET MAY SPUR WEIGHT LOSS: (09/23/05):
"A diet free of animal products and low in fat may help trim the waistline without the task of strict calorie watching, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of 64 postmenopausal, overweight women, those assigned to follow a low-fat vegan diet for 14 weeks lost an average of 13 pounds, compared with a weight loss of about 8 pounds among women who followed a standard low-cholesterol diet. The weight loss came despite the fact that the women were given no limits on their portion sizes or daily calories -- and despite the fact that the vegan diet boosted their carbohydrate intake.

[Dr. Neal] Barnard and his colleagues at George Washington and Georgetown universities report the findings in the American Journal of Medicine. Despite the restrictions of going vegan, Barnard maintained that it's easy to take on the lifestyle. "Just eat fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains," he said. "Everything you're eating is good for you." It is wise, he noted, to take a multivitamin, particularly to get enough vitamin B12, which is found naturally only in animal products."

SOURCE: American Journal of Medicine, September 2005.

Note:  the write-up above is no longer on the web, but you can read about the study, including abstract, at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TDC-4H3H3D5-D&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2005&_rdoc=12&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235195%232005%23998819990%23606135%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5195&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=37&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=206b5ede2e92106c530fa68ba0b213b2

14. CRAVINGS FOR FAT:
MC: "... What happens to the cravings for fat?"
Esselstyn:  "Within about 8 to 12 weeks you've down-regulated the fat receptors and it's no longer an issue."

[You can read the full interview (with embedded links) and downloadable copies of the Interview to Print and/or Distribute at:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_MCIview05.000.html

15. DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL:
Author of "The China Study" (history's largest study on diet and health):

"S.J.: What kind of treats do you use when you are feeling like a treat?

T.C.C.:  Oh, a treat.  I had some of my wife's cookies for one thing.  She makes cookies now with no fat and just a very minimal amount of sugar and she puts in fruits, dried fruits and things like that and grains.

S.J.: Ground nuts.

T.C.C.: Yes.

S.J.:  So that takes the place of oil, for example, using the whole food nut.

T.C.C.: Exactly, I just find that I am adapted to that taste now and that to me is a great treat. Just to get her to make some of those cookies."

INTERVIEW (AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTS, THIS IS FROM PAGE 114) AT:
http://climatehealth.net/Interviews.html

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[2009: by Mark Sutton -- please include my blog address if distributed: http://www.soulveggie.com - Thanks!]

Comments

[tokyovegan]

I really appreciate all your effort to compile this listing. As many of my readers I refer are from Japan, I'd like to translate it to Japanese, with your permission.
Will

[Thanks for the feedback. Feel free to use with appropriate attribution to here. Best regards, Mark]

[Kate]

I am interested in this. I do see the benefits of reducing/eliminating saturated and trans-fats, but what about the accepted benefits of small amounts of "good" fats (poly- and mono-unsaturated)? Small amounts can even be necessary in regulating cholesterol, nerve transmission, etc.

I see that you admire the study done where the two doctors reversed heart disease and diabetes. But that was a study on people who already had the diseases. If a healthy person has small amounts of "good" fats, I don't believe that means they will definitely get heart disease.

I agree that it should be greatly reduced, and think I will even cut back my use. But what I'm saying is, there is an established body of knowledge that some "good" fats are necessary, so what if eliminating ALL fats causes other potential problems in the long term? (I'm an everything in moderation type of person, as you can see :) )

[Esselstyn, Ornish, McDougall, and Barnard, all believe you can get enough essential fats by eating real food. Added oil doesn't qualify. McDougall and Esselstyn have explicitedly indicated that moderation "kills."

Oil is a highly processed food-like substance, but it isn't real or natural food, per se. Measurements have shown that even ONE high fat meal affects the elasticity of your cardiovascular system for several hours, so the issue of "one tablespoon won't hurt" I liken to the "last snowflake that causes the avalanche."

You just don't know when it's too much, and as you get older, imho, the risk is higher.

Thanks for your thoughtful note! Mark]

[Kate]

I'm curious - I do see the benefits of greatly reducing fat in the diet, but what do you cook with, if not something like crisco/vegetable oil? Do you use olive oil/canola oil?

[The only time I use oil is lightly greasing the ridges of my electric grill. Other than that, I see no reason to use added oil at all. Sure, you can't fry stuff to crisp (but you can broil and bake). Various liquids work well for sauteeing, and oil isn't essential when making dough for bread or pizza.

Admittedly, it's an adjustment, but quite doable. There are various salad dressings that can be made without oil (Bryanna Clark Grogan uses cornstarch and water to thicken such).

When one realizes that oil is not a food, not a real food, and goes for several weeks without it, you no longer crave the fat (as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn puts it, "you re-calibrate your taste receptors").

Been doing this for over three years now, it works.

Thanks for your question! Best regards, Mark]

[sacredly breathing]

Is olive oil bad for you?

[There are many who believe that added oils are not good for your cardiovascular system and contribute to a host of potential health issues (see the "15 Reasons to Avoid Vegetable Oils" post listed also on my "Favorite Posts" sidebar, for more information on this).

Also, oil is not a whole food. Best regards, Mark]

[SusanV]

Thanks so much for pulling this research together. It's handy to have all the facts in one place. From now on, I'll be referring people who ask me questions to this list.

[Thanks for the feedback, Susan... I got tired of answering a lot of questions too (a recent one demanding that added oil doesn't promote aging and that she looks younger than she is... yadda).

I thought it might be useful for those of who believe the research (and imho, the facts) that have this available. For me, it was a surprise too, to see it all in one place and documented. Hard to argue against, although some will anyway.

Although I don't like citing the same article/study source more than once in this kind of compilation (McDougall), I don't have time to "fix that" at present. Hope to in the future...

And, for those who haven't seen Susan's blog, check it out. Outstanding (and incredibly useful with other links, too):

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

Best regards, Mark]

[Marina Martin]

To add to #9 (diabetes), I'm a type-one diabetic and have consistently found that my insulin needs drop when I follow a low-fat (under 20g/day) vegan diet versus a higher-fat one. It was explained to me that fat can "plug" your cells, making it harder for insulin to reach them, and therefore increasing insulin resistance.

What really hits home for me is how fast I notice this change -- within 48 hours my blood sugar is so much lower that I need to reduce my insulin pump basal levels or risk severe hypoglycemia (passing out).

If there are any other type ones out there, give a low-fat diet a shot - just for a week - and see if you see a difference. (But keep lots of juice on hand!)