PEANUT OIL

Peanut Oil contains 48% oleic acid, 18% saturated fat and 34% omega-6 linoleic acid. Like olive oil, peanut oil is relatively stable and, therefore, appropriate for stir-frys on occasion. But the high percentage of omega-6 presents a potential danger, so use of peanut oil should be strictly limited.

Peanuts are particularly susceptible to contamination during growth and storage. Poor storage of peanuts can lead to an infection by the mold fungus Aspergillus flavus, releasing the toxic substance aflatoxin. The aflatoxin producing molds exist throughout the peanut growing areas and may produce aflatoxin in peanuts when conditions are favorable to fungal growth.

SOY OIL

The next problem is that soy crops are heavily doused with pesticides. Therefore, if buying soy products, make sure they are always organic. In addition, most soy beans are now Genetically-Modified-Organisms and the genetically engineered soy beans have less of the good and more of the bad parts of soy. The bad part of soy? Read on...

There is quite a debate about whether soy is good for us or even bad for us. The problem is that isoflavones mimic estrogen. There are conflicting reports about it decreasing or increasing the risk of breast cancer, for example. There are reports about lower prostate cancer in men and at the same time reports about it increasing the risk of Alzheimer's. If choosing soy, choose it in moderation because the verdict is still out on the benefits or possible disadvantages of soy, especially in the amounts we are eating it in the U.S. There are clear warnings that isoflavones, a flavanoid found in soy, should never top 25 milligrams (the FDA's maximum safe amount) in any one day. This is easy to reach with a big glass of soy milk, soy yogurt, and since soy IS in almost everything processed we eat and in many supplements.

The fact is that we just don't know how soy, especially in the quantities we are consuming, affects our bodies. And each of us is unique: our genetics, our health background, our current health status; soy affects each differently. As John Robbins states, "We are eating soy products today at levels never before seen in history." We are walking experiments with all the soy (just like we are with HFCS and GMO).

CANOLA OIL

Canola Oil contains 5% saturated fat, 57% oleic acid, 23% omega-6 and 10%-15% omega-3. The newest oil on the market, canola oil was developed from the rape seed, a member of the mustard family. Rape seed is unsuited to human consumption because it contains a very-long-chain fatty acid called erucic acid, which under some circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. Canola oil was bred to contain little if any erucic acid and has drawn the attention of nutritionists because of its high oleic acid content. But there are some indications that canola oil presents dangers of its own. It has a high sulphur content and goes rancid easily. Baked goods made with canola oil develop mold very quickly. During the deodorizing process, the omega-3 fatty acids of processed canola oil are transformed into trans fatty acids, similar to those in margarine and possibly more dangerous. A recent study indicates that "heart healthy" canola oil actually creates a deficiency of vitamin E, a vitamin required for a healthy cardiovascular system. Other studies indicate that even low-erucic-acid canola oil causes heart lesions, particularly when the diet is low in saturated fat.