Hydrogenated oils-The silent killers
BY DAVID LAWRENCE DEWEY
© OCTOBER 15^TH, 1998 – ALL RIGHT SECURED

On Tuesday, Oct. 20^th, 1998, Oprah Winfrey’s show with Dr. Bab Arnot and other researchers commented about the link between hydrogenated oils and breast cancer.  Studies show there is a 40% increase in breast cancer in women eating hydrogenated oils.  They also presented evidence concerning flaxseed oil and how by adding this to your diet reduces tumors by 50%.

HYDROGENATED OILS AND TRANS FATTY ACIDS ARE SILENT KILLERS

Research studies show conclusively these deadly oils cause non-insulin dependent type II diabetes, or hyperinsulinemia.  This is a disease which can eventually burn out the pancreas and cause insulin dependent diabetes.  These changed molecular oils dramatically increase the risk of coronary heart disease, breast cancer, other types of cancers and auto immune diseases.  Over 100 research studies show how harmful these oils are to the human body.  However, these findings have been largely ignored by the mass media and the FDA.  In addition, the Commercial Edible Food Industry has suppressed these research findings for some time.  Why?  Money and lots of it!  Food processing companies and the companies that own the patents on this process would lose billions of dollars if they had to change their method of food production of hydrogenating oils.  The main reason oils are hydrogenated is that the hydrogenation of the oils acts as a preservative.  This leads to increased shelf life of products and less returns or spoilage of products.  But at what cost is it to the human body?

The human body needs the type of essential fatty acids that Mother Nature has provided.  Hydrogenated oils are molecularly changed oils that are toxic to the body.  Soon after food production companies started using hydrogenated oils, substantial increases in several diseases occurred within a few years.  In particular was a new disease which the medical profession had to name because they did not know what was causing it.  It was not the normal type of diabetes but a new type.  This new type of diabetes was named diabetes type II.  Over the last, fifty years since the introduction of hydrogenated oils, this disease has increased over 1000%.  Over 90% of the foods produced today contain hydrogenated oils.  On my website is a listing of contact information for food production companies, your Congressman and Senators.  I urge all of my readers to write, fax and call these food companies and your elected representatives to stop the usage of hydrogenated oils in food production.

WHAT ARE HYDROGENATED OILS AND WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
WHEN AND WHY WERE THEY INVENTED?

The first patent for hydrogenation process was in 1903 by William Norman.  The first patent for hydrogenated cottonseed oil was in 1911.  This is the same year that Proctor and Gamble came out with Crisco oil.  Crisco was a combination of hydrogenated palm and cottonseed oil, mixed with lard and animal facts.  People then were not purchasing it, so P&G started giving it away, literally.  The patent was purchased by a major food producing company.  In 1937, a new patent was filed by a Dr. Ellis working for a major oil company.  He improved the process by separating certain fats for commercial use.  Since then, additional patents have been filed for different methods of these processes.  These patents from 1976 to present can be found at the U.S. Office of Patents and Trademarks on the Internet.  Prior to 1976, patent searches must be done to find the original patents.

In 1911, Mazola oil, a salad and cooking corn oil was introduced.  In 1914, most of the companies removed any remaining animal fats in the oil they were producing and started using vegetable oils completely.  Until this time, people were at least getting some essential naturally occurring fatty acids because of the animal fats.  After 1914, the population begin getting trans-formed essential fatty acids that became trans-fatty acids in their foods by the introduction of hydrogenated oils.

In 1957, margarines began to out sell butter.

During the process of hydrogenation, hydrogen atoms are moved to what is called the opposite side of the double bond of the molecular structure of the fatty acid in the oil.

This newly formed molecular configuration of the fatty acid, (a changed carbon molecular structure of the fatty acid which the genetics of the body does not recognize) has been named “trans”, meaning “on the other side of.”  Trans-fatty acids alter the normal transport of minerals and other nutrients across cell membranes.  It weakens the protective structure and function of the cell.  Hydrogenation gas is fused into the oils using a metal catalyst, aluminum, cobalt, and nickel.  Without the metals, the hydrogen could not be fused into the oils.  All are toxic metals to the body.  This fusion takes place under pressure at temperatures of 248-410 degrees.  Another word, the oils are changed molecularly.  When you compare this changed essential fatty acid, which has now become a trans-fatty acid, it matches the same, molecular structure of Stearic Acid.  One of the uses of Stearic Acid is in the making of candles.  It makes candles hard.  Could this have the same effect on the human body in the form of hardening of arteries?  In addition, by hydrogenating oils, more volume is produced.  It increases the volume of the oil thus making more available to sell.  Final result, more profit.  However, its’ main purpose is to increase shelf life of products.  It is a preservative, and a deadly one.

During the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, a dramatic increase was seen in the following diseases.  First was a disease that looked like diabetes, but was not caused by a deficiency of insulin.  The medical profession was dumbfounded.  All they knew was that a person produced enough insulin, but it was not effective in reducing sugar in the blood.  They did not know what caused the insulin to be resistant.  The medical establishment named the new disease non-insulin dependent diabetes, type II.  The second and third diseases that increased dramatically were heart disease and cancer.  This is the period also where new diseases which fell into the auto-immune classifications were being seen for the first time and named.  The medical profession also did not know what was causing these new autoimmune diseases.  They placed blame on the faulty genetics of the immune system.  There is a correlation here.  The increase of these new diseases began shortly after the introduction of hydrogenated oils in the food supply.

More alarming is that from 1973 to 1992, an increase from 364.3 various cancers to 530.33 cancers per 100,000 population was seen.  This was a 31% increase, an additional 9% increase from the previous years.

Heart disease is now claiming over 750,000 lives a year.  The fusing of certain metals such as aluminum into the oils could very well be the reason why they are detecting high levels of aluminum in people.  We all know about the link of aluminum to Alzheimer’s and cancer.  We also know what lead poisoning does, especially to children.  Non radioactive cobalt, the kind used as a catalyst in these oils is a component, of vitamin B12.  Some studies suggest that too much of this type of cobalt can cause cell destruction and nerve disorders.  In addition, the fatty acids have been changed molecularly in which the body doesn’t know how to properly metabolize them.  Hypercholesteremia, (high cholesterol or triglycerides) is a early warning sign that you will develop hyperinsulinemia.  This disease produces too much insulin.  The insulin is not effective in reducing sugar in the blood.

At the turn of the century, there were 2.8 per 100,000 population diagnosed cases of diabetes and its associated diseases.  In 1949, this figure jumped to 16.4 per 100,000 population.  This is a 585% increase in 50 years.

ACCORDING TO THE NATION CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

IN 1985, THERE WERE 36,969 DEATHS CAUSED BY DIABETES.

IN 1995, THERE WERE 59,085 DEATHS CAUSED FROM DIABETES.

In TEN YEARS, THIS IS 59.8% INCREASE, OR ROUGHLY 6% PER YEAR.  This increase of deaths caused from diabetes cannot be blamed on genetics.  It can’t be blamed because of people having bad genes.  When you compare the substantial increases in the death rates today as to death rates before the introduction of hydrogenated oils in the food supply, anyone can very easily see the correlation.  Nor does it have to do with newer diagnostic means or treatments of the disease.  Deaths are deaths.

Leading experts in the research of diabetes estimate that today’s figures of diagnosed cases of diabetes are now hitting 20,000 cases per 100,000 population.  In 1949, the criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes was changed because this new disease of insulin resistant diabetes had not yet been named.  However, it is a true diabetes or a disease created by harmful oils!

UPDATE 11-20-2003

New study, October 2002, from Malaysia shows without question that trans fatty acids significantly raises LDL cholesterol and significantly lowers the good HDL cholesterol, thereby increasing risk of coronary heart disease.

UPDATE 6-24-1999

Two additional studies done at Tufts University and Harvard showing that hydrogenated oils/trans fatty acids have shown the Effects of Different Forms of Dietary Hydrogenated Fats on Serum Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Trans Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease.

The New England Journal of Medecine – June 24, 1999 – Vol, 340. No 25 – Effects of Different Forms of Dietary Hydrogenated Fats on Serum Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels – (http://www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/0025/1933.asp)

The New England Journal of Medecine – June 24, 1999 – Vol, 340. No 25 – Trans Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease – (http://www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/0025/1994.asp)

THE RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE TOXICITY OF HYDROGENATED OILS

Dr. Mary G. Enig received her PHD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Maryland in 1984.  She has become one of the leading authorities on the toxic effects on hydrogenated oils on the human body.  She has published over 35 scientific papers.  She and other researchers have presented the negative effects that hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids have on the human body.

The search facility, The Virginia Polytechnic Institute studied the effect of trans fatty acids on bone development.  The study showed very undesirable effects.  Dr. Martin Katan from Holland found that trans fatty acids lowers the lipoprotein (HDL) the good cholesterol and raises the lipoprotein LDL which is the bad cholesterol.  Dr. Walter Willett, Chairman of Nutrition at Harvard Medical, has published a paper on a 14 year study involving 85,000 nurses.  His research study clearly shows that people consuming trans-fatty acids have the highest rate of heart disease.  Other researchers such as Dr. Henry Blackburn, professor at the University of Minnesota, Dr. William Castelli and Director of the Framingham Cardiovascular Institute have found the same findings.

Dr. George Blackburn from Harvard has published papers showing no increase in heart disease in those countries where most of the oil used is either coconut oil or palm oil that has not been hydrogenated.  This counters the claims that have been made for years by many sources, such as the Commercial Edible Food Industry whose research facilities funded the misrepresented counter claims that coconut or palm oils are bad.

UPDATE September, 2004

New study shows virgin, (meaning non-hydrogenated) coconut oil is beneficial in lowering LDL cholesterol, LDL is the bad cholesterol.
Clinical Biochemistry. 2004 Sep;37(9):830-5

Quote from study:

Conclusion: The results demonstrated the potential beneficiary effect of virgin coconut oil in lowering lipid levels in serum and tissues and LDL oxidation by physiological oxidants.

Dr. Mary Enig has shown that when McDonald’s started using hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids rose in their oils from 5% to 42-48% of the content of the oil.  Recently, McDonalds has started using oils that are only partially hydrogenated.  This partially hydrogenating has cut the trans fatty acids in half to between 21-24% of content but to many researches, this is still too toxic to the body.  Most European countries limit trans-fatty acids to 4% in any food, some ban them altogether.

When Dr. Ancel Keys published a paper stating that hydrogenated oils were responsible for heart disease, the response from the threatened edible oil industry claimed that only saturated fats, like butter were the culprits.  The oil industry also contended that they supposedly eliminated the problem by only partially hydrogenating the oils.  This is interesting.  The food industry is saying that regular saturated fats are the culprits, but yet they are changing from fully hydrogenated oils to partially hydrogenated oils.  It is apparent that their own in house scientists have found what other researchers have been saying for years.  This is almost identical to what the in house scientists for the tobacco companies did twenty five years ago, bury the facts.

TOBACCO GIANT PHILLIP MORRIS OWNS KRAFTS FOODS

Did you know that Phillip Morris, the largest tobacco company owns Krafts Foods.  Why have they suppressed their own findings?  Could it open a pandora’s box to lawsuits concerning diseases cause from hydrogenated oils?  Research studies from many researchers have shown that there is no increase in heart disease when normal amounts of regular saturated fat are consumed.  However, research has shown the ill effects of hydrogenated oils, whether they be fully or partially hydrogenated.  Either type of hydrogenated oils are deadly to the body.

Statistics from the National Institute of Health show that people are not dying from heart disease as often as they were three years ago.  This does not mean that less people are developing heart disease.  The reduced numbers in deaths are attributed to newer technology and drug treatment.  The truth is that the statistics for diagnosed cases of heart disease has increased dramatically over the last 30 years according to Dr. Udo Erasmus, PH.D, a consultant to the fats and oils business.  According to Dr. Erasmus, 15% of the population in 1900 died from heart disease.  Today it is 44%.  In 1900, 3% died from cancer.  Today, it is 23%.  This cannot all be attributed to gene defects.  Heart disease has become a multi-billion dollar business.  It benefits researchers funded by the NIH and heart speciality corporations treating heart disease and most handsomely, drug companies.  No wonder no one wants to admit what the real research is showing Dr. Edward Siguel, M.D. Ph.D. an award winning researcher, also found a definite correlation between hydrogenated trans-fatty acids and heart disease.  Furthermore, his study found that people with the lowest trans-fatty acids had the lowest heart disease.

The latest findings from Harvard researchers published in November, 1997, state, “it’s not the level of or amount of fat intake that increases heart attacks and heart disease, but the type of fats consumed, especially trans fatty acids.”  During the last twenty years, a substantial increase in the number of children and young adults having high cholesterol and triglyceride levels has been seen.  Research shows that trans-fatty acids produced from hydrogenating oils, elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels two-fold.  The largest group of people developing heart disease is the 21-29 year old group.  A dramatic increase of non-insulin diabetic disease has been seen in all age groups over the last 50 years.  Mothers, pay special attention, even Attention Deficit Disorder, (ADD) is being linked to these deadly oils.

LORENZO’S OIL

Does anyone remember the reports about Lorenzo’s Oil a few years ago?

This was about a young child that had essential fatty acids metabolism problems.  Lorenzo has an auto-immune disease called adrenaleukodystrophy, (ALD).  The disease causes loss of myelin sheathing, the fatty covering on nerve fibers in the brain.  The problem is caused by a defective gene that prevents the production of a protein that breaks down very long chain fatty acids, usually, lignoceric acid, hexacosanoic and nervonic very long chain fatty acids are the culprits.  Approximately 15,000 children in the U.S. suffer from this disease, about 200,000 worldwide.  These high levels of certain very long chain fatty acids are made from Omega-6 essential oils in the body.  This disease is usually fatal.  Keep in mind a healthy body needs all of these very long chain fatty acids for a myriad of reasons.  Again, children with ALD are missing a protein that keeps all of the fatty acids at proper ratio levels with one another.  But also keep in mind ethat too much of certain essential fatty acids, especially adulterated hydrogenated Omega-6 oils can cause high levels of certain very long chain fatty acids which then cases the disease state.

Thanks to Lorenzo’s parents’ exhaustive medical research in the role of fatty acids, they had a research manufacture Lorenzo’s oil to treat the child.  Lorenzo’s oil is made up of oleic acid and erucic acid.  Erucic acid can cause serious health problems.  In addition, the erucic acid that was used in Lorenzo’s oil made by the researcher over many months was refined to a point to remove most of the toxicity of two (2) counter enzymes that made erucic toxic and was only 1% of the mixture.  Erucic acid is toxic to the body at 4%.  The human liver cannot metabolize anything over 4%.

This is not the case in canola oil.  It can contain up to 2% of erucic acid.  Stop and think about that a minute.  Erucic acid is toxic at 4%, canola oil can contain up to 2%.  In addition, there is the problem with the genetically altered seeds let lose by Monsanto that were not genetically altered problem.  These seeds contain more erucic acid.  In Lorenzo’s case, his body was deficient in erucic to normalize/balance the other essential fatty acids.  This was caused by a gene defect that normal healthy people do not have.

So in Lorenzo’s case, you have to keep this in mind as not to think I am double speaking later when I talk about the ill health effects of erucic acid primarily found in canola oil.  Lorenzo’s oil was finally proven to normalize the build up of the very long chain fatty acids causing the disease.  However a very important finding was later discovered.  Research showed that it cases gross deficiency of Omega 3 and lowers the platelet count.  It is crucial that medical testing of red cell membrane fatty acids be performed so that application of the correct therapy is given to children with ALD.  Omega 3 essential fatty acids in their normal state are the building blocks of a healthy immune system that interacts with other organs such as the pancreas, liver and kidneys for good health.

HOG FARMERS WON’T FEED THEIR HOGS HYDROGENATED OILED FOODS

Dr. Russell Jaffe, MD, a noted medical researcher stumbled across the fact that hog farmers wouldn’t feed trans fatty acids foods, or hydrogenated oiled foods to their pigs.  The reason is because hogs die from eating foods containing these oils.  When Dr. Jaffe contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning this, they admitted they had known about it but that it was not in their jurisdiction.  When he contacted the Federal Drug Administration, they simply said they didn’t have the time to investigate it.  Isn’t the FDA is suppose to be protecting consumers from toxic foods?

Dr. Jaffe also published a report finding that cottonseed oil contains fatty acids similar to those present in rape seed.  Rape seed oil was taken off the market.  It caused severe illness and in some instances deaths because of its’ toxic fatty acids to humans, dogs and pigs.  There are some fatty acids in some plants that are very toxic to the human body.  Dr. Jaffe found that when cottonseed oil is hydrogenated, not only does it change the molecular structure of this already toxic fatty acid, but it doubles the toxicity to the human body.  Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil is used by many food chains in frying French fries and other fried goods.  Most bakery goods contain them.

HOW DO TRANS FATTY ACIDS CAUSE NON-INSULIN DIABETES?

The body makes protein from normal amino acids.  Normal meaning amino acids which the body is genetically used to.  Properly structured protein is needed for insulin to be effective in reducing sugar in the blood.  Protein is also derived from fats. By consuming abnormally changed molecular essential fatty acids, abnormal proteins are produced by the body.  The abnormal proteins cannot properly synthesize the insulin in its metabolic state.  The insulin eventually becomes ineffective in reducing sugar in the blood stream.  Hyperinsuliemia is the end result.  The body then starts producing more and more insulin to control sugar while at the same time becoming more ineffective in controlling blood sugar.  This has been directly linked concerning prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are made from essential fatty acids.  However, there are two kinds.  Good prostaglandins and bad ones.  The bad ones cause cell inflammation which causes several diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer, coronary heart disease and degenerative arthritis.  The good prostaglandins reduce cell inflammation.  Research by researchers at the Division of Science, Northeast Missouri State University has shown that the central mechanism for pancreatic insulin production is mediated by prostaglandins.  It is not an autonomic response as once thought.  Autonomic means that which a normal body responds to or makes.  These findings have been confirmed by other research studies in Germany, the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston and by about half a dozen other researchers.  Included in some of this research are in-depth studies of the roles of properly naturally occurring structured essential fatty acids and how they interrelate in making not only the correct amount of insulin, but most importantly its’ effectiveness in the bloodstream in reducing blood sugar and the productions of good prostaglandins.

Dr. Holman and his colleagues at the Hormel Institute at the University of Minnesota have shown that trans-fatty acids disrupt cellular function.  They affect many enzymes such as the delta-6 desaturase and consequently interfere with the necessary conversion of both the Omega-6 and the Omega-3 essential fatty acids to their elongated forms.  They consequently escalate the adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiency.

Dr. Lenore Kohlmeler in Finland completed a study on 700 women, (300 of them had breast cancer).  The study included the analysis of the tissue fat cells of the women.  Dr. Kohlmeler issued this statement, “women who have higher stores of trans fatty acids have a 1.4 times, (approximately 55%) higher risk of developing breast cancer.”  Additional works by several researchers have also shown that trans fatty acids produced in the hydrogenation of oils process are the culprits.  They destroy the good prostaglandins and increase the bad prostaglandins.  This is why in the 1940’s when non-insulin type II diabetes began to appear, the medical community was dumbfounded to what was causing it.

THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN PUBLIC INTEREST

Recently, the center analyzed 41 supermarket and restaurant foods purchased in seven cities across the country.  The results were published in the September issue of the CSPPS Nutrition Action Health letter.  These are the findings:

FRENCH FRIES: The hidden trans fatty acids in McDonalds, Hardees and Arby’s fries doubles the damage caused by their regular saturated regular fat counterparts.  The fries at Burger King and Wendy’s are even worse.

FISH: Red Lobster’s Admiral’s Feast Dinner contains a two day supply of artery clogging trans fatty acids.

CHICKEN: Kentucky Fried Chicken has a full day’s worth of trans fatty acids.

BAKED GOODS: Dunkin Donuts Old Fashioned Cake Donuts contains trans fatty acids that more than doubles the damage its’ regular saturated fat counterpart.  Eating just one is like eating 8 strips of bacon as pertaining to the amount of damage it is doing to the arteries because of the trans fatty acids.  Who eats 8 strips of bacon at one sitting?  Campbell’s Soups are loaded with hydrogenated oils, read the label on the cans.  Most crackers and especially cookies are also.

HOW TO GET HYDROGENATED OILS OFF THE MARKET

The best way is the strategy that Ralph Nader has used several times.  Boycott the company or the product.  It is the best way to get the attention of the primary source.  The primary sources are the food production companies, better yet, your local grocery store.  Confront your local grocery store manager.

Interestingly, in 1998, the American Heart Association finally, (after several years of ignoring the research date) issued a statement regarding this issue.  The AHA stated in this statement, “In clinical studies, trans fatty acids or hydrogenated fats tend to raise total blood cholesterol levels.  Fatty acids also tend to raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol when used instead of fatty acids or natural oils.  These changes may increase the risk of heart disease.  Use naturally occurring, un-hydrogenated oil when possible.  Look for processed foods made with un-hydrogenated oil rather than hydrogenated or saturated fat.”

UPDATE 9-6-99
HEALTH ALERT

The new margarine spreads, Benecol^tm and Take Control^tm contain partially hydrogenated oils and mono diglycerides.  You may want to re-consider using these products despite their claims of reducing cholesterol.  Mono-diglycerides are nothing more than hydrogenated oils.

UPDATE ON CANOLA OIL

There is much controversy over canola oil.  There have been widely circulated emails on the Internet that have distorted the facts about canola oil.  This is not to dismiss other facts that canola oil may not be as healthy an oil as it has been claimed to be.  Canola oil first began with Rapeseeds that were hybrinized to breed out toxic erucic acid which is known to be toxic to animals and humans.  The primary use of erucic acid is a precursor to another chemical, erucamide.

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