Vegetable Oil-Based Diet Can Lead to Plaque Build-Up in Brain - Study

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Consuming vegetable oil can be risky as it causes dementia, experts say.

New research shows that the oil is more likely than other fats to cause oxidative stress, damaging brain membranes and build-up plaque in the brain which leads to serious neurodegenerative diseases. But the damaging effects can be reversed by replacing it with butter or similar fats.

In the mid-19th century, the trends grew in favor of vegetable oil because butter and cream contained saturated fats. But the real factor for the popularity of vegetable oil was not heart diseases. Households, food companies, and restaurants turned to vegetable oil because of its low cost and easy availability, says Dr. Cate Shanahan, reports WB News.

While talking to Daily Mail online, she said that vegetable oil is easy to get and cheap in cost. Moreover, it does not have a high smoke point and does not contain strong flavor like olive oil. Vegetable oil comes in a great variety like sunflower, canola, palm oil, safflower, soy etc. but too much consumption of these oils can take a toll on our bodies.

The impacts of vegetable oil on the brain are serious. Fatigue and foggy feelings are a result of vegetable oil consumption. Diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia can be an extreme outcome of a vegetable oil-based diet.

Shanahan further added that the biopsy of the brain revealed built-up plaque there. But the good news is that despite eating vegetable oil since childhood, its bad effects can be reversed by cutting it out of a person's diet. Vegetable oils also have plenty of trans fats, which are highly toxic and linked to an increased risk of various diseases, like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and obesity.

Palm oil, one of the famous vegetable oils, is declared by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to be more carcinogenic than any other oil. World Health Organization also confirms the same. Nutella is based on palm oil for its smooth texture and longer shelf life.

Palm oil is "geotoxic and carcinogenic," says a report released by European Food Safety Authority. Shanahan encourages people to taste the food the way it is. You will feel more energetic and you will improve.

Food packing companies prefer vegetable oils because they have antibacterial benefits which keep the food good for use for longer time. There are other reports too that declare vegetable oils lead to heart diseases.

Dr. Shanahan said avocado, coconut, olive and peanut oil are some good substitutes of vegetable oils especially when they are not refined. High temperature  refining process increases the danger of oils obtained from plants.