Soybean Oil
While you may not have soybean oil on hand in your kitchen pantry, it is a popular ingredient often used in premade food products, such as salad dressings, baked treats, and deep-fried foods. If you look at the packaging of some of your favorite snacks, such as chips, popcorn, and crackers, there's a good chance you'll see soybean oil listed as one of the ingredients.
Soybean oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it popular for frying foods and achieving the right texture in other products. However, according to our two experts, soybean oil is highly processed, and studies have shown that it can be bad for your brain health.
Dr. Pamela Tambini, a physician & medical director at Engage Wellness, wrote that "studies have raised some red flags about soybean oil."
"In mouse models, high consumption was associated with changes in brain gene expression related to Alzheimer's disease and anxiety," she continued. "While we need more human data, this is enough to make many of us take a second look at what's in our pans."
Dr. Courtney Scott, the medical director at Momentous Recovery Group, also spoke about the composition of soybean oil and its potential harm to the brain. He noted that this particular type of oil "is mainly used due to its heavily processed state, but it is chemically fraught with omega-6 fatty acids."
He also added that soybean oil can "hinder brain function." Although you'll likely be fine if you consume food products with soybean oil in them in moderation, it's not a bad idea to check your pantry and ensure you're not using too many items containing the oil on a daily basis.
Canola Oil
Like soybean oil, canola oil is a type of vegetable oil that is used extensively in cooking and the production of other food items. Canola oil has always had a fairly decent reputation, as some experts say it's one of the healthier vegetable oils to keep in your diet, but others have contradicting thoughts and observations.
"Canola oil is another option that has been heavily marketed as a healthy option," explained Dr. Scott.
"Canola oil undergoes a lot of refinement during its production and is sometimes oxidized. This adds to the creation of directly harmful compounds."
Dr. Tambini also said that she tends to "caution people" about vegetable oil blends, as, like soybean oil, they're usually highly processed and full of omega-6 fatty acids.
"While omega-6s aren't inherently bad [and] we actually need them in small amounts, the problem arises when we consume way too many of them compared to omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain health," she noted.
"This imbalance—common in the typical Western diet—can promote chronic inflammation, which is increasingly linked to cognitive decline, mood disorders, and even neurodegenerative diseases."
To ensure you're taking the best care of your brain health and overall health and are worried about the cooking oils you're using, both experts promoted the use of extra virgin olive oil, which Dr. Scott explains, "provides a better outcome for the rest of the health and the brain due to its antioxidant properties."
The Bottom Line
Again, one of the most important things to note about certain foods and ingredients, such as cooking oils, is that everything is fine in moderation. Additionally, if you are concerned about how these oils may be affecting you, it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional.
However, one of the simplest things you can do to prevent cognitive decline resulting from these ingredients is to check your food labels and keep cleaner, healthier oils in your home.