Khaberni - Soybean oil, a staple in processed foods, contributes to weight gain and obesity through a mechanism that scientists are now beginning to understand. Soybean oil is one of the most used cooking oils in many countries including the USA and China.
In an experimental study conducted at the University of California, most mice on a high-fat diet rich in soybean oil gained significant weight.
Linoleic Acid Metabolism
Genetically modified mice produced a slightly different form of liver protein that affects hundreds of genes associated with fat metabolism. This protein also seems to alter how the body processes linoleic acid, a key component in soybean oil.
Sonia Deol, a biomedical scientist at the University of California, said, "This may be the first step towards understanding why some people gain weight more easily than others who follow a diet rich in soybean oil."
According to "Medical Express", humans have both types of the liver protein HNF4α, but usually, the alternative form is only produced under certain conditions, such as chronic illness, metabolic stress from fasting, or alcoholic fatty liver.
The Impact of Soybean Oil on Metabolism
This study builds on previous work by researchers at the University of California, which found that soybean oil causes more obesity than coconut oil.
The new study provides the clearest evidence yet that the problem does not lie in the oil itself, or even in linoleic acid, but "in what the fats turn into inside the body".
Linoleic acid is converted into molecules called oxylipins. Excessive consumption of linoleic acid can increase their levels related to inflammation and fat accumulation.
