Why Could ‘Jack Sprat’ Eat no Fat?

‘Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean’….was she eating soybean oil (which of course is fat)?

Could the type of fat you eat affect how much weight you gain and not just the amount of fat you eat?

New research which could add new confusion to the age old question—does the type of fat or the amount of fat in my diet affect how much fat I gain or the size of my fat cells?

The Public Library of Science has discovered that soybean oil leads to more weight gain than fructose (a kind of sugar found primarily in honey and fruits). In a study with lab mice, researchers divided the mice into four groups and fed them each a different diet, all containing 40% fat (similar to the average American diet). One diet used coconut oil (containing saturated fat), another used a coconut oil and soybean oil mixture, and the third and fourth groups had fructose added in.

While all four diets had the same number of calories, and the mice were fed the same amount of food, the mice that consumed soybean oil gained 12% more weight than those that ate a fructose diet, and 25% more weight than the mice with just coconut oil.

The mice on the soybean oil diet also had bigger fat deposits throughout their bodies and were more likely to develop diabetes and/or insulin resistance. Although the mice on the fructose diet were not very well off either, their consequences were not quite as severe.

Even if you don’t cook with soybean oil, you’re more than likely still consuming it. Soybean oil can show up in margarine, processed foods, salad dressings, snacks, and more.

While the researchers aren’t sure why the soybean oil led to more weight gain than fructose, they are being lead to believe that soybean oil could have metabolic effects that can interfere with hormone regulation, fat burning, and appetite control, making you eat more while feeling less full. Food for thought when picking out oils, and/or buying new foods. SY