We see many clients with inflammation issues. They are often looking for an anti inflammatory style of eating so as to minimize the inflammation response and repair damaged tissue. So often they ask which oils to use while cooking? Soybean oil is one of the most used oils in the United States. It is commonly used to fry foods, bind processed foods (foods in packages) together, and even fed to livestock. Research has concluded that soybean oil (which is heavily processed to begin with) can lead to insulin resistance and fatty liver. It has also been found that it affects the hypothalamus, which regulates metabolism and body temperature. These detrimental effects to the endocrine system suggest that we avoid it altogether. Soy foods like edamame or tofu have not been found to exhibit the same harmful effects. I suspect canola oil is similar to soybean in that it too is heavily processed and will damage tissue. Coconut oil is a great alternative provided that you do not have a coconut allergy!