Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Brominated Vegetable Oil aka Soybean Oil :-(

Many of you many not know that I have a soy allergy/sensitivity. I think it's one of the worst things to be allergic to...it's in everything, and often not labeled.

For instance, tonight after coming home from the gym I pick up a red PowerAid. After 2 gulps, I start to feel weird and worried I read the label. It has the dreaded "vegetable oil" which usually means soybean oil.

Thank God for the Internet. Turns out brominated vegetable oil is not only soybean oil in disguise, but it's been outlawed in 100 counties, and is on the FDA's toxic additives list. Companies are also not required to label it on their products. Yeah!

It's in most or all citrus flavored drinks, so those are now off my list of foods I can eat.

To make it, you add Bromine to soybean oil. Here's the best part:

"Bromine is extracted from sea water. You don't want to know how. In its liquid or vaporous form, it's lethal. But once you've got the stuff, you're set to make light-sensitive surfaces for photographic paper, lead-eating additives for gasoline, fire-extinguishing material, agricultural fumigants, and lots of other handy stuff. Until 1975, you could make sedatives too."

And it's oil soluble, can built up in fat cells like PCBs and can cause reproductive issues.

For crying out loud! I don't want to ingest that junk!

Ok. I'm done venting. I'll go back to my benadryl induced haze....

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for letting the soy-allergic world know of yet another soy-based product. There are many of us out there with this problem.

Unknown said...

Are there any comprehensive lists or products that contain this substance?

Anonymous said...

I work at a chemical plant that makes BVO.

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Anonymous said...

Hi,I too have been recently diagnosed "allergic to soy". Here I am, having had a reaction to Gator Aid (Green) and Pepsi. I called Pepsi several times, after finding nothing on their website, I really had to work hard and be on hold several times, FINALLY, they said it, "BVO" in PEPSI. Pratically crushed to give up Pepsi, I have been drinking Schwepps Ginger Ale sometimes up to 3 a day without any reaction. I also drink Health Cola, from company in Clearwater, Florida, they have a good Cola product, but not in stores here yet. Just looking for a list of soda without BVO's, I have given up or had to make everything from scratch at home. I think Coconut Oil is awesome replacement for vegetable oil, for cakes and such, also instead of melted butter, you can melt the Coconut Oil. Google it, I think it makes the best filling for home-made Whoopie Pies (whip with powdered sugar and a little butter and vanilla) Yummy! Just letting everyone know, if you have to have it, you can probably make it yourself substituting the soybean oil! Has anyone had a reaction to soy lecithin? My doctor says to eliminate it completly, what about chocolate and ice cream? Haagen Daz Coffee has no soy! I found a Dark Chocolate - - Lindt, Extra Fine Dark Chocolate squares, 70% cacao, pretty good to someone who hasn't had a piece of chocolate for over a year!! Lastly, I am starting to think the theory regarding soy products being GMO'S (genetically modified organisms)is contributing to allergy. Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Katherine Watier Ong said...

Thanks for the comment. I didn't know about Pepsi, and that makes me sad because I try to stay away from Aspartame because it also makes me feel ill, and Pepsi one is one of the few sodas with Splenda. I'll have to take it off my list...bummer. And I didn't realize Fresca either, but that would explain why it doesn't make me feel good either.

Try Nestle Chocolatier for your chocolate fix...no soy at all in it.

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Genial post and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you seeking your information.

Katherine Watier Ong said...

You're welcome!

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Anonymous said...

Thank you for this blog. I was just eating my lunch and drinking Stewart's Orange and Cream soda when I started to read (I MUST read something while I'm eating! Is that a disorder? lol!) the ingredients list on the bottle when I came across brominated soybean oil. Curious about that noxious (the brominated part) sounding ingredient, I looked it up and here I am. Sigh, I'm going to stop buying and drinking Stewarts now...after I finish the other 3!

Anonymous said...

Related to soy sensitivity and chocolate:
Whole Foods Organic Swiss Milk Chocolate is awesome and TOTALLY soy free.
Rapunzel (sold at health food stores) also has some varieties of chocolate without soy. But not all, so be careful. I know their swiss milk chocolate is ok.
Also, Breyers Chocolate ice cream is soy free. Not he most decadent of chocolate ice creams...but good in a pinch.
My daughter has a soy sensitivity...a very bad one. She's five and it's been such a challenge.
Thanks for clearing up the brominated vegetable oil mystery. I have always steered clear but now we KNOW it has soy.

Katherine Watier Ong said...

I'm now "blogging" on a Google+ page for folks with a soy allergy if you're interested in updates. You can find the page here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/113714334903240908189/113714334903240908189/posts

Anonymous said...

So this is what I'm wondering as I'm also allergic to soy-it's a nightmare-this was listed in a juice right after the dye info, first it had the colors added, then listed brominated vegatable oil right after the atrificial colors-wondering if this is in food dyes now.

hefner93 said...

I have an allergy to canola oil... Any help for that?

hefner93 said...

I'm have an allergy to canola oil. Any help for that?

Katherine Watier Ong said...

There is actually a website dedicated to people with canola allergies. I often use it to find places that I can eat. It is here:http://www.cantola.com/