MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Vegetables Are Used To Make “Vegetable Oil”?
If you’re shopping in a grocery store’s baking aisle, you’ll notice that the companies selling 100% corn or peanut oil proudly emblazon the identity of their star vegetables in marquee-sized letters on the label. So, why are they so much more obtuse when it comes to vegetable oil? What mystery veggie (or veggies) do they use to create vegetable oil, and why the secrecy?
It’s natural for consumers, when we see the vague words “vegetable oil” on a label, to assume that the contents of the bottle are either a “bad” oil, like cottonseed, coconut, or palm oil (which cardiologists consistently warn us about), or a blend of several different vegetables.
Well, in fact, until recently most vegetable oils actually were blends. But now, all the major brands like Wesson & Crisco, as well as many generic & store-brand vegetable oils, use 100% soybean oil as the “vegetable” in vegetable oil.
Soybean oil has pretty much all the characteristics of the “good” oils. Yet, here in North America, we still haven’t embraced soybeans (all the while, we’ll happily pay a premium for corn & peanut oil). So, until consumers are convinced that “soybean oil” is more desirable than “vegetable oil”, soybeans will just have to continue to forego their rightful star billing on the label & keep appearing only in the fine print.
But at least you know now what’s in your vegetable oil!
And, if you’ve got a Mundane Mystery you’d like to know about, send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew Highlights: May 12, 2021
Officer of the Week: Sheriff Jenkins
This week Tom met with Sheriff Chuck Jenkins. He has been the Sheriff for the past 15 years. Tom learned what his favorite breakfast and lunch spots are, his favorite movie and if he believes in aliens!
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Where Did “Back To Square One” Come From?
With the economy shut down over the past year, there’s been a lot of talk about going “back to square one”…trying to start back over & return to where we were pre-pandemic. But what does that even mean, “back to square one”? And where did it come from?
Whenever someone involved in a project or event proposes going “back to square one”, they’re basically saying “Let’s just scrap what we’ve done thus far & start over”. It’s not a bad way to express the idea of giving up & making a fresh start. But what is “square one”?
Before we entered the electronic era of devices & apps, people used to regularly play these magical things called board games. And there were lots of them…some you’ve clearly heard of, or even played (Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, etc.), but tons more that never really caught on with the masses. (Ever heard of “Pit”? Man, I loved Pit!)
Anyway, back in the popular board game days, many (if not most) involved moving tokens after rolling dice or drawing cards. Well, at the beginning of each game, every token was placed at the same starting point, which was called “square one” of the board. So, suggesting a return “back to square one” meant scrapping the current game & starting a new one.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew Highlights: May 11, 2021
Meet Horizon! Our Pet of the Week
Our Jay Day of the Day Home Team Pet of the Week is Horizon!
She’s a one year old short hair domestic cat. She is super friendly and loving and looking for her forever family. To give her a forever home call The Frederick County Animal Control for Adoption 301-600-1546