Soybean Oil: Good for Asphalt, Bad for Our Bodies?

We often hear about the benefits of pasture-raised eggs, but have you ever stopped to think about what's not in them?

At Ben Roberts' Heritage Poultry & Eggs, we don't just focus on what our hens eat; we focus on what they don't eat. The most common ingredient we leave out of our feed ration? Soy.

You might be wondering: "It's just a bean. How bad can it be?"

When we look at how soy is used across the industry, the answer becomes startlingly clear. From the soil to the shelf, soy has become a commodity so cheap and ubiquitous that it ends up in places like our asphalt roads, our roofing shingles, and unfortunately, our breakfast plates.

Here is why the rise of industrial soy is a concern for our health and our planet.

1. The Environmental Cost: Forests Lost for Feed

The demand for soy is insatiable. To keep up with the massive volumes needed by industrial agriculture (much of which goes to livestock feed and processed oil), thousands of acres of forests in South America are being cleared every year.

This deforestation destroys vital ecosystems, displaces wildlife, and contributes significantly to climate change. By choosing our soy-free eggs, you are voting against the agricultural model that demands this destruction. You are supporting a farming method that works with the land rather than stripping it bare.

2. The "Industrial Grade" Reality

If an ingredient is good enough for your food, it should be pure. But let's look at where else soybean oil is finding its way:

• Asphalt Roads: Did you know soybean oil is used to rejuvenate, soften, and extend the life of pavement? It's a common additive in road maintenance.

• Roofing Shingles: Brands like Roof Maxx use soybean oil treatments to revitalize aging asphalt shingles, saving roofs from needing replacement.

• Paints & Coatings: Soybean oil continues to be a major ingredient in industrial paints, varnishes, and coatings due to its binding properties.

Ask yourself: If soybean oil is effective enough to hold up roads and treat roofs, does that mean it belongs inside your body?

Many nutritionists and health experts argue that the processing methods used to turn these soybeans into cooking oil strip away nutrients and introduce harmful oxidation products. When we consume high volumes of industrially processed soy oil, we are ingesting a product that shares more DNA with construction materials than fresh food.

3. Why Is It Everywhere? (Hint: It's Not Health)

So, why is soybean oil in almost every processed food on the grocery store shelf?

Because it is incredibly cheap.

Due to massive government subsidies and aggressive industrialization, farmers are encouraged to grow soy in high volumes regardless of market demand or nutritional value. This flood of cheap supply drives down costs for food manufacturers, who then add it to everything from bread to salad dressing to make their products cheaper to produce.

But "cheap" doesn't mean "good for you."

• Inflammation: Highly processed soy oils are often high in inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids.

• Hormonal Disruption: Soy contains phytoestrogens, which can mimic estrogen in the human body—a particular concern for those looking to balance their hormones.

• Processing: The oil extraction process often involves high heat and chemical solvents (like hexane).

The Ben Roberts Difference: A Clean Feed Policy

At our farm, we refuse to participate in this cycle. We believe that if an ingredient is used on the road, it shouldn't be in your chicken feed—and it certainly shouldn't end up in your omelet.

Our hens thrive on a 100% soy-free diet. They roam free on pasture, eating grass, insects, and a custom ration that is free from soybean meal and soybean oil.

The Result?

• Healthier Hens: No exposure to inflammatory feed or phytoestrogens.

• Better Nutrition: Eggs packed with natural Omega-3s and Vitamin D.

• Peace of Mind: You know exactly what went into your food, without hidden industrial fillers.

Make the Switch

You can't control what happens on the roads or in the paint factory. But you can control what ends up on your plate.

Choosing Ben Roberts' Soy-Free Eggs is a simple, delicious step toward rejecting industrial shortcuts and embracing real, clean nutrition.

Ready to taste the difference? Visit our "find our eggs" page on our website to see which grocery store to find us at. If you don't see your favorite store listed, reach out to us and let us know where you'd love to see Ben's Soy Free Eggs!