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Seed oils are bad for you, or at least that’s what many social media influencers and even U.S. health officials say. Are they really, though? If so, why are they still on market shelves? The key to separating fact from fiction about seed oils lies in understanding what they are and what they’re not.
Understanding Seed Oils
Seed oils, also known as vegetable oils, come from plant seeds. They’re often found in food supplies because they taste neutral and remain stable at high temperatures. Small-scale oil extractions only take a few hours, while industrial-scale processing can take days. Here are some of their common uses:
- Cooking: Seed oils are essential in baking, frying, sauteing, stir-frying, grilling, dressing salads and creating marinades.
- Processed food: Mass-produced baked goods, snacks, condiments, frozen meals and fast-food items contain seed oil.
- Beverages: Some fruit drinks and sodas use brominated vegetable oil, which is made from seed-derived soybean oil, to enhance their citrus flavors.
- Skincare: Well-known skincare brands proudly use hemp oil in their products because it may help reduce signs of aging and has antimicrobial properties. Other common seed oils in facial care include jojoba, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, almond, rosehip and cranberry.
- Industrial applications: Some lubricants, hydraulic fluids, paints, coatings, inks, adhesives and plastics have seed oils.
Nutritional Facts About Seed Oils
Most seed oils contain concentrated plant-based polyunsaturated fats, which include low levels of omega-3 and high levels of omega-6. Omega-3 fights inflammation, lowers the risk of age-related conditions and supports heart health. Meanwhile, omega-6 helps promote muscle growth and brain development. The human body needs both essential fatty acids, but it can’t produce them, so eating food with them is a must.
Seed oils can have other nutritional properties depending on the plant they came from. For example, pumpkin seed oil has one of the highest levels of vitamin E among vegetable oils.
It’s also rich in other vitamins and antioxidants. Flaxseed oil is another great example, as it’s teeming with potent antioxidants on top of omega-3 fatty acids.
Why The Health Concern?
When asked about his statement about seed oils, Secretary Kennedy’s team cited the MAHA Report, an analysis of what’s causing chronic disease among American children. The document said that seed oils contribute to an imbalanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio and lose much of their micronutrients to industrial refining, which potentially relates to inflammation.
The MAHA Report also mentioned six out of “the hateful eight,” which are the seed oils that get the most criticism. The eight oils are canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, safflower, soybean and sunflower.
Toxic Traces in Seed Oil, Debunked
Manufacturers use heat and chemicals to extract oil from seeds. It’s faster and cheaper than pressing it out. Concerns about the process relate to hexane, a hazardous solvent used in refining that leaves traces behind. A federal government report disproved this, finding the amount “toxicologically insignificant.”
Inflammation Due to Seed Oil, Analyzed
While the human body can turn omega-3s into inflammation-fighting chemicals, it turns omega-6s into chemicals that foster inflammation. However, there’s more to it than that.
Omega-6 is an essential fatty acid that supports health when consumed in moderate amounts by reducing autoimmune reactions. However, too much could compromise metabolic functions, cause inflammation and contribute to chronic diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Western diets have an abundance of omega-6, from frying to processed foods, so it can be hard to manage intake.
Examining Seed Oils In Everyday Life
Before you consider swearing off frying and clearing your kitchen of seed oils, remember that you need their fatty acids. They’re good to consume in moderation. Seed oils can be part of a healthy diet if you don’t exceed their smoke point and you’re cooking fresh vegetables and lean proteins.
The problem happens in processed foods. Some of them have seed oil, and while the processing methods diminish their nutrients, the oil alone isn’t what’s making them unhealthy. The additives and preservatives are also to blame. Ultraprocessed foods contain many of these ingredients, which means eating them excessively increases your risk for various diseases.
Make Informed Decisions About Seed Oils
Seed oils aren’t inherently unhealthy. Their bad reputation comes more from the fact that they’re a common ingredient in ultraprocessed foods. If you want to improve your life, it pays more to be mindful of what you eat and limit your consumption of processed foods than to remove seed oil from your diet.
