Simple Nutrition Insights

The Truth About Seed Oils: Separating Facts from Fear-Driven Nutrition Trends

• Leonila • Season 2 • Episode 26

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Seed oils have gained a bad reputation, but the science doesn't support the fear-mongering around these common cooking ingredients. We examine the facts behind seed oils, debunk popular myths, and explain how they fit into a balanced, healthy diet.

• Seed oils include canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, grapeseed, cottonseed, and safflower oils
• Omega-6 fatty acids in seed oils only cause inflammation when they drastically outweigh omega-3s in your diet
• Most commercial seed oils are refined using heat and solvents, but residue levels are tightly regulated and considered safe
• Cold-pressed or expeller-pressed options are available for those concerned about processing methods
• Saturated fats like butter and coconut oil may raise LDL cholesterol in some individuals
• Large long-term studies do not show a clear link between moderate seed oil consumption and chronic disease
• Major health organizations support using plant-based oils as part of a healthy diet
• Much of the controversy stems from misinterpreted animal studies, fear-based social media posts, or cherry-picked data
• Focus on using a mix of oils, getting enough omega-3s, eating more wholesome foods, and limiting ultra-processed foods
• Your overall eating pattern matters more than any single ingredient

If you found this episode helpful, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone wondering about seed oils. For more practical nutrition tips, visit fueledbyleocom or follow me on social media at nutrition_with_Leonie.


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Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, welcome back to Simple Nutrition Insights. I'm your host, danila Campos, registered dietitian and nutrition expert, and today we're diving into a hot topic that's been stirring up a lot of chatter seed oils. Are they inflammatory? Should we avoid them, or is this just another food trend fueled by fear and misinformation? Let's get into the facts, debunk some myths and help you feel confident in your food choices.

Speaker 1:

Seed oils are vegetable oils extracted from the seeds of plants like canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, grapeseed, cottonseed and safflower. They are commonly used in packaged foods, salad dressings and for cooking because of their neutral flavor and high smoke point. These oils are high in polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-6 fatty acids. And then, if you haven't listened to my last episode on fats, definitely go back and take a listen to that, because I talk about the different types of fats, and polyunsaturated fats are one of those types of fats that are considered healthy fats. So why is it that seed oils are in the news, are talked about more so, are a trend, and it's because just everything that is happening recently, right, like the bad rep, I guess that seed oils are getting at this time. But let's tackle some of the biggest myths out there.

Speaker 1:

Myth number one seed oils cause inflammation. The truth Omega-6 can promote inflammation, but only if they drastically outweigh omega-3s in your diet, in moderation. They are essential for our brain function, hormone production and cell structure. The problem is imbalance, not the oils themselves. And it's just like what I tell my clients. When we put these foods into good and bad categories, right, then we almost don't know what to do anymore. Right, like is our carrots, you know, healthy? Or is fruit healthy because it has too much sugar and this and that right? It just creates more chaos and more confusion. But it's not a single food right. It is essentially chaos and more confusion. But it's not a single food right. It is essentially everything that we do, everything that we eat, on a consistent basis. So same thing with seed oils, right? So let's keep going with the myths here. Myth number two seed oils are toxic or processed with harmful chemicals. Fact most commercial seed oils are refined using heat and solvents like hexane, but residue levels are tightly regulated and not considered harmful in normal food amounts. Cold press or expeller press options are available if you're concerned. So the key point here is that if you want to have maybe something that they don't use this type of solvent, then you can choose. You know when you look, when you go and buy your oils look for cold pressed or expeller pressed and you know if that is a concern for you. Myth number three natural fats like butter or coconut oil are always healthier.

Speaker 1:

The truth is, saturated fats like butter and coconut oil may raise LDL cholesterol in some individuals. It's not about villainizing one fat or over another. It's about balance, variety and overall pattern of eating. I've had clients and when I've done my community presentations they ask me these questions a lot. Right, like, can I just stick to butter and coconut oil? Now you know, if you choose that because the flavor or because that's why you want to choose, that's totally up to you, right?

Speaker 1:

High cholesterol if you do have high history of cholesterol issues, heart disease then we do have to be mindful of how much saturated fat we're consuming, right? It doesn't mean that we don't have to eliminate butter or coconut oil, but we do have to be conscious as to where are all the saturated fat is coming from, right? Because if we are having a higher amount, where that is contributing to our LDL right, then that is a concern from heart disease standpoint. And so if we choose, you know we decide to use it sparingly right, and use these other plant oils or seed oils just to help our cholesterol, right, then that's also an option. Let's see what the research says. Large long-term studies do not show a clear link between moderate seed oil intake and chronic disease. In fact, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat can lower LDL cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk. The American Heart Association, world Health Organization and Dietary Guidelines for Americans support using plant-based oils as part of a healthy diet.

Speaker 1:

So why the controversy? A lot of it comes from a misinterpretation of animal studies, fear-based social media posts or cherry-picked data. It's easy to get swept up into the fear, but context matters and really understanding research and really understanding studies right, that it is important to get our information from reliable resources, research-backed resources, right and research-based. Because if we just trust, like this random person or this person that has tons of followers, right To whatever they say, right, but we don't do our due diligence as to really know that, hey, whatever they're saying is actually research backed, right, if that is the case, then you have to be really worried about it, right, like you have to understand, okay, this person maybe has an agenda, this person is trying to sell me something, or whatever the case may be, right. Like you have to get your information from unbiased resources, right, and understand. Like there is a ton of research that you know it goes back for many, many years that talks about the importance of controlling saturated fat because of heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Speaker 1:

Right, so we cannot just assume that just because somebody is saying that, hey, you know, consume more tallow or consume more butter or more coconut oil, right, it's so good for you Just because they're saying it, or because they're anecdotally, you know, they have a personal story behind it, right? Right, we are our own individuals and so we all have specific needs and so we have to just take this information and question it, right. Okay, is this really what it really means? Right, is this backed by research or is it just trying to create more fear? And I've had lots of clients come to me and say you know what? I'm so confused, I don't know where to start. I have all this information, I have conflicting information, and it's just so much for me, right, and I'm so glad that they're here, I'm so glad that they are coming to see me, right, because then we can really understand information that they are, that they have in front of them Right, really dissect it and understand like. This is valid information, it's backed by research and this is just like nonsense, right, and so if you have information, you know, if you have questions about information like that, or if you're not sure about what you're reading or listening, to reach out to a race or dietitian, right, a doctor in nutrition or someone that has the background right and the unbiased about the information that you're looking at, to get the truth right About what it is that you are listening, what it is that you are reading. Okay, so what should we focus on Instead of stressing over one ingredient?

Speaker 1:

Here's what to prioritize Use a mix of oils Olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil. Variety helps to reduce the risk. Get enough omega-3s right From flax, chia, walnuts or fatty fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel. Eat more wholesome foods fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes. Limit ultra-processed foods, not because of the seed oils, but because of their overall nutrient quality. At the end of the day, a single oil isn't going to make or break your health. Your overall eating pattern is what truly matters.

Speaker 1:

So it's so important to understand these right, because the other thing too and this is what I talked about in my last episode is that oils are part of a macronutrient, right, part of your fats, and they are higher in calories over twice as much of what protein and carbs are going to give you. And so that means that we don't need as much, right, we just need a smaller amount. And so when you really put it in perspective, you know, if you have two tablespoons right of whatever oil, that is over about 200 calories right Now, if we think about eating consistently fried foods, right, that means that you're using a massive amounts, massive amounts of oil. Right, it's unnecessary. We don't need to do that. We can still, you know, be healthy and reduce our risk, if that is what we're concerned about, but just using a smaller amount if we need to, right, you can use the spray to coat your pan and, like, just cook your meals. You can use olive oil right For dressings and drizzle your vegetables. Don't use it for cooking, right, it has a lower smoke point, so it is going to burn faster and that could be a risk.

Speaker 1:

And so it's again, not so much fearing the seed oils, right, is understanding. Okay, how much do I use really, right, and do I eat fried foods or fast foods that do use those oils, right, because they are more affordable, and that combination of that and just whatever in the food it makes it more palatable, right, more desirable. Okay, then let's change our eating habits, right? Let's add more of these wholesome foods, let's reduce that intake. So don't fall onto this trend, right, and fear everything. Fear the oils. Meanwhile, you know our other aspects of our nutrition are like, not where they need to be. Focus on simpler changes. Focus on adding, again, more wholesome foods, more of the omega-3s If you have found yourself having a lot of these seed oils, okay, let me add more of these omega-3s, which, to be honest with you, every time I have a patient this is something that I want to say probably 90 to 95% of the time, my patients don't get enough omega threes, and that's probably a reflection of most of the population, right?

Speaker 1:

We just don't get enough omega threes. Again, your omega threes are going to come from your walnuts, your flaxseed, your chia seeds, your fatty fish. If you don't do any of that, right, which honestly I think, if you don't do fish, that's fine, but you have your plant sources, right? You can add more flaxseed, more chia seeds, more walnuts, and if we've noticed that. Okay, we're not getting any of that. Okay, let's add an omega-3 supplement. Make sure that you talk to your doctor, make sure that you talk to your registered dietitian to figure out what is the best option, but you do want to make sure that you get one that has DHA and EPA, because those are your essential fatty acids. And so think about those things right.

Speaker 1:

Don't just fear the seed oils, don't just fall into these trends. Right, really understand where your nutrition is at right and start making smaller changes. Okay, maybe I am using a lot of oil. Okay, let's decrease the amount. Or maybe I am using a lot of butter and tallow and coconut oil and now I'm noticing that my LDL is going up. Okay, now let's reduce that, because, again, we don't need a ton of them.

Speaker 1:

Right, it is a macronutrient that is high in calories, so we just need a small amount to create satiety, to manage more sugars right, it's still something that we need, but we can get it from other sources avocados, not seeds, and so if we eat them right, then we can get them from there. Essentially, the oils themselves. We just need a very small amount If we need them for cooking. Olive oil is great for drizzling in your salad dressings or other types of foods that we are not cooking at a higher heat because it is going to burn faster. So consider all those things right.

Speaker 1:

The bottom line is that seed oils are not the enemy. They're just one part of a bigger picture. Don't fall for fear-based fats. Stick to balanced, science-backed nutrition. And if you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who's been been wondering about seed oils. And if you want to dive deeper into practical nutrition tips, check out my website, fueledbyleocom, or follow me on social media at nutrition underscore with underscore Leonie Lab. All right, thank you so much everyone. I will talk to you and see you very soon. Remember, food should fuel, not stress. You Take care. Bye-bye for now.