We’ve seen concerns about seed oil pickup in recent weeks. In this post, we look at the risks associated with seed oils.
What are seed oils?
Oils are lipids (fats) made from plants, animals, or synthetic compounds consumed and frequently used when frying, baking, and preparing foods.
Seed oils and plant-based oils are typically sourced from the seeds and fruit of plants, including
- Avocados
- Canola seeds
- Coconuts
- Corn kernels
- Olives
- Palm tree kernels
- Peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Soybeans
- Sunflower seeds
Are seed oils the same as cooking oils?
Seed oils can be used as cooking oils, but not all cooking oils are seed oils. Animal fat and animal products can be made into oils. These can include
- Butter
- Lard (e.g., pork fat, duck fat, etc.)
- Tallow (e.g., beef, mutton)
Are seed oils and plant-based oils better for me than animal-based oils?
Not necessarily. It depends significantly on the ingredient and if the oil is unsaturated or saturated fat.
Seed and plant-based oils that remain liquid at room temperature, like olive oil or avocado oil, are unsaturated. These oils are better for our bodies than plant-based ones that are solid at room temperature, like coconut oil or palm oil.
Oils that are solid when at room temperature contain saturated fats, which can adversely impact our health if consumed at too high a frequency.
Why are unsaturated fats better than saturated fats?
We all have cholesterol in our bodies. Essentially, cholesterol is a lipid (fat) our bodies use to help aid in many biological functions. We have high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is considered “good” cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is regarded as “bad” cholesterol (1).
Saturated fats are known to increase the “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in our bodies, while unsaturated fats are known to lower the “bad” LDL in our bodies (1,2).
Is there more than one kind of unsaturated fat?
There are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Both fats can benefit our health by replacing saturated fats.
All unsaturated fats contain a double bond in their chemical structure. Monounsaturated fats have one double bond. Polyunsaturated fats contain two or more double bonds.
Let’s look at monounsaturated fats.
We find monounsaturated fats in oils like olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and more. They can help aid in cell development and maintenance.
Additionally, if we replace saturated fats in our diets with monounsaturated fats, we can decrease our “bad” LDL cholesterol and help improve and maintain our heart health.
Let’s look at polyunsaturated fats.
While some seed oils contain polyunsaturated fats like flax, soybean, and safflower oils, we often find these fats in foods like nuts and fish.
Polyunsaturated fats include essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 (linoleic acid) maintain our brain function and cell health.
Like monounsaturated fats, when replacing saturated fats in our diets, polyunsaturated fats can help reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and help improve and maintain our health.
Do seed and plant-based oils cause inflammation?
We’ve seen folks concerned that seed oils and plant-based oils increase inflammation throughout the body. We did not find peer-reviewed research to support this claim.
We have seen concern that linoleic acid converts to arachidonic acid at a level that causes harm. Again, this claim is unfounded in the research, but let’s break it down further.
What is linoleic acid?
Linoleic acid is an omega-6 essential fatty acid found in many seed and plant-based oils.
What is arachidonic acid?
Arachidonic acid is a precursor compound that helps signal and produce the bioactive compounds necessary for our bodies to have proper immune responses. Without arachidonic acid, the immune system will not function properly.
Does linoleic acid lead to arachidonic acid, which causes inflammation?
Linoleic acid converts to arachidonic acid, which supports our immune system functions, including inflammation response.
However, multiple case-controlled clinical trials have tested whether this conversation causes excessive or determinate inflammation. The consensus is that only 0.2% of dietary linoleic acid consumption results in the formation of arachidonic acid in the body, which is below the level known to cause harm, meaning there is no evidence of increased inflammation in people exposed to linoleic acid from typical exposure to seed oils (1,2,3).
What’s the risk of consuming seed or plant-based oils?
The risks in consuming seed or plant-based oils come down to the overconsumption of fat-containing foods and deep-fat fried foods and the underconsumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and other nutrient-rich foods.
We know that overconsumption of any foods, especially fatty foods (regardless of the fat source), can cause adverse health effects and can lead to diseases.
Directly opposing the current online narrative, the research actually suggests replacing saturated oils with unsaturated seed or plant-based oils to support our health.
The good news.
Seed and plant-based unsaturated oils are part of a healthy diet and, when consumed in moderation, do not trigger unnecessary inflammation in our bodies. As with all foods, moderation and balance are key.
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