Are Seed Oils Dangerous?

There is a lot of controversy surrounding seed oils right now. You may have heard them referred to as the “hateful eight.” The “hateful eight” is includes canola oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, grapeseed oil, soybean oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil. The narrative surrounding these oils seems to be that they weaken the immune system and are directly linked to chronic disease such as arthritis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and more. So, what’s the truth?

Well, these seed oils all contain something called omega-6 fatty acids, or linoleic acid. Omega-6’s are a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) that is found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. In small amounts, omega-6s can be really beneficial in aiding in heart health and lowering cholesterol.

PUFAs are pro-inflammatory, so when consumed at high levels, they can contribute to inflammation in the body… which can then increase your risk for chronic diseases.

When we bring it all back to these controversial seed oils, what’s the verdict? Are they the cause of all of our health problems? Not necessarily.

What we need to think about when we are concerned about the potential dangers of seed oils really isn’t the seed oils themselves, but rather the foods containing seed oils as a whole. Seed oils are used in a lot of processed foods due to their versatility and shelf stability. These processed foods are often very high in trans and saturated fats, sodium, and added sugar. When consumed on a regular basis, there is evidence that highly processed foods high in these additives can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. So rather than cutting out seed oils entirely, consider limiting your consumption of highly processed foods.

Like previously mentioned, omega-6s can be beneficial to the diet! A healthy balance of both omega-6s and omega-3s is ideal. Omega-3 fatty acids are another type of fat called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) that are essential for brain development, heart health, and eye development. MUFAs are found in fish such as salmon and plants such as chia seeds or olive oil. 

At the end of the day, PUFAs might be getting picked on because we don’t need as much of it in our diet. BUT they are still very helpful – PUFAs aren’t bad, and they don’t need to be eliminated entirely. In fact, our body needs them and we can’t make them on our own!

So next time you’re at the grocery store, take a deep breath and know seed oils aren’t going to kill you. These seed oils can be used to help us enjoy healthy foods, and they shouldn’t be demonized for something they aren’t doing (aka they aren’t causing chronic disease!)