There’s been a lot of controversary surrounding seed oils recently. As a holistic nutrition health coach, I do not recommend an inflammatory diet for anyone. Even though a lot of other nutrition professionals recommend seed oils, due to my knowledge and education on seed oils, I do not recommend them.
In this post I’ll cover…
- What are seed oils?
- Why are seed oils unhealthy?
- What are the unhealthiest seed oils?
- What are the best oils to use instead?
- The root of why seed oils are recommended.
What Are Seed Oils?
Seed Oils are oils that come from seeds. For example, Canola Oil comes from Rapeseeds. Sesame Oil comes from Sesame seeds. Soybean Oil comes from Soybeans which are seeds inside the soybean pod.
Non-Seed Oils do not come from seeds. For example, Olive Oil comes from Olives. Coconut Oil comes from Coconuts. Avocado Oil comes from Avocados.
Why Are Seed Oils Unhealthy?
Seed Oils are also highly processed and refined which means they’ve been stripped of their nutrients. Most seed oils are also genetically modified and contain harmful pesticides and herbicides.
Seed Oils are HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY. They contain high amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids which cause inflammation. You should have a 1:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 however, Western Diets have a 16:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.
Inflammation is the ROOT CAUSE of so many diseases including autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure, asthma, allergies, period cramps, migraines, and arthritis, just to name a few.
Also, the Omega-6 polyunsaturated fat linoleic acid in seed oils leads to plaque build up in the arteries and increases the risk of Coronary Heart Disease.
What Are The Unhealthiest Seed Oils?
All seed oils are unhealthy, but the unhealthiest versions of seed oils would be non-organic seed oils. Seed oils that are not organic are loaded with harmful pesticides and herbicides containing glyphosate.
Organic seed oils are still highly inflammatory however, they do not contain the harmful pesticides and herbicides.
What Are The Best Oils To Use Instead of Seed Oils?
Healthier options to use instead of seed oils are Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Ghee, and grass fed Butter.
Avocado Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil have anti-inflammatory properties due to their high monounsaturated fat content. Virgin Coconut Oil contains antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Avocado Oil can replace seed oils for baking. You can cook with them as well. Coconut Oil, Ghee, and grass fed Butter are great options to cook with.
So, why do so many (non-holistic) nutritionists and dieticians recommend seed oils, especially canola oil, for health benefits?
I am not 100% sure however, there is a big study called “Evidence of health benefits of canola oil.” This study is extremely biased and would never prove canola oil is unhealthy. Why? Because it is funded by the Canola Council of Canada and the U.S. Canola Association.
Of course they wouldn’t publish a study proving their products are unhealthy! They want people to buy them! And unfortunately, this study and studies like this have influenced dietary recommendations.
I’ve seen many studies comparing different seed oils to each other to “prove” their health benefits. This really doesn’t prove anything as they are comparing one unhealthy oil to another unhealthy oil. One may be more healthy than the other but they are both still unhealthy!
Moral of the story, seed oils cause loads of health issues and since there are healthier alternatives, there really isn’t any reason to consume seed oils anymore.
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