Latest news with #seedOils
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Controversial ‘unhealthy' food can actually prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes: study
Has everything we know gone to seed? For years, wellness influencers and nutrition gurus have waged war on a common cooking oil, treating it like a toxic product better suited among your cleaning supplies than your kitchen gear. But a new study — presented at this year's annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition — has planted a seed of doubt in this well-trodden conviction. The findings suggest that people with high levels of linoleic acid actually have a lower risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, thanks to reduced inflammation. Since linoleic acid is found in seed oils — which are derived from the seed of a plant, such as sunflower, canola and sesame — this association seemingly tramples the widespread belief they are 'bad' for you. 'There has been increasing attention on seed oils, with some claiming these oils promote inflammation and raise cardiometabolic risk,' Kevin C. Maki, adjunct professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, said in a statement. 'Our study, based on almost 1,900 people, found that higher linoleic acid in blood plasma was associated with lower levels of biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk, including those related to inflammation.' While these results align with previous research, this study was based on bloodwork, meaning that it makes a stronger argument than observational evidence. 'Although other studies have assessed relationships between linoleic acid and cardiometabolic risk factors, our study used objective biomarkers rather than diet records or food frequency questionnaires to assess linoleic acid intake,' said Maki. 'We also measured a range of markers of inflammation and indicators of glucose metabolism.' He noted they tested for other inflammation biomarkers and consistently found that 'people with higher levels of linoleic acid in their blood tended to have a healthier overall risk profile for heart disease and diabetes.' Experts, meanwhile, are increasingly chiming in to say that seed oils aren't as unhealthy as some might have you think. 'Seed oils are objectively quite healthy, in that they're typically low in saturated fats,' said Kerry Beeson, a nutritional therapist at Prep Kitchen. 'There is some concern over the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in these oils, with much higher levels of omega-6 present, potentially connected to inflammation,' Beeson previously told reporters. 'However, there is no strong evidence that high levels of omega-6 are associated with disease.' Still, since seed oils are already so widespread in what we consume — from processed food to dressing to takeout — Beeson can see the argument for opting for something else in the kitchen. 'Aim to eat a wide variety of healthy fats in your diet, avoid eating lots of processed foods, don't rely too heavily on seed oils in cooking — try incorporating other oils like coconut and olive oil — and eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, from oily fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds or walnuts,' she said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Dietitian Shares The 1 Cooking Oil Rule They Follow For A Healthy Heart
Some people worry that seed oils (like sunflower, peanut, and soybean oil) are bad for us because they contain an omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid). But this, experts claim, does not actually cause the inflammation it's accused of creating. Kerry Beeson, a qualified nutritional therapist at Prep Kitchen, previously told HuffPost UK: 'Seed oils are objectively quite healthy, in that they're typically low in saturated fats.' Writing for UC Davis Health, cardiovascular dietitian Margie Junker, who focuses on how our diets affect heart health, shared that she loved flax and peanut oil. 'Liquid plant oils are rich in unsaturated fats, which reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and heart disease risk,' she said. But, she added, she avoids one particular type of fat for cooking. 'I stay away from fats that are hard at room temperature, such as bacon grease, shortening and margarine,' she told the university. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, most cooking fats are higher in saturated fats. 'Too much fat in your diet, especially saturated fats, can raise your cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease,' the NHS added. Other solid cooking fats include ghee, lard, and butter. 'I also avoid tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm kernel), animal fats (butter and lard), and partially hydrogenated fats,' Junker shared. Coconut oil has some of the highest saturated fat levels of all common cooking oils (86% to butter's 52%). So, while Junker said she 'occasionally' adds coconut oil or butter to a dish for flavour, she chooses not to cook with them. The British Heart Foundation recommends rapeseed oil as their best pick alongside olive oil, while Junker likes avocado oil most. But though some oils and fats are higher in saturated fats than others, fats of any kind should not make up more than 35% of our diet. 'Current UK government guidelines advise cutting down on all fats and replacing saturated fat with some unsaturated fat,' the NHS shared. Combining lower-saturated fats with moderation is key to better heart health. Are Seed Oils Really Bad For You? I Asked A Nutritional Therapist The Only 3 Cooking Oils Mary Berry Says We Need Sorry, Your Essential Oils Are Essentially Useless
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Experts reveal the truth about seed oils
Influencers and some public figures claim seed oils are harmful, linking them to inflammation, obesity, and diabetes due to their Omega-6 content. Nutritionists and dietitians dispute these claims, asserting that seed oils are healthy and a valuable source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine indicated that higher consumption of plant oils, including seed oils, was associated with a reduced risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. Experts clarify that health concerns often attributed to seed oils in processed foods are more accurately due to the combination of high saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar in those products. They advise focusing on replacing saturated fats like butter with unsaturated fats found in seed oils to improve health outcomes, as Omega-6 is not inherently inflammatory and is essential.
Wall Street Journal
18-06-2025
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
Avoiding Seed Oils? Here, the Best Alternatives to Buy
America loves a dietary villain: saturated fat, salt, carbs, sugar and now, seed oils. That's right: The seemingly innocuous vegetable, canola, sunflower, safflower and grapeseed oils that have long stocked our pantries are moving up the list of public-health enemies. According to consumer insight firm Tastewise, 62% of consumers say they are avoiding canola and vegetable oils. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called seed oils 'one of the worst things you can eat.' Many nutritionists disagree, but that has not stopped restaurants and food companies from offering alternatives.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Seed oils are toxic, says Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – but it's not so simple
Before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump Administration, he joined a whole host of health influencers in proclaiming that widely used cooking oils such as canola oil and soybean oil are toxic. T-shirts sold by his 'Make America Healthy Again' campaign now include the slogan, 'make frying oil tallow again' – a reference to the traditional use of rendered beef fat for cooking. Seed oils have become a mainstay of the American diet because unlike beef tallow, which is comprised of saturated fats that increase cholesterol levels, seed oils contain unsaturated fats that can decrease cholesterol levels. In theory, that means they should reduce the risk of heart disease. But research shows that different seed oils have varying effects on risk for heart disease. Furthermore, seed oils have also been shown to increase risk for migraines. This is likely due to their high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. These fats can increase inflammation, a heightened and potentially harmful state of immune system activation. As a family physician with a Ph.D. in nutrition, I translate the latest nutrition science into dietary recommendations for my patients. When it comes to seed oils, the research shows that their health effects are more nuanced than headlines and social media posts suggest. Seed oils — often confusingly referred to as 'vegetable oils' — are, as the name implies, oils extracted from the seeds of plants. This is unlike olive oil and coconut oil, which are derived from fruits. People decrying their widespread use often refer to the 'hateful eight' top seed oil offenders: canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and rice bran oil. These oils entered the human diet at unprecedented levels after the invention of the mechanical screw press in 1888 enabled the extraction of oil from seeds in quantities that were never before possible. Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. consumption of soybean oil increased 1,000 times. This shift fundamentally changed our biological makeup. Due to increased seed oil intake, in the past 50 years the concentration of omega-6 fatty acids that Americans carry around in their fatty tissue has increased by 136%. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that control inflammation. While omega-6s tend to produce molecules that boost it, omega-3s tend to produce molecules that tone it down. Until recently, people generally ate equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. However, over the past century, this ratio has changed. Today, people consume 15 times more omega-6s than omega-3s, partly due to increased consumption of seed oils. In theory, seed oils can cause health problems because they contain a high absolute amount of omega-6 fatty acids, as well as a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Studies have linked an increased omega-6 to omega-3 ratio to a wide range of conditions, including mood disorders, knee pain, back pain, menstrual pain and even preterm birth. Omega-6 fatty acids have also been implicated in the processes that drive colon cancer. However, the absolute omega-6 level and the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in different seed oils vary tremendously. For example, safflower oil and sunflower oil have ratios of 125:1 and 91:1. Corn oil's ratio is 50:1. Meanwhile, soybean oil and canola oil have lower ratios, at 8:1 and 2:1, respectively. Scientists have used genetic modification to create seed oils like high oleic acid canola oil that have a lower omega-6 to 3 ratio. However, the health benefit of these bioengineered oils is still being studied. Part of the controversy surrounding seed oils is that studies investigating their inflammatory effect have yielded mixed results. One meta-analysis synthesizing the effects of seed oils on 11 inflammatory markers largely showed no effects – with the exception of one inflammatory signal, which was significantly elevated in people with the highest omega-6 intakes. To complicate things further, genetics also plays a role in seed oils' inflammatory potential. People of African, Indigenous and Latino descent tend to metabolize omega-6 fatty acids faster, which can increase the inflammatory effect of consuming seed oils. Scientists still don't fully understand how genetics and other factors may influence the health effects of these oils. A review of seven randomized controlled trials showed that the effect of seed oils on risk of heart attacks varies depending on the type of seed oil. This was corroborated by data resurrected from tapes dug up in the basement of a researcher who in the 1970s conducted the largest and most rigorously executed dietary trial to date investigating the replacement of saturated fat with seed oils. In that work, replacing saturated fats such as beef tallow with seed oils always lowers cholesterol, but it does not always lower risk of death from heart disease. Taken together, these studies show that when saturated fats such as beef tallow are replaced with seed oils that have lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, such as soybean oil, the risk of heart attacks and death from heart disease falls. However, when saturated fats are replaced with seed oils with a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, such as corn oil, risk of death from heart disease rises. Interestingly, the most highly purchased seed oil in the United States is soybean oil, which has a more favorable omega-6 to 3 ratio of 8:1 – and studies show that it does lower the risk of heart disease. However, seed oils with less favorable ratios, such as corn oil and safflower oil, can be found in countless processed foods, including potato chips, frozen dinners and packaged desserts. Nevertheless, other aspects of these foods, in addition to their seed oil content, also make them unhealthy. A rigorous randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for clinical evidence – showed that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids, hence low in seed oils, significantly reduced the risk of migraines In the study, people who stepped up their consumption of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish such as salmon experienced an average of two fewer migraines per month than usual, even if they did not change their omega-6 consumption. However, if they reduced their omega-6 intake by switching out corn oil for olive oil, while simultaneously increasing their omega-3 intake, they experienced four fewer migraines per month. That's a noteworthy difference, considering that the latest migraine medications reduce migraine frequency by approximately two days per month, compared to a placebo. Thus, for migraine sufferers — 1 in 6 Americans — decreasing seed oils, along with increasing omega-3 intake, may be even more effective than currently available medications. Overall, the drastic way in which omega-6 fatty acids have entered the food supply and fundamentally changed our biological composition makes this an important area of study. But the question of whether seed oils are good or bad is not black and white. There is no basis to conclude that Americans would be healthier if we started frying everything in beef tallow again, but there is an argument for a more careful consideration of the nuance surrounding these oils and their potential effects. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Mary J. Scourboutakos, University of Toronto Read more: Ultraprocessed foods – like cookies, chips, frozen meals and fast food – may contribute to cognitive decline How Crisco toppled lard – and made Americans believers in industrial food Migraine sufferers have treatment choices – a neurologist explains options beyond just pain medication Mary J. Scourboutakos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
