Cooking oils: which ones are slowly destroying your health

WHAT ARE SEED OILS (AND WHY THEY'RE NOT "VEGETABLE" OILS)

First, let's clear up the marketing lie.

These oils aren't made from vegetables:

• Canola oil (made from rapeseed)

• Soybean oil (made from soybeans)

• Corn oil (made from corn germ)

• Sunflower oil (made from sunflower seeds)

• Safflower oil (made from safflower seeds)

• Grapeseed oil (made from grape seeds)

• Cottonseed oil (made from cotton seeds)

• Rice bran oil (made from rice bran)

They're called "vegetable oils" for marketing. Sounds healthy. Sounds natural. But they're industrial seed oils extracted using high heat, chemical solvents, and heavy processing.

Compare this to traditional fats humans have eaten for thousands of years:

• Butter (from milk)

• Lard (rendered pork fat)

• Tallow (rendered beef fat)

• Olive oil (pressed from olives)

• Coconut oil (pressed from coconuts)

These require minimal processing. You can make them in your kitchen. They've been part of human diets forever.

Seed oils? Invented in the early 1900s when industrial machinery made it possible to extract oil from seeds that humans could never access before.

HOW SEED OILS ARE MADE (IT'S DISGUSTING)

You can't squeeze a soybean and get oil. There's not enough fat in seeds to extract oil through pressing like you can with olives or coconuts.

So they use industrial processes:

Step 1: Chemical extraction

• Seeds are crushed and heated to extremely high temperatures (up to 500°F)

• Hexane (a petroleum-based chemical solvent) is used to extract the oil

• This creates oxidized, rancid fats before the oil even reaches the bottle

Step 2: Degumming

• Phosphoric acid is added to remove natural gums

• More chemicals to "purify" the oil

Step 3: Bleaching

• Oil is passed through bleaching clays to remove color

• Further oxidation occurs

Step 4: Deodorizing

• Oil is heated again to extreme temperatures to remove the rancid smell

• Because by this point, the oil smells terrible from all the processing

Step 5: Chemical preservatives added

• BHT, BHA, or other synthetic antioxidants to prevent further rancidity

• Because the oil is already oxidized and unstable

The final product: A clear, odorless, tasteless oil that's been chemically extracted, bleached, deodorized, and preserved with synthetic chemicals.

This is what they're calling "heart-healthy."

Compare this to olive oil: Olives pressed mechanically. Oil extracted. Bottled. Done.

Which one sounds more natural?

WHY SEED OILS DESTROY YOUR HEALTH

Seed oils are primarily made of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), specifically omega-6 fatty acids.

Your body needs some omega-6. But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 matters tremendously.

Optimal ratio: 1:1 to 4:1 (omega-6 to omega-3) Modern American diet: 20:1 to 50:1

This massive imbalance causes chronic inflammation throughout your entire body.

Here's what happens when you consume seed oils regularly:

PROBLEM 1: CHRONIC INFLAMMATION

Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory when consumed in excess.

They convert to arachidonic acid in your body, which produces inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins and leukotrienes.

This causes:

• Joint pain and arthritis

• Digestive issues and IBS

• Skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis)

• Brain fog and cognitive decline

• Chronic fatigue

• Autoimmune conditions

• Accelerated aging

Inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic disease. Seed oils fuel that inflammation.

PROBLEM 2: OXIDATIVE STRESS

The processing of seed oils creates oxidized fats.

Oxidized fats damage your cells, DNA, and mitochondria (your cellular energy producers).

This leads to:

• Increased cancer risk

• Cardiovascular disease

• Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's)

• Faster aging

• Impaired immune function

When you cook with seed oils, you create even more oxidation. Heating polyunsaturated fats makes them incredibly unstable and damaging.

PROBLEM 3: HEART DISEASE (IRONIC, ISN'T IT?)

They told you seed oils prevent heart disease.

The opposite is true.

Oxidized omega-6 fats accumulate in your arterial walls. They oxidize LDL cholesterol, making it dangerous. They promote plaque formation.

Studies show:

• Countries that increased seed oil consumption saw increased heart disease rates

• Replacing saturated fats with seed oils did NOT reduce heart disease in controlled trials

• The original research claiming saturated fat causes heart disease was flawed and cherry-picked

Meanwhile, populations eating high amounts of saturated fat (butter, animal fats) with low seed oil intake have LOW rates of heart disease.

The French. The Swiss. Traditional Mediterranean diets (which use olive oil, not seed oils).

Seed oils are contributing to the heart disease epidemic, not preventing it.

PROBLEM 4: WEIGHT GAIN AND METABOLIC DYSFUNCTION

Seed oils disrupt your metabolism at the cellular level.

They're stored in your fat cells and cell membranes, where they remain for years. This changes how your cells function.

Effects on metabolism:

• Impaired insulin sensitivity (increases diabetes risk)

• Disrupted leptin signaling (makes you stay hungry)

• Reduced mitochondrial function (less energy production)

• Increased fat storage (especially visceral belly fat)

• Slower metabolic rate

People who reduce seed oils and increase saturated fats often lose weight without changing calorie intake. Their metabolism starts working properly again.

PROBLEM 5: BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM DAMAGE

Your brain is 60% fat. The type of fat you eat literally builds your brain structure.

Seed oils incorporate into your brain cell membranes, making them unstable and prone to oxidative damage.

This contributes to:

• Depression and anxiety

• ADHD and focus problems

• Brain fog and memory issues

• Alzheimer's and dementia

• Neurological inflammation

Your brain needs stable fats (saturated and omega-3). Seed oils provide unstable, inflammatory fats that damage neural tissue.

PROBLEM 6: IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION

Chronic inflammation from seed oils overwhelms your immune system.

Your body is constantly fighting inflammation instead of fighting infections and cancer cells.

Result:

• More frequent illnesses

• Slower recovery

• Autoimmune conditions (body attacks itself)

• Allergies and sensitivities

• Poor wound healing

THE HISTORY: HOW THEY FOOLED EVERYONE

In the early 1900s, Procter & Gamble created Crisco (hydrogenated cottonseed oil).

They needed to sell this industrial waste product. So they launched a massive marketing campaign:

• Claimed it was healthier than lard

• Lobbied doctors and nutritionists

• Advertised it as "digestible" and "modern"

• Gave away free cookbooks featuring Crisco

It worked. Americans switched from traditional animal fats to industrial seed oils.

In the 1950s-60s, Ancel Keys published the "Seven Countries Study" claiming saturated fat causes heart disease.

Problems with this study:

• He cherry-picked 7 countries that fit his hypothesis

• He ignored 16 other countries where data contradicted his claims

• Correlation ≠ causation

• Other factors (sugar consumption, processed foods) weren't controlled

But his research launched the "low-fat" movement.

The food industry saw an opportunity:

• Replace butter and lard with cheap seed oils

• Market them as "heart-healthy"

• Get American Heart Association endorsements (funded by industry)

• Create government dietary guidelines recommending seed oils

From 1960-2000, seed oil consumption increased 10x.

During the same period:

• Heart disease skyrocketed

• Obesity epidemic began

• Diabetes rates exploded

• Autoimmune diseases increased dramatically

• Cancer rates climbed

But they kept blaming saturated fat and cholesterol. Never mentioning the seed oils everyone started consuming.

WHERE SEED OILS ARE HIDING (THEY'RE EVERYWHERE)

You're consuming way more seed oils than you think.

Obvious sources:

• Cooking oils (canola, vegetable, corn, soybean)

• Margarine and butter substitutes

• Mayonnaise

• Salad dressings

• Shortening

Hidden sources:

• Almost ALL restaurant food (cheapest oil to use)

• Almost ALL processed foods

• Bread and baked goods

• Crackers and chips

• Nut butters (many brands)

• Protein bars

• Frozen meals

• Sauces and condiments

• "Healthy" packaged snacks

Check ingredient lists. If you see:

• Vegetable oil

• Canola oil

• Soybean oil

• Corn oil

• Sunflower oil

• Safflower oil

• Grapeseed oil

• Cottonseed oil

You're consuming inflammatory seed oils.

Restaurant meals are the worst. Even "healthy" restaurants use seed oils because they're cheap. Your grilled chicken and vegetables? Cooked in inflammatory oil.

One restaurant meal can contain 20-30g of seed oils. More than your body can handle.

WHAT OILS YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY USE

Not all oils are bad. Humans have thrived on certain fats for thousands of years.

TIER 1: BEST FATS (USE FREELY)

Butter (from grass-fed cows)

• Rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K2)

• Contains anti-inflammatory butyrate

• Stable for cooking

• Delicious

Ghee (clarified butter)

• Same benefits as butter

• Milk solids removed (good for dairy-sensitive people)

• Higher smoke point

• Great for high-heat cooking

Tallow (rendered beef fat)

• Very stable for high-heat cooking

• Rich in fat-soluble vitamins

• Neutral flavor

• Traditional cooking fat

Lard (rendered pork fat)

• Stable for cooking

• High in vitamin D

• Neutral flavor

• Makes amazing pie crusts

Coconut oil

• Highly stable saturated fat

• Contains beneficial MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides)

• Good for baking and cooking

• Some find flavor too strong for savory food

Extra virgin olive oil

• Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols

• Anti-inflammatory

• Great for low-heat cooking and finishing

• Don't use for high-heat (oxidizes)

Avocado oil

• High smoke point

• Mostly monounsaturated (stable)

• Neutral flavor

• Good for high-heat cooking

• WARNING: Many brands are cut with seed oils. Buy reputable brands only.

TIER 2: OCCASIONAL USE

Sesame oil (unrefined)

• Traditional in Asian cooking

• Has some omega-6 but also antioxidants

• Use sparingly for flavor

Macadamia nut oil

• Mostly monounsaturated

• Low in omega-6

• Expensive but good option

TIER 3: AVOID COMPLETELY

• Canola oil

• Vegetable oil

• Soybean oil

• Corn oil

• Sunflower oil

• Safflower oil

• Grapeseed oil

• Cottonseed oil

• Margarine

• Any "vegetable oil blend"

Throw these out. Don't cook with them. Don't buy products containing them.

THE REAL SCIENCE (WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU)

The research is clear when you look at ALL the data, not cherry-picked studies:

Studies showing seed oils are harmful:

• The Sydney Diet Heart Study: Replacing saturated fat with seed oils INCREASED death rates

• The Minnesota Coronary Experiment: More omega-6 intake = higher heart disease risk

• Multiple studies showing oxidized linoleic acid (from seed oils) promotes atherosclerosis

• Research linking seed oil consumption to cancer, diabetes, and neurological diseases

Studies showing saturated fat is NOT harmful:

• Meta-analysis of 21 studies: No association between saturated fat and heart disease

• Populations eating high saturated fat (French, Swiss, traditional cultures) have LOW disease rates

• Saturated fat raises HDL (good cholesterol) and changes LDL to less dangerous forms

The "saturated fat causes heart disease" narrative is falling apart as more research emerges.

But the food industry doesn't want this information mainstream. Seed oils are a multi-billion dollar industry.

WHY DOCTORS STILL RECOMMEND SEED OILS

Most doctors get 4-20 hours of nutrition education in medical school.

That education is often outdated and influenced by industry funding.

They learned: "Saturated fat bad, seed oils good."

They haven't updated their knowledge with current research.

Also, challenging mainstream nutrition advice can hurt their careers. Easier to repeat what they were taught.

But more doctors are waking up to the truth. Functional medicine practitioners, integrative doctors, and researchers examining the actual data are sounding the alarm about seed oils.

The tide is turning. Slowly.

THE TRUTH ABOUT "HEART HEALTHY" CLAIMS

American Heart Association puts their stamp on seed oils.

Why? Because industry donates millions to the AHA.

Crisco was one of AHA's first sponsors. Food companies continue funding them.

The "heart healthy" claim is marketing, not science.

Real heart-healthy fats:

• Omega-3s (fatty fish, grass-fed meat)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Saturated fats from quality sources (not causing inflammation)

Seed oils promote the inflammation and oxidation that CAUSE heart disease.

But they've captured the regulatory agencies, medical associations, and government guidelines.

Follow the money. Then follow the real science.

ONE MORE THING YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK

Don't try to eliminate all seed oils overnight.

Just do ONE thing this week:

Replace your cooking oil with butter, ghee, or avocado oil.

That's it.

Stop cooking with vegetable oil, canola oil, or any seed oil.

Use butter for most cooking. Use avocado oil for high-heat cooking. Use olive oil for finishing and low-heat.

This one change eliminates 50-70% of your seed oil exposure.

After one week of cooking with real fats, add the next step (eliminate seed oil-containing condiments).

Build gradually. Sustainable change happens slowly.

Here's to reducing inflammation!

Sarah

P.S. - The single most important change? Stop cooking with seed oils. Switch to butter, ghee, or avocado oil today. Your cells will thank you. Your inflammation will drop. Your energy will improve. Start there.