Seed oils are the latest ingredient in a long list to have become a focus over their use in foods. But it wasn’t so long ago that these polyunsaturated-fat oils were lauded as healthy replacements for saturated fats, such as butter and lard. In fact, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), “polyunsaturated fats help the body reduce bad cholesterol, lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke.” So, what has changed and what is the science behind the change in view?
Seed oils are oils that are extracted from plant seeds then further processed into an inexpensive, shelf-stable, neutral-tasting oil. One criticism of seed oils is based on a misunderstanding of its omega-6 content. Omega-6 and Omega-3 are essential fatty acids that the human body needs but cannot produce itself, so we need them in our diets. While both have anti-inflammatory properties, omega-6 is less anti-inflammatory than omega-3, which has caused some to suggest that omega-6, thereby seed oils, cause inflammation.
As we have discussed before, ultra-processed foods have also become a focus of attention and the use of seed oils in ultra-processed foods has, thus, become a subject of controversy. However, not only is the removal of seed oils from processed foods – whether “processed” in a plant or your own kitchen – unfeasible, many definitions of ultra-processed focus on their use of additives that a consumer would not find in their own pantry. Given that definition, seed oils are not what would make a food be considered to be ultra-processed – at least by the “do you have it in your kitchen” definition, as nearly every consumer will have at least one, and often more, seed oils (e.g., canola, corn, sunflower, soybean, safflower, grapeseed oil, etc.) as an essential component of their kitchen. In fact, there are very few replacements for these, most of which are either more expensive (e.g., olive and avocado oils); and/or may be okay for cooking but will affect the taste or texture of baked goods (e.g., olive oil).
Despite this, seed oils have become a hot topic in the media and social media, thereby coming to the attention of Health and Human Services as well. And in that sense, it may cause a challenge for the food industry, as one of the pillars of FDA’s proposed method for prioritizing post-market assessments of food chemicals is “high attention” – e.g., high Congressional or media coverage. While seed oils would not be considered a chemical, the high attention in the media/social media has been at least a factor in HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s asking fast-food restaurants to return to using beef tallow, or rendered animal fat, in their fryers. This focus from RFK has certainly exasperated some in the nutrition world.
There are few applications where the adage “Everything in moderation” is more applicable than for foods. Want to use real butter on your toast or waffle, or eat a bag of potato chips or a large helping of ice cream? Go ahead, just don’t make that your exclusive diet. Balancing a variety of foods is the best way to maintain a healthy body weight and nutritional intake.
Unfortunately, there is no single cause of or simple answer to America’s health issues. But it is critical that science be followed in the making of decisions, recommendations, and regulations, while, at the same time, giving consumers choices. While this may mean the conducting of new research to update the science, the investment in that is vastly superior to and will significantly benefit Americans more than advocating for the latest consumer trend based on conjecture or opinion.
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