5 Reasons to Ditch Seed Oils

TODAY’S POST SUMMARY

The Truth About Cooking Oils

🔹 History of Seed Oils

• Seed oils (like canola, soybean, corn) were not part of traditional diets.

• First introduced in the early 1900s—cottonseed oil used in Crisco (1911).

• Promoted during the low-fat diet craze starting in the 1970s.

• Created using industrial processes: high heat, solvents like hexane, and chemical refining.

🔹 Why Seed Oils Are Harmful

• High in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), especially linoleic acid.

• Prone to oxidation when heated—produces harmful compounds linked to:

  • Inflammation

  • Heart disease

  • Obesity

  • Insulin resistance

• Found in nearly all processed foods and fast food items.

🔹 Better Alternatives to Cook With

Use these natural, stable fats instead:

• Olive oil – For low to medium heat, rich in antioxidants.

• Avocado oil – High smoke point, great for high-heat cooking.

• Butter – Great flavor, best for baking and light sautéing.

• Ghee – Clarified butter with high smoke point, good for frying.

• Beef tallow – Traditional fat, perfect for roasting and frying.

🔹 When to Use What

• Use olive oil for salads and light cooking.

• Avocado oil for frying or searing.

• Ghee and tallow for high-heat recipes.

• Butter for flavor-rich baking and sauces.

🔹 Takeaway

• Seed oils are highly processed and linked to modern health problems.

• Choose real, traditional fats your body recognizes and can use properly.

• Always read ingredient labels—avoid "vegetable oil," "canola," "soybean," and similar.

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THE POST

Questions

1. What was the first industrial seed oil used in food products?
A. Sunflower oil
B. Soybean oil
C. Olive oil
D. Cottonseed oil

2. Which of the following is not a typical seed oil?
A. Canola oil
B. Corn oil
C. Butter
D. Soybean oil

3. What makes seed oils potentially harmful to health?
A. They contain too much calcium
B. They are rich in saturated fat
C. They are low in calories
D. They oxidize and cause inflammation

4. What traditional fat has one of the highest smoke points and is good for high-heat cooking?
A. Extra virgin olive oil
B. Avocado oil
C. Butter
D. Coconut milk

5. What chemical is commonly used to extract oils from seeds in industrial processing?
A. Vinegar
B. Hexane
C. Baking soda
D. Hydrogen peroxide

The Truth About Cooking Oils: Why It's Time to Ditch Seed Oils for Good

For years, the food industry told us to steer clear of saturated fats and instead embrace so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable oils. Canola, soybean, corn, sunflower—these oils were sold as modern, clean, and healthy. They slid into every corner of our food supply: restaurant fryers, salad dressings, processed snacks, even health bars.

But today, more doctors, researchers, and health-conscious eaters are waking up to the truth: these industrial seed oils may be doing more harm than good.

If you care about what you eat and how it affects your body, it’s time to rethink what kind of oil you’re cooking with.

A Short History of Seed Oils: From Factory Floors to Dinner Tables

Let’s rewind. For most of human history, people cooked with natural animal fats—beef tallow, lard, butter—and plant oils like olive or coconut. These were stable, whole-food fats extracted with minimal processing, often just pressing or churning.

Everything changed in the early 1900s. Enter seed oils: an industrial byproduct turned food source.

The story starts with cottonseed oil. It was once considered inedible waste—used mainly for soap or lamp fuel. But in 1911, Procter & Gamble figured out how to hydrogenate it (a process that turns liquid oils into solids) and launched Crisco. It was promoted as a modern replacement for lard: cleaner, whiter, and “scientifically advanced.”

Over the next few decades, companies learned to extract oil from soybeans, corn, safflower, canola, and sunflower seeds. These weren’t traditional food sources—they required high-heat, chemical extraction using solvents like hexane, deodorization, and bleaching.

By the 1970s, the government began recommending low-fat diets, blaming saturated fats for rising heart disease rates. This gave seed oils a green light. They were cheaper to produce, shelf-stable, and easy to blend into processed foods. The result? By the 2000s, seed oils made up a massive portion of the average American's daily fat intake.

The Health Problem with Seed Oils

So what’s the issue?

Seed oils are extremely high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs)—especially linoleic acid. While we do need some omega-6 in our diets, modern diets are overloaded. Too much of it throws off the body's natural omega-6 to omega-3 balance, fueling chronic inflammation.

Here’s why that matters:

• Oxidation: PUFAs are chemically unstable. When heated (as in frying or baking), they oxidize and produce harmful compounds like aldehydes and lipid peroxides. These have been linked to inflammation, cell damage, and even cancer.

• Metabolic stress: Excess omega-6 has been tied to obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular problems.

• Hidden danger: Unlike sugar or trans fats, seed oils are often invisible. You’re eating them without realizing it—every time you snack on chips, grab fast food, or pour a store-bought dressing on your salad.

In short: seed oils are industrial creations, not real food. They were never part of our diet until very recently, and the science is now showing how our bodies react badly to them.

The Better Oils: What to Use Instead

Luckily, we don’t need seed oils. There are healthier, more natural fats that humans have used for thousands of years—oils your body actually knows how to process.

Here’s a breakdown of the best ones:

Olive Oil

• Best for: Low to medium heat cooking, dressings, drizzling

• Why it’s good: Rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, especially oleocanthal, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

• Watch out: Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point (~375°F), so avoid high-temp frying.

Avocado Oil

• Best for: High-heat cooking like roasting, searing, stir-frying

• Why it’s good: One of the highest smoke points (up to 520°F), neutral flavor, rich in healthy fats.

• Bonus: Cold-pressed varieties are minimally processed.

Butter

• Best for: Baking, pan cooking, finishing sauces

• Why it’s good: Real butter contains fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2. Adds rich flavor and texture.

• Note: It can burn quickly; for high heat, use ghee instead.

Ghee (Clarified Butter)

• Best for: Frying, sautéing, high-heat Indian dishes

• Why it’s good: Butter with the milk solids removed. Higher smoke point (~485°F) and shelf-stable.

• Ideal for: People with lactose sensitivity.

Beef Tallow

• Best for: Frying, roasting vegetables, deep frying

• Why it’s good: Stable saturated fat with a high smoke point. Long used in traditional cooking and by fast food restaurants before the switch to seed oils.

• Old-school comeback: Tallow is now trending among health-conscious cooks and carnivore diet followers.

When to Use What: A Quick Guide

Final Thoughts: Cook Smart, Eat Real

Seed oils are a modern convenience, not a traditional food. They were born in factories, not kitchens. While they may be cheap and easy to mass produce, the long-term health effects aren’t worth the cost.

Real food needs real fat. Natural oils like olive, avocado, butter, ghee, and beef tallow are not only safer for cooking, but they also offer better flavor, better nutrition, and better support for your long-term health.

If you’re serious about eating clean and reducing inflammation, start with your oil. Read labels. Avoid anything with “vegetable oil,” “canola,” “soybean,” or “cottonseed” on the package. Instead, cook with fats that humans have trusted for centuries.

Your skillet doesn’t need seed oil. And neither do you.

Correct Answers + Explanations

1. Correct Answer: D – Cottonseed oil
Cottonseed oil was the first industrial seed oil used in food, originally marketed as Crisco in 1911.

2. Correct Answer: C – Butter
Butter is a natural fat, not a seed oil. It's made from churning cream and has been used for centuries.

3. Correct Answer: D – They oxidize and cause inflammation
Seed oils are high in unstable polyunsaturated fats, which oxidize easily, especially when heated. This creates inflammatory compounds.

4. Correct Answer: B – Avocado oil
Avocado oil has a very high smoke point (up to 520°F), making it ideal for high-heat cooking like frying or roasting.

5. Correct Answer: B – Hexane
Hexane is a chemical solvent commonly used in the industrial extraction of oils from seeds, which contributes to their ultra-processed nature.

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