Are seed oils like canola bad for you? Here's what we know

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Cooks around the world rely on seed oils such as canola, sunflower, and grapeseed for their neutral taste and high smoke point. But a growing number of people are claiming that social media influencers, forum posters, politicians and podcasters are “toxic.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's pick to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recently resurfaced the debate, calling on people to “make frying fat again” and wearing T-shirts, hats, and dogs. We sold bandanas and other items. His merchandise store displayed car magnets with this slogan on them.

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Critics have linked seed oil consumption to a variety of illnesses, from headaches and inflammation to obesity and heart disease. Kennedy posted on X that Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned” by seed oil. But is it?

Health experts say claims that seed oil is harmful to health are “false”. Christopher Gardner is a professor of medicine. stanford universityhe said. american heart associationseed oil is “no need to fear.” One of the claims of the anti-seed oil movement is that the omega-6 fatty acids in seed oils turn into toxins when cooked, causing inflammation and chronic disease. Gardner said this argument is “flawed in many ways.”

Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-6 and omega-3, lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Omega-3s do this more effectively, but “that doesn't mean omega-6s are bad for you,” Gardner says.

Gardner said the “real concern” is not the seed oil itself, but the mass consumption of ultra-processed foods. Highly processed packaged snacks and ready-to-eat foods often contain seed oils, refined carbohydrates, sodium, and sugar. “It's hard to blame seed oils because there are so many other things in these foods.”

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When it comes to omega-6 intake, “it's all about ratio,” says Leissa El Zein, a lecturer at the University of Westminster. Most Westerners eat more omega-6 than omega-3 (sometimes in ratios as high as 15:1), which can lead to inflammation, Elzein writes. conversation. “As long as people are getting enough omega-3s, omega-6 intake does not cause inflammation. In fact, taking them in combination can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.” It will be done.”

Critics of Canadian canola and other seed oils most imported oil In the United States, we often take issue with how it's manufactured. Seed oils go through an extraction process rather than being pressed like olive oil. For example, when cooking at home, the benefits of using sesame or other seed oils in stir-fried vegetables “far outweigh any potential health risks,” Gardner said.

Guy Crosby, Part-time Nutritionist Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Healthechoing this sentiment, said: consumer report In 2022, “cooking with seed oil at home won't be a problem,” Crosby said, noting that the “main problem” will be restaurants and factories. fried food Reusing and reheating seed oil degrades it. As El Zein points out, Trans fats may form The “bad cholesterol” contained in recycled oil increases and the “good cholesterol” decreases.

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Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutritional science and policy at Tufts University, on replacing seed oils with tallow (a rendered fat commonly made from beef suet) and other saturated fats such as butter and lard; He said: new york times That would be a mistake.

health associations including Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada The American Heart Association recommends eating polyunsaturated fats, such as canola oil and sunflower oil, in moderation. According to american heart association“'Bad' fats, such as saturated and trans fats, can have negative health effects.”

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