By Lexi Potts
While seed oils have been an essential part of cooking and food manufacturing for decades, recent questions about their health effects have sparked a wave of concern.
Seed oils generally refer to edible plant oils extracted from seeds, such as soybean, corn, safflower, and canola oils. They are frequently used in processed foods, salad dressings, and home cooking because of their low cost and high smoke point.
Seed oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically omega-6 fatty acids. While omega-6 fatty acids are essential for health, an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet has been linked to chronic inflammation that may contribute to such conditions as heart disease and obesity.
Recent research suggests that the excessive consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, combined with low omega-3 fatty acid intake, can disrupt the body's inflammatory response (Simopoulos, A. P., 2002).
The online seed oil panic
The term "seed oils" has gained a new-found infamy in health-focused online communities concerned about processing methods and fatty acid composition. Critics argue that the industrial refining processes used to create seed oils—including chemical extraction, bleaching, and deodorization—may produce harmful byproducts, such as trans fats and oxidation compounds (Mozaffarian, D., Micha, R., & Wallace, S., 2010).
However, research on the long-term effects of refined seed oils have shown a lower risk of premature deaths, compared with a higher intake of fats (such as butter) that are associated with a higher risk of premature death.
So, how do you manage seed oil intake? Balance is key.
- Prioritize whole-food fat sources.
Incorporate a variety of fats from whole foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish. This allows for a well-rounded diet and also helps to maintain a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (Simopoulos, A. P., 2002). - Use minimally processed oils.
When possible, use cold-pressed oils like extra virgin olive oil. Cold-pressed oils retain more nutrients and beneficial compounds than those that have been hot-pressed, such as standard olive oil. - Read nutrition labels.
If you want to moderate seed oil intake in your diet, carefully read ingredient labels on packaged foods.
By making informed, research-backed choices, you can navigate seed oils in a way that aligns with your health and wellness goals, making the effort achievable and worthwhile. To find the ingredients in meals offered on campus, check NetNutrition and Nutrislice.
Resources
Simopoulos, A. P. (2002). "The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids." Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 56(8), 365-379.
Mozaffarian, D., Micha, R., & Wallace, S. (2010). Effects on coronary heart disease of increasing polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS Medicine, 7(3), e1000252.
