Seed oils have been a major point of interest in health and wellness conversations recently. Health and wellness influencers have been referring to seed oils as the “hateful eight,” which include: canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil and rice bran oil.
Although they are being heavily criticized, there is little sound evidence to prove that these oils are detrimental to one’s health. Due to the lack of clarity, health conscious consumers are left feeling confused.
Zoey Hooper, a freshman mass communication major, knows that seed oils have been spoken about in a negative context but is unsure why this is due to the discourse surrounding them.
“I have heard a little about them; I know they are negative, but I am confused by their effects,” Hooper said.
The root of the concerns seed oils have raised has been because they contain omega-6 fatty acids, which some have suggested may result in inflammation.
Some people believe that seed oils can lead to Alzheimer’s. A blog called “Keeping Busy” points out that the inflammation seed oils have been accused of causing may increase one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
“Another study showed that mice fed a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids had increased levels of beta-amyloid protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease,” said “Keeping Busy.”
This blog advocates for one to cut out all seed oils from one’s diet immediately, however it has yet to be proven as a direct cause for any neurological disease.
“A 2017 meta-analysis of randomized control trials found that increased dietary intake of linoleic acid does not have a significant effect on blood concentrations of inflammatory markers,” Massachusetts General Hospital said.
Further, something influencers against seed oils do not take into account, is that the American Heart Association supports the inclusion of omega-6 fatty acids in a healthy diet.
“The AHA supports an omega-6 PUFA intake of at least 5% to 10% of energy in the context of other AHA lifestyle and dietary recommendations,” AHA said.
They conclude that the omega-6 fatty acids in seed oils are not a reason to avoid them. Instead, the AHA advises that omega-6 be consumed only in the context of a healthy diet by avoiding the consumption of omega-6 in foods with poor nutritional value.
The AHA advises those who are concerned about consuming seed oils to make educated decisions about the foods they are eating as a whole. According to the AHA, the difference comes from the way in which a food is prepared, and not whether or not it contains omega-6.
The term inflammation has become popular with wellness influencers, but many neglect to define what exactly that means. Inflammation seems to be the reason those who interact with health and wellness content on social media are partially wary of consuming seed oils.
Kaitlyn Hite, a freshman marketing major, avoids seed oils but is slightly unsure as to why.
“I’m, like, 90% sure it’s just better for your digestion or cause inflammation,” Hite said.
There is a way to incorporate seed oils in a healthy diet. The way most people often consume seed oils is as an ingredient in foods with little nutritional benefit, such as fried foods and pre packaged snacks. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, seed oils can be a component of a healthy diet, as long as they are used in cooking clean recipes.
Social media has grouped all eight oils together, and created a shorthand answer to the questions that arise when a health conscious consumer wants to know if a complex ingredient, such as seed oils, should be labeled as a “good” food or a “bad” food.
The controversy surrounding seed oils appears to be more related to how they are consumed, rather than the oils being inherently harmful.