The Buzz about Seed Oils

By Sarah Alsager and Mark Messina, PhD, MS, Soy Nutrition Institute Global with support from the United Soybean Board

Anyone who reads the newspaper, scrolls social media, surfs the internet, or watches television has undoubtedly heard something about “seed oils.” Recent survey data shows that 75% of American adults reported they are at least somewhat familiar with seed oils. That statistic is especially striking considering that this term is relatively new and has only been used in nutrition conversations over the past couple of years.

While most Americans have heard of seed oils, most also have trouble identifying what they are. Seed oils are, as the name implies, oils extracted from seeds including corn, soybean, rice bran, grapeseed, canola, cottonseed, sunflower, and safflower. Sesame seed is also a seed oil but for unknown reasons was not included in the list of seed oils established by the anti-seed oil folks. Popular oils like olive and palm are not seed oils because they are extracted from fruits.

Results from the previously mentioned survey also revealed that 28% of Americans avoid consuming seed oils. This sentiment directly conflicts with recommendations by the American Heart Association to consume polyunsaturated fats such as corn oil, soybean oil, and canola oil. In addition, these oils have FDA-approved health claims stating that they may risk of coronary heart disease.

Here are three facts about seed oils that address some of the concerns you may have heard or seen.

Fact #1: Seed oils may lower chronic disease risk.

One argument of those against consuming seed oils is that they are a modern addition to the diet and because of that must be the cause of diabetes and obesity. Seed oils are a relatively modern addition to the diet as their popularity began to increase in the 1960s with the emergence of soybean oil. Before that, most of the fat used for cooking and food preparation was animal fat, such as butter, tallow, and lard. It is also true that the incidence of chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes

(diabetes occurs primarily in people with overweight/obesity) has increased markedly over the past 60 years, although heart disease mortality has decreased.

However, lots of things in society have changed over that time that have contributed to the obesity epidemic (e.g., the amount of time people spend on screens has increased significantly). Just because both of these things have occurred does not mean that one caused the other. Furthermore, when you analyze studies monitoring the health status of thousands of individuals for decades, seed oil intake is not associated with diabetes. In fact, those who consume higher amounts of seeds oils are less likely to develop diabetes. Population studies show diets higher in linoleic acid are associated with lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and overall mortality.

Fact #2: Seed oils provide essential fat for human health and do not increase inflammation.

Another commonly stated argument from the anti-seed oil faction is that they are high in fat and increase inflammation which can adversely affect health. Seed oils are high in linoleic acid, a type of polyunsaturated fat. Americans consume about 8% of their calories in the form of linoleic acid. That may seem like a lot, but it is right in line with recommendations from the American Heart Association to consume 5 to 10% of total calories from linoleic acid. When polyunsaturated fat replaces saturated fat in the diet, blood cholesterol levels are lowered, which is why seed oils have health claims. And in contrast to the arguments from anti-seed oil voices, research shows that linoleic acid doesn’t increase inflammation or oxidative stress. The notion that they do is outdated thinking.

Fact #3: Seed oils provide health benefits, regardless of how they are processed.

The processing seed oils undergo is another concern highlighted by those against seed oils. The steps involved in the processing of oils are tightly regulated and completed according to best practice safety limits. While the processing is how the oil is made, what matters most is how consuming the oil affects our health.

There is an enormous amount of evidence from the highest-quality research studies showing seed oil consumption benefits health. In addition to seed oils’ potential to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, there is also evidence they may benefit liver function and reduce risk of dementia. Although in high-income countries, much of the concern about fat focuses on consuming too much saturated fat, in many countries around the world, the biggest problem is consuming insufficient amounts of polyunsaturated fat, which is provided by seed oils.

The bottom line is that the overarching scientific evidence supports the importance of including seed oils in our diet. For additional information and resources on this topic, please visit https://sniglobal.org/seedoils...;