RFK Jr. and influencers denigrate seed oils, confusing nutrition scientists

By Jonel Aleccia, Associated Press Health writer

Until recently, most Americans had never heard the term “seed oils”, even if they have probably cooked them and have been consuming them for decades.

It is the catchy description invented by internet influencers, well -being gurus and certain politicians to refer to current cooking oils – think of canola, soy and corn oil – which have long been basic foods in many domestic kitchens.

These ardent criticisms refer to the most refined vegetable oils like “the eight hateful” and claim that they feed inflammation and high levels of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new secretary of health, said that the Americans were “poisoned without knowing it” by seed oils and called for fast food restaurants to return to the use of beef tallow or make animal fat in their fries.

In response to consumer concerns, some food manufacturers have stripped the seed oils of their products. Restaurants like the Sweetgreen salad chain have removed them from their menus. Many Americans now say that they are now avoiding seed oils, according to a recent international Food Information Council survey, a commercial group of industry.

The discussion on seed oil has exasperated nutrition scientists, who claim that decades of research confirm the benefits of the health of consumption of such oils, especially in place of alternatives such as butter or arundoux.

“I don’t know where it comes from these bad seed oils,” said Martha Belury, professor of food sciences at Ohio State University.

During an audience in the Senate on Thursday, Dr. Marty Makary, appointed to lead the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, called for a more in-depth examination of products.

“I think seed oils are a good example of the place where we could benefit from a consolidation of scientific evidence,” he said.

What are seed oils?

In other words, these are oils extracted from vegetable seeds. They include eightly commonly targeted by criticism: canola, corn, cotton seeds, grape seeds, soy, sunflower, carthame and rice.

Seed oils are generally made by pressing or crushing the seeds, then treating them more with chemicals and heat to remove elements that can leave cloudy oil or unpleasant taste or odor.

The result of such refining is a neutral taste oil that is inexpensive, stable and capable of being heated to high temperature without smoking, said Eric Decker, professor of food sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

On the other hand, olive oil and avocado oil are considered as fruit oils. They are often cold pressed, which retains many plants based on plants that benefit health – but also makes oils more expensive and subject to smoking on high heat.

Seed oils are mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Most seed oils are rich in one type of fatty acid, omega-6 and low in another type, omega-3. These fatty acids are essential to human health, but our body does not make them alone, so we must obtain them from food.

What are the claims on seed oils and health?

Critics of seed oils say that many scientists say are not confirmed by research.

Some criticisms argue that the way the oils are produced leave toxic by-products from a chemical called hexane. Hexane is considered to be dangerous in a gas form, but Decker said that the hexane used as liquid solvent to extract the oil is evaporated and that the residue which remains “is very low and would not present any risk”.

Another common statement is that the high omega-6 composition of seed oils and the low omega-3 composition causes an imbalance that can increase the risk of chronic conditions by stimulating inflammation in the body.

Belury, who studied fatty acids for three decades, says that the complaint is based on an excessive simplification and a misunderstanding of science. Studies have shown that an increase in the contribution of linoleic acid, the most common omega-6, does not significantly affect the concentrations of inflammatory markers in the blood, she said.

“Scientists who study omega-6 and omega-3 think we need the two,” said Belury. “Seed oils do not increase acute or chronic inflammation markers.”

In addition, research by the American Heart Association and others have constantly shown that plants based on plants reduce the so-called bad cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially compared to the rich sources in saturated fat.

This is also in the new research of scientists at Brigham Hospital and women. A study of more than 200,000 adults over 30 years old released Thursday revealed that people who ate the highest butter had a risk of 15% higher than those who ate the least. People who ate the most plant -based oils – including seed oils – had a risk of 16% lower than those who ate the least.

Dr. Daniel Wang, who directed research, said that new modeling data suggest that the exchange of less than one tablespoon per day of butter for equal calories of plants based on plants could reduce the premature deaths of cancer and overall mortality by 17%. Such a small daily change could lead to “a substantial advantage,” said Wang.

Seed oil consumption has increased

Groups like the Seed Oil Free alliance, which invoices companies to certify their products are free from oils, note that consumption of seed oil in the United States has skyrocketed in recent decades and that they provide empty calories that “move other more nutritious foods”.

Corey Nelson, group’s co -founder, said that consumers can buy low -sodium and low -sugar versions, they should be able to choose products that do not contain seed oils, if they wish.

Food scientists agree that the consumption of seed oils has increased, but they say that it is because they are widely used in fried foods and fast food and ultra-proposed foods, which represent almost three-quarters of the American food supply. These foods, which have been linked to a multitude of health problems, also include high levels of refined grains, added sugars and sodium. There is no evidence that seed oils themselves are responsible for poor health results, experts said.

Consumers concerned about seed oils should eat less ultra -forese food. They should consult a doctor to personalize their consumption of oils, people using a variety of oils depending on their health, said Decker.

Research shows that olive oil is the healthiest choice, so people should use it “like their cooking style and their wallets allows,” he noted. At the same time, they can increase the consumption of healthy omega-3 by eating more fish such as tuna and salmon.

Supporters and detractors of seed oils agree on one thing: more nutritional research is necessary to explore nuances and solve long -term breakage problems.

In the meantime, scientists have said that a return to beef tallow, with its high levels of saturated fat, was not the answer.

“There is no evidence indicating that beef tweering is healthier than seed oils,” wrote Decker in an email. “Remember that tallow is also treated to purify fat.”

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Originally published: March 7, 2025 at 10:42 am PST