Are seed oils really “The Evil Eight”?
Have you heard some people demand that you must avoid “seed oils”?
There are 8 seed oils that are sometimes called the “Evil Eight” or the “Hateful Eight”:
Sunflower oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Cottonseed Oil
Safflower Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Soybean Oil
Many people on the internet are claiming that they lead to inflammation and diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The blame is placed on omega-6 polyunsaturated fats that are found in high amounts in these seed oils. Additionally, critics claim that seed oils are unstable molecules, contain harmful additives and toxins, and come from genetically modified crops. This information has turned many people away from eating at many restaurants and avoiding eating foods containing any traces of seed oils.
So, are these seed oils as bad as critics believe?
Let’s see what the Heart.org says:
Our bodies can not produce omega-6, and our bodies need it. “Polyunsaturated fats help the body reduce cholesterol, lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke.” One issue is that many ultra-processed foods do contain these seed oils and many other harmful ingredients, but the seed oils are not to blame.
The benefits of using small amounts of seed oils in healthy meals outweigh any risks.
Seeds go through processing to extract the oils. (doesn’t explain further)
It may be better to use an alternative monounsaturated fat like olive oil.
Let’s see what the Massachusetts General Hospital says:
The process from having a seed to extracting its oil is extensive using high heat, mechanical pressure, and/or chemicals.
For example, hexane is commonly used as a liquid solvent during the extraction process.
The FDA does not monitor hexane residue left in oils.
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 does seem to play an important role, “historically, humans consumed a diet with a 1:1 ratio, while the American diet has increased this ratio to 10:1 or greater”. However, the ideal ratio is unclear.
Note: Updated in 2000, the EPA mentions potential exposure and side effects from hexane. However, the EPA only mentions inhalation exposure, not ingestion exposure.
How much omega-6 do we need and how much is too much?
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the AHA recommends getting approximately 11 to 22 grams of omega-6 per day.
Harvard recommends adding extra omega-3s into your diet, but don’t cut back on healthy omega-6.
My opinion: There’s no need to go crazy fact-checking every restaurant or avoiding all meals containing small amounts of seed oils. The information presented by researchers and government organizations is vague and doesn’t provide much reasoning to support their claim that we should not avoid omega-6. Most of the information presented by critics are true about seed oils, but there’s limited evidence to show that omega-6 alone causes disease.
What do you think? Are you buying seed oils, limiting them, or avoiding them completely?
References
Hexane. Environmental Protection Agency. (2000, January). https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/hexane.pdf
Kane, A. (2024, October 16). Seed oils: Facts & myths. Massachusetts General Hospital. https://www.massgeneral.org/news/article/seed-oils-facts-myths
No need to avoid healthy omega-6 fats. Harvard Health. (2019, August 20). https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/no-need-to-avoid-healthy-omega-6-fats
There’s no reason to avoid seed oils and plenty of reasons to eat them. www.heart.org. (2024, August 20). https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/08/20/theres-no-reason-to-avoid-seed-oils-and-plenty-of-reasons-to-eat-them
