The Long Haul: Seed Oil
Welcome to The Long Haul! Every week, I’ll explore a longevity topic and then give a roundup of the big news in longevity. This week, I want you to put your pitchfork down against seed oil. (Were you forwarded this email? Please subscribe here.) Today's Topic: Seed OilThe internet HATES seed oils. And I think they’re just looking for something to villainize. Because the research shows they aren’t that bad. What are seed oils Seed oils are plant-based cooking oils like:
The process of making oil from seeds involves a bleaching and deodorizing process which removes the antioxidants. Seed oils became popular as they’re an inexpensive, good option for cooking and baking and they can be used at higher temperatures. [1] Why do people hate seed oils? So they’re cheap and great for cooking but apparently incredibly bad for your health. Here’s what the internet thinks: Seed oils have a high level of Omega-6 fatty acids, and in excess, Omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation, and inflammation leads to:
Because seed oils are commonly used in ultra-processed foods, which are a dominant part of our diets, we’ve rapidly increased the amount of Omega-6’s we’re consuming, which is what the internet thinks is making us overweight and metabolically unhealthy. [1] Is your science hat on? Correlation does not equal causation! The truth Omega-6 is an essential fatty acid, just like Omega-3. The dangers of seed oils have only been shown in lab studies, not human clinical trials. [2] Historically, humans have consumed a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6’s to Omega-3’s. This ratio is now 16:1. To get the benefits of these essential fatty acids, they need to be broken down by enzymes. And both Omega-6 and Omega-3 use the same enzyme with the difference being Omega-6 is sometimes inflammatory and Omega-3 is famously anti-inflammatory. [3] The theory is that Omega-6 has completely taken over this enzyme causing inflammation in our bodies isn’t true. Studies have shown that Omega-3 still does its job despite the presence of Omega-6. A 20-year-long study of 2500 men in Finland found that higher levels of linoleic acid (Omega-6) in the blood were associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. [3] Takeaway Seed oils have been villainized but I think the real villain is sugary, ultra-processed foods that contain seed oils. So this is just another Long Haul that advocates for eating whole foods and you’ll be fine! The Haul: What you can’t miss in longevity this weekArticles
Thanks for reading. – Robyn [1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/seed-oils-are-they-actually-toxic [2] https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/krnc/monthly-blog/should-i-be-concerned-about-seed-oils/ [3] https://zoe.com/learn/are-seed-oils-bad-for-you |
