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Are seed oils toxic? The answer is complicated, according to research
Seed oils, often mislabeled as “vegetable oils,” come from plant seeds and include canola, corn, soybean, and others. Their widespread use surged after the 1888 invention of the mechanical screw press, allowing mass extraction. Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. soybean oil consumption increased 1,000-fold, leading to significant biological changes. The rise in seed oil intake has caused a 136% increase in omega-6 fatty acids in Americans' fat tissue over the past 50 years. Critics, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and health influencers, argue these oils are harmful, promoting alternatives like tallow for cooking.
Feb 9, 2025 2:57 PM EST
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is on track to finalize his confirmation as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, along with several health influencers, has claimed that commonly used cooking oils like canola and soybean oil are harmful.
As part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, T-shirts now feature the slogan, “Make Frying Oil Tallow Again".
How seed oils infiltrated the American diet
Seed oils, often mistakenly called “vegetable oils,” are derived from plant seeds, unlike olive and coconut oils, which come from fruits. Critics of their widespread use frequently cite the “hateful eight” seed oils: canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, and rice bran oil.
These oils became a major part of the human diet following the invention of the mechanical screw press in 1888, which allowed for large-scale extraction.
Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. soybean oil consumption skyrocketed by 1,000 times, significantly altering human biology. Over the past 50 years, the concentration of omega-6 fatty acids stored in Americans' fat tissue has surged by 136 percent due to increased seed oil consumption.
Fatty acid composition of the "hateful 8" seed oils
Diets with a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to various health concerns. The differences in this ratio among seed oils may help explain why some offer protection against heart attacks and heart disease-related deaths, while others do not.
| Grapeseed oil | 696:1 |
|---|---|
| Cottonseed oil | 257:1 |
| Sunflower oil | 125:1 |
| Safflower oil | 91:1 |
| Corn oil | 50:1 |
| Rice bran oil | 21:1 |
| Soybean oil | 8:1 |
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