Over the years, basic foods have changed drastically. Ultra food processing has changed the quality of foods in exchange for a longer shelf life and cost reduction.
Countless doctors and health enthusiasts continue to debate whether these oils are harmful or not.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils refer to oils processed from soybean, canola, corn, cottonseed, rice bran, grapeseed, sunflower, and safflower plants. These plants or seeds are much lower in fat than olives or avocados.
They require heavy processing before being suitable for consumption. Some of these processes are high-pressure extraction, chemical processing and deodorising. Often, hexane is used, which is a colourless, flammable liquid derived from crude oil.
They are really affordable to produce and have an extremely long shelf life. They have become a staple in households and products. It’s difficult to find seed oil-free products today. They have replaced natural fats and are the main source of unsaturated fats today.
However, seed oils’ fatty acid profile and ultra-processing are linked to chronic health issues, including obesity, heart disease, and inflammation.
Why are seed oils harmful?
- They are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats and low in omega-3. Having more omega-6 than omega-3 promotes inflammation and can impair the body’s ability to regulate inflammation.
- They are highly unstable and can oxidise easily. Some say it’s rancid before it even reaches you.
- They are produced using chemicals such as Hexane, which is known to be dangerous to humans.
- Oxidised linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs) can damage mitochondrial membranes and affect your gut.
What should you use instead of seed oils?
The best oils to cook with are stable saturated fats such as coconut oil, beef tallow and ghee. These can withstand high heat applications without oxidising.
For low to medium heat applications, you can use butter, olive oil or avocado oil. Be careful when purchasing olive oil and avocado oil, as a lot are cut with seed oils to reduce costs.