Why Everyone Is Talking About Seed Oils (And What I Actually Think)
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media lately, you’ve probably heard that seed oils are the latest ingredient we’re supposed to fear.
“Seed oils are inflammatory.”
“Never eat canola oil.”
“Seed oils are destroying your hormones.”
“Switch to butter immediately.”
And then, on the other side, you’ll hear that seed oils are perfectly healthy and that the entire debate is misinformation.
So… who is right?
As with most nutrition conversations, the answer is a lot more nuanced than Instagram or TikTok makes it seem.
As a functional medicine practitioner, I don't believe you need to be afraid of every food that contains sunflower oil or obsessively check every ingredient label. But I also don't think it’s unreasonable to pay attention to the types of fats you're consuming, especially when highly processed foods are making up a large portion of your diet.
Here’s what I actually think about seed oils — including the science around omega-6 fats, inflammation, and hormones.
First: What Exactly Are Seed Oils?
“Seed oils” is a broad term used to describe oils extracted from seeds.
Common examples include:
Canola oil
Soybean oil
Corn oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Cottonseed oil
Grapeseed oil
Rice bran oil
These oils contain different combinations of fatty acids, but many are particularly high in linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid.
And this is where the conversation gets interesting.
Omega-6 fatty acids aren't inherently bad.
In fact, linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid, meaning your body cannot produce it on its own and you need to obtain it through food. The World Health Organization recognizes linoleic acid as an essential dietary fat and recommends that unsaturated fats make up the majority of dietary fat intake.
So the statement that “omega-6 = inflammatory” is simply too simplistic.
So… Do Omega-6 Fats Cause Inflammation?
This is probably the biggest claim you hear online.
The theory goes something like this:
Omega-6 → arachidonic acid → inflammatory compounds → chronic inflammation.
There is some biochemical reasoning behind why people make this argument. Certain omega-6 fatty acids can serve as precursors for signaling molecules involved in inflammation.
But that does not automatically mean eating foods containing linoleic acid causes chronic inflammation in humans.
And this distinction matters.
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials found that increasing dietary linoleic acid did not significantly increase inflammatory markers in healthy adults. Another meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled studies involving more than 1,300 participants similarly found no significant overall effect of increased linoleic acid intake on markers including CRP, IL-6, or TNF-α.
So I would not tell you that eating a handful of sunflower seeds or using some sunflower oil automatically “causes inflammation.”
That isn't what the evidence shows.
But there is another piece of the puzzle.
The modern food environment has changed dramatically.
The issue isn't necessarily that one molecule called linoleic acid is toxic.
It's that many people are consuming large amounts of seed oils through ultra-processed foods.
Think:
Fast food
Fried foods
Chips
Crackers
Packaged baked goods
Salad dressings
Sauces
Frozen meals
Commercial snack foods
Restaurant foods
In other words, the conversation around seed oils often gets separated from the food they're actually coming from.
A diet dominated by ultra-processed foods isn't made healthy simply because the cooking oil itself isn't inherently toxic.
And conversely, a food containing a small amount of sunflower or canola oil doesn't suddenly make an otherwise nutrient-dense meal unhealthy.
Context matters.
What About the Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio?
This is another area where social media has taken a legitimate concept and sometimes turned it into a rigid rule.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both polyunsaturated fats, but they play different roles in the body.
We need both.
The bigger issue is that the modern Western diet often provides plenty of omega-6 fats while people may not be getting enough omega-3-rich foods.
Omega-3 fats can be found in foods like:
Salmon
Sardines
Anchovies
Trout
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Walnuts
Rather than obsessing over achieving a perfect omega-6:omega-3 ratio, I prefer to look at the overall dietary pattern.
Are you eating fatty fish regularly?
Are you eating nuts and seeds?
Are you getting enough whole foods?
Are you relying heavily on packaged and fried foods?
Are you eating a variety of colorful plants?
Those questions are much more useful than panicking over whether a food contains 5 grams of omega-6.
Interestingly, research looking specifically at lowering the dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio has found some reductions in inflammatory markers such as TNF-α and IL-6, although effects are not consistent across all markers, including CRP.
Again: nuance.
Where I Do Think Seed Oils Can Become a Problem
Here's where my opinion gets a little more practical.
I don't think the goal should be:
“Never consume a seed oil again.”
For most people, that's unnecessarily restrictive.
Instead, I'd ask:
How much of your diet is coming from foods that contain them?
There's a big difference between occasionally eating a restaurant meal cooked in canola oil and consuming multiple packaged foods every day where soybean, sunflower, or canola oil is one of the primary ingredients.
If your diet is heavily dependent on ultra-processed foods, reducing those foods will likely be much more meaningful than simply buying a different bottle of cooking oil.
And there is another reason I care about this:
what you're eating instead matters.
If avoiding seed oils means replacing them with olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish — great.
If avoiding seed oils means eating large amounts of butter, bacon, coconut oil, and other sources of saturated fat instead, that's a different conversation.
The World Health Organization recommends shifting dietary fat away from saturated and trans fats toward unsaturated fats, including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
So I don't recommend swapping every seed oil for butter and calling it a health upgrade.
What About Seed Oils and Hormones?
This is where I want to be particularly careful because you'll see some very confident claims online.
You'll hear that seed oils:
“Destroy estrogen”
“Cause estrogen dominance”
“Lower progesterone”
“Disrupt ovulation”
“Cause infertility”
“Throw off your menstrual cycle”
I would not make those claims.
There isn't strong human evidence showing that ordinary dietary consumption of seed oils directly causes hormonal dysfunction in women.
In fact, dietary fat itself is important for overall health, and fats play roles in cell membranes, signaling molecules, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and steroid hormone production.
Research examining dietary fat and reproductive hormones is also much more complicated than “seed oils are bad for hormones.” For example, one observational analysis of regularly menstruating women found associations between higher total fat and PUFA intake and slightly higher testosterone concentrations, demonstrating just how nuanced the relationship between dietary fat and reproductive hormones can be.
So if you're dealing with irregular periods, acne, PMS, PCOS symptoms, or other hormonal concerns, I wouldn't tell you that eliminating seed oils is the solution.
I'd look at the whole picture:
Are you eating enough calories?
Are you getting adequate protein?
Are you getting enough dietary fat?
Are you eating enough carbohydrates?
How is your blood sugar regulation?
How are you sleeping?
What's your stress load?
Are you over-exercising?
Are you getting enough micronutrients?
What's happening with your gut health?
Are there underlying thyroid or metabolic issues?
Hormones are not controlled by one ingredient.
The Oils I Personally Prefer
If you're asking me what I would actually keep in my kitchen, here's my practical list.
1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
This is probably my #1 everyday choice.
Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and contains naturally occurring polyphenols.
I use it for:
Salad dressings
Roasted vegetables
Grain bowls
Drizzling over meals
Moderate-heat cooking
It's also one of the foundational fats in Mediterranean-style eating patterns.
2. Avocado Oil
Another great option.
It's primarily monounsaturated and has a relatively high smoke point, making it versatile for cooking.
I like it when I want something more neutral in flavor than olive oil.
3. Coconut Oil — Occasionally
I don't consider coconut oil “toxic,” but I also don't consider it the ultimate health food.
It's high in saturated fat, so I use it more as an occasional cooking fat rather than my primary oil.
4. Butter or Ghee — In Context
Same idea.
There is absolutely room for butter or ghee in a nutrient-dense diet, but I don't recommend using large amounts of saturated fat as your primary dietary fat source.
The goal isn't to replace every seed oil with butter.
The goal is variety and balance.
What Oils Do I Limit?
I personally wouldn't make highly refined seed oils my primary cooking oils.
That includes frequently relying on oils like:
Soybean oil
Corn oil
Generic vegetable oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Cottonseed oil
But here's the important distinction:
“I don't choose this as my everyday cooking oil” is very different from “this ingredient is poisonous.”
If you're at a restaurant and your vegetables were cooked in canola oil, I don't want you going home stressed about it.
Your overall dietary pattern matters much more than one meal.
And Then There's Fried Food…
This is where I think we can all agree that there is a much bigger issue.
Deep-fried, ultra-processed foods are not something I'd recommend making a staple of your diet — regardless of whether the oil is canola, sunflower, avocado, or something else.
Repeatedly heated oils, heavily fried foods, highly processed ingredients, excess calories, refined carbohydrates, and low nutrient density can all contribute to a dietary pattern that isn't particularly supportive of metabolic health.
And industrially produced trans fats are a completely different category and should be avoided. The WHO recommends limiting trans fats to less than 1% of total energy intake and eliminating industrially produced trans fats where possible.
So when I talk to clients about oils, I don't want them walking away thinking:
“I need to fear sunflower oil.”
I want them thinking:
“I want to eat more whole foods and make better choices most of the time.”
My Simple Seed Oil Rule
If you want the shortest version of my philosophy, here it is:
Don't obsess. Don't fear food. But don't ignore patterns either.
I would rather see you eating:
🥑 Avocado
🐟 Wild-caught salmon
🫒 Extra-virgin olive oil
🥜 Nuts and seeds
🥚 Eggs🥕 Vegetables
🍓 Fruit
🍚 Whole-food carbohydrates
🥩 Quality sources of protein
than spending hours in the grocery store trying to find a single packaged food that is completely free of seed oils.
And if you can gradually reduce your intake of ultra-processed and fried foods while using olive oil or avocado oil more often at home?
That's a win.
The Bottom Line
Seed oils are one of those nutrition topics where the internet has taken a relatively complicated subject and turned it into a black-and-white argument.
But your health isn't black and white.
Seed oils aren't poison.
Omega-6 fats aren't inherently inflammatory.
You don't need to panic if you eat something cooked in canola oil.
And you don't need to replace every bottle of vegetable oil in your house with butter.
At the same time, I do think there's value in being intentional about the fats you consume regularly, especially if your diet contains a lot of ultra-processed and fried foods.
My preference is simple:
Prioritize whole foods. Get plenty of omega-3s. Use extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil regularly.
Limit ultra-processed and heavily fried foods. And stop letting social media convince you that one ingredient is responsible for all of your health problems.
Because when it comes to inflammation, hormones, metabolism, and overall health, the pattern matters far more than the panic.
One Last Thing
If you're struggling with hormonal symptoms, acne, digestive issues, fatigue, irregular cycles, or feeling like your body just isn't functioning the way it should, I wouldn't start by eliminating 25 ingredients from your diet.
I'd start by figuring out why.
Your symptoms are information — and sometimes the most productive thing you can do is look at the bigger picture instead of chasing the latest wellness villain.
Health doesn't require perfection. It requires understanding your body, nourishing it appropriately, and making consistent choices that support you long-term.
References
1. Johnson GH, Fritsche K. Effect of dietary linoleic acid on markers of inflammation in healthy persons: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2012.
2. World Health Organization. Healthy diet. WHO.
3. [Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio meta-analysis]
4. [Dietary fat, PUFA and reproductive hormones study]
5. World Health Organization. Trans fat. WHO.
Comments