Opinion: I study diet and chronic illness. Here’s the uncomfortable truth about seed oils
Critics of seed oils are often accused of spreading fear or misinformation. But the science on the health effects of high seed oil consumption is unsettled.
For decades, mainstream nutrition guidelines have recommended that Americans replace animal fats like butter or lard with polyunsaturated fats, especially seed oils such as soybean, corn, and sunflower oils. These oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids and now make up a significant portion of the fat consumed in the standard American diet.
But recently, the conversation has shifted. Some high-profile figures, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have claimed that seed oils are harmful and promote inflammation and chronic disease. Critics of seed oils are often accused of spreading fear or misinformation — and sometimes those concerns are justified. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: The scientific community has not definitively determined the health effects of high seed oil consumption. And the current evidence is not as conclusive or unidirectional as many assume.
