Seed Oils Might Actually Be Good for You, Groundbreaking New Study Finds
Reducing your intake of seed oils "is not a science-based recommendation," said a study author.
Seed oil has become somewhat of a dirty word as of late. Many purported experts claim that because canola, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils have high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, they lead to dangerous inflammation in the body that can then fuel the growth of chronic diseases and cancer. But many doctors have refuted these claims, and now a new study suggests that seed oils actually have anti-inflammatory benefits.
RELATED: 50% of Colon Cancer Cases in Young People Tied to 1 Common Factor, Researchers Discover.
What’s the deal with the “hateful eight?”
The “hateful eight” is the unofficial term used to group seed oils, according to Cleveland Clinic:
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed
- Grapeseed oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- Rice bran oil
- Peanut oil
The anti-seed oil movement picked up steam after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was put in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services by President Donald Trump. As The New York Times notes, RFK has said that Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned” by such oils.
The claims may originate from the fact that seed oils are present in most processed foods, which have been linked to higher rates of colon cancer in young people. (Processed foods also contain unhealthy things like added sugars, saturated fats, chemicals, and dyes.)
There have also been studies that suggest omega-6 fatty acids, which are present in high amounts in seed oils, “have inflammatory properties that drive tumor growth” in colon cancer, as Best Life previously reported.
New research debunks these theories about seed oils.
However, a new study published in the journal Nutrients offers up evidence to challenge these theories about seed oils.
For the study, researchers set out to better understand how linoleic acid (LA), the specific omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils, affects inflammation. They looked at blood samples from 2,700 individuals and checked for LA levels and arachidonic acid (AA) levels (another omega-6). They also checked for 10 inflammation-related biomarkers to see if and how LA and AA drove them up, according to a press release.
They concluded the following:
- Higher LA and AA levels corresponded to lower levels of five and four of the 10 biomarkers, respectively
- LA and AA were not associated with higher levels of any biomarker
“These new data show clearly that people who have the highest levels of LA (and AA) in their blood are in a less inflammatory state than people with lower levels. This finding is exactly the opposite of what one would expect if omega-6 fatty acids were ‘proinflammatory’—in fact, they appear to be anti-inflammatory,” explained study investigator William S. Harris, PhD; president of the Fatty Acid Research Institute, founder of OmegaQuant Analytics, and a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota.
Harris continued, “In the flurry of news stories about the harms of seed oils—the primary sources of LA in the diet—many voices are calling for reducing Americans’ intakes of LA. This is not a science-based recommendation, and this study—in addition to many more—point in precisely the opposite direction: instead of lowering LA intakes, raising intakes appears to be a healthier recommendation. These findings contradict a narrative, not previous research findings. There are many studies in the medical literature that are consistent with our findings here.”
Other research has shown that omega-6s can reduce cancer risk.
The theory that omega-6s drive inflammation often goes hand-in-hand with the fact that omega-3s have well-known anti-inflammatory properties. Many people suggest that diets high in omega-6s tend to be lower in omega-3s.
However, a study published last year in the International Journal of Cancer found that consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids could lower the risk of 19 types of cancer, as Best Life reported at the time. Specifically, omega-6s lowered the rate of cancers in the head and neck, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, hepatobiliary tract, pancreas, lung, connective soft tissue, kidney, bladder, brain, and thyroid, as well as lower rates of malignant melanoma.
Additionally, the American Heart Association (AHA) notes that “omega-6 is a polyunsaturated fat the body needs but cannot produce itself, so it must get it from foods. Polyunsaturated fats help the body reduce bad cholesterol, lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke,” adding that they support the inclusion of omega-6s as part of a healthy diet.
Dana Schulz is the Deputy Lifestyle Editor at Best Life. She was previously the managing editor of 6sqft, where she oversaw all content related to real estate, apartment living, and the best local things to do.
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