Truth or Trend: Seed Oils
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Collapse ▲I am excited to share a resource from Extension colleagues at the University
of Missouri Extension. It’s a podcast called “Truth or Trend”.
Two Nutrition and Health Specialists with Missouri Extension, Kaylie
Walker, BS and Debbie Bennett, MPH, CHES address a new topic each
month on this podcast. Their theme is “we do the research, so you don’t
have to”.
They look at what’s trending —especially on social media—and help sort
out the claims from the truth by looking at the research. Their goal is to
make it easier for listeners to make healthy decisions.
The “Seed Oil Scandal” was the topic of one of their most recent podcasts. This topic idea was submitted by a listener who questioned posts that proclaimed that need to completely eliminate seed oils from your diet.
They started the podcast by defining “seed oils”. This is a new name—or new terminology–for something we’ve had for a long time. Seed oils are vegetable oils that are made from the seeds of plants. Examples that we’re
all familiar with include canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils.
These oils are in almost all of the processed foods and restaurant foods we
eat. We find them in many common items such as crackers, margarine,
potato chips, granola bars, store-bought cookies, salad dressings and pasta
sauce.
During the 30-minute podcast, Walker and Bennett discussed the various
claims made both for and against the consumption of seed oils. They also
talked about how seed oils are processed and refined. Most seed oils are
mono or polyunsaturated fats and contain about 120 calories per
tablespoon.
So, what do these Extension Specialists recommend regarding seed oils?
Here are their “actionable” thoughts and what they’d like you to “take
away” from this podcast.
- Pay attention to what you eat. Try for a wholistic approach to diet
and wellness. Eat more whole foods, fruits and vegetables and low-
fat dairy. Overall aim for less processed foods including seed oils. - Eat healthy most of the time. Unsaturated fats such as seed oils are
still a good option. If you are worried about fats, reduce the amount
of saturated fats that you eat. Saturated fats are from animal
products such as butter, lard, bacon fat and tallow. If you like butter,
use it—but just not as much. Switch to olive oil or avocado oil when
possible. - Cook more at home. You will have more control on the types and the
amounts of oils you are eating. - Read food labels. If you find products in your refrigerator or pantry
that you decide are less healthy—use them up and just vow to buy
healthier products in the future—there is no need to panic and throw
foods away. - Exercise to be healthier. This will off-set some of the less healthy
foods you consume. Find a balance. Moderation is the key. - Be more aware. Be skeptical of what you see on-line. When something is posted on social media—don’t believe everything you read. Look for hidden agendas—are they trying to sell you something? Check the hashtags (#)—do they have a bias? Are they quoting current legitimate research or just testimonials?
- Look for reliable sources for your nutrition and wellness information. Expert sources include health associations that have your health and wellness as their goals. Also look for hospitals, doctors and Extension sources that disseminate research-based information.
If you’d really like to learn more about this topic, you can listen to the
whole podcast. Seek the “Truth or Trend” podcast from the University of
Missouri Extension. Other recent topics include “The Food Dye Dilemma”,
“Caffeine Buzzed” and “Weight Loss Injections.” In these podcasts the
specialists chat with health experts or research the topics themselves and
share their findings. If you have a trending topic that you’d like to know
more about, they welcome program suggestions.
With so many trends out there, it can be overwhelming to decide if it’s
actually true or just a trend. But don’t give up trying to eat healthy because
it’s so confusing. Listening to this podcast is one way you can help sort out
the truth from the trend and make your own decision.
Resources:
- Cleveland Clinic: Seed Oils: Are They Actually Toxic?
- Penn State Extension: Processing Edible Oils
- American Heart Association: There’s no reason to avoid seed oils and plenty of reasons to eat them
Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be
reached at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-
2610 or by email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu