Seed oils? Are they bad?

The debate around seed oils and their health impacts is quite polarized. Some argue that seed oils are detrimental, linking them to issues like obesity and inflammation, while others question these claims. For example, Andrew Huberman and Layne Norton discuss the complexity of these claims on the Huberman Lab.

1. Caloric Density: Seed oils contribute to the overall calorie load in diets, which might be a factor in their negative health effects, rather than the oils themselves being inherently harmful 1.

2. Substitution Effects: When polyunsaturated fats (often found in seed oils) replace saturated fats in diets, studies often find a neutral or even positive effect on health, particularly in terms of inflammation 2.

3. Lack of Strong Evidence: There is no concrete evidence from human randomized controlled trials to suggest that seed oils, independent of calorie content, are harmful. The real issue seems to be more about overall calorie consumption 3.

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     Seed Oils Debate

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     Seed Oils Debate

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     Fats Unpacked

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4. Comparison with Saturated Fats: The evidence is more compelling that high saturated fat intake is harmful compared to seed oils. Therefore, using seed oils in moderation within a balanced diet does not show strong negative outcomes 3.

Overall, while seed oils are calorically dense and may contribute to increased calorie intake, the data do not robustly support them being uniquely bad for health when considered in isolation 1.