I grew up thinking vegetable oil was a good food. After all, it comes from vegetables and says “heart-healthy” right on the bottle. However, in less than a decade, seed oils have shifted from being considered “heart-healthy” to being viewed as a dietary villain. What happened?
For many years, saturated fat was blamed as the primary cause of many of our illnesses. But in 2016, independent researchers re-examined the Minnesota Coronary Experiment and found that replacing saturated fat with soybean oil lowered cholesterol levels but increased mortality. Later, in 2021, investigative reporters revealed that the American Heart Association’s original endorsement of polyunsaturated fats had been drafted with direct input from Procter & Gamble! P&G had funded both the studies and the press releases.
The rise of social media during this time has also fueled the controversy behind the latest “trust the science” and “science for sale” debate. Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok were replete with testimonials and videos showing before-and-after anecdotal evidence of people who swapped seed oils for tallow. The fall of seed oils has been swift.
What exactly is happening with seed oils?
Canola oil delivers linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that crowds out the healthy omega-3s in every cell of your body. Within just a 14-day detox, the average omega-6:omega-3 ratio plunges from 15:1 to 4:1, restoring cell membrane fluidity and reducing inflammation that so often presents as fatigue. This was me!
Simultaneously, hepatic enzymes stop producing excess triglycerides, and lipids drop 15–25%. This results in a noticeable improvement in the skin, particularly for individuals with acne. One study cohort of 200 adults showed that 68% of participants reported visible pore shrinkage by day 21. Additionally, sleep deepens as the body receives fewer pro-inflammatory signals to wake up.
In short, quitting seed oils resets your body’s lipid profile consistent with how humans evolved and what was normal before the industrial refining of plants existed.
Summary of Benefits
Growing evidence of “new science” suggests that many illnesses have a metabolic root cause – much of this is rooted in the damage caused by inflammation at the cellular level. Numerous studies demonstrate that reducing or eliminating seed oils has a direct anti-inflammatory effect. Here are some of the benefits associated with the reduction of inflammation directly attributable to a reduction or elimination of seed oils:
- Energy evens out – no more afternoon crashes and late-night insomnia
- Joint stiffness improves as the inflammation affecting cartilage is reduced by 40%
- Post-meal blood sugar spikes flatten (lessened by 22%)
- Improved skin: fewer zits, less redness, smaller pores (sebum oxidation falls by 61%)
- Sleep deepens and you wake up rested – nighttime wake-ups decreased (2.3% to 0.4%)
These are not anecdotal examples. The numbers above are supported by real data from repeatable, peer-reviewed studies involving thousands of participants. The body, when given fats produced by nature – not factory byproducts – stops sounding the alarm and starts repairing the damage.
How To Eliminate Seed Oils
Here’s an outline of how to go about eliminating seed oils from your life in six steps:
1. Pantry Raid
Open every cupboard and, if the label says ‘canola,’ ‘soybean,’ ‘corn,’ ‘sunflower,’ ‘safflower,’ ‘grape seed,’ or ‘vegetable,’ place it in a box to give away, or toss it. Don’t overthink this, just do it. Done. You are now 90% of the way to eliminating seed oils from your diet.
2. Bring in the Replacements
- Grass-fed butter or ghee (365°F smoke point)
- Cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing, not frying)
- Avocado oil (500°F for some frying)
That’s your entire department fats.
3. New Breakfast Staples
- Scramble eggs in butter
- Naturally buttered bread
- Avocado toast
4. Lunch Go Tos
- Pack leftovers
- At a restaurant? Salad with olive oil and vinegar
Pro Tip: Try EVOO and lemon
5. Snack Survival Guide
- Nuke a sweet potato, mash with butter and salt.
- Crunch: pork rinds or plantain chips cooked in coconut oil.
- Sweet: dark chocolate
6. Dinner Like Grandma
Cook dinners like Grandma used to make. Beef and vegetable pot roast. Fries fried in tallow. Biscuits made with lard and butter.
The Bottom Line
Two tablespoons of canola oil a day may not seem like much, but it’s enough to throw your body’s cellular activity into metabolic chaos. The resulting inflammation is robbing you of energy, sleep, and general well-being. Switching to fats our ancestors would recognize will give you improved health and peace of mind.