Current:Home > ScamsWhat are seed oils? What you need to know about the food group deemed the 'hateful eight' -TradeGrid
What are seed oils? What you need to know about the food group deemed the 'hateful eight'
View
Date:2025-04-13 14:30:31
If you've heard about seed oils, it was probably within the context that they aren't the best for you.
Last year, several restaurant chains announced they would move away from using seed oils. Sweetgreen switched to only using olive oil. Shake Shack ditched soybean oil. Texas-based Hopdoddy became the first burger chain to go seed oil-free. You can now find specific condiments and sauces that are without seed oils.
Does that mean you need to be afraid of consuming seed oils? Here's what nutrition experts want you to know.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils include canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, rice bran and peanut oils. This group is sometimes referred to as the "hateful eight" and blamed for a whole host of health problems.
But nutrition experts have pushed back on these claims, arguing that there isn't enough research to put the blame on seed oils. They're mostly used to cook fried foods higher in other ingredients that can have negative health impacts if consumed at high quantities over time.
"Seed oils are typically high in omega-6, which on their own are not inherently inflammatory," registered dietitian Caroline Thomason tells USA TODAY. But, she adds, "most Americans already consume enough omega-6s and do not get enough of omega-3 fatty acids. This imbalance of too many omega-6 fatty acids and too few omega-3 fatty acids is the bigger problem at play here."
When it comes to consuming seed oils, Thomason recommends high-oleic sunflower oil for a higher-quality option. "And make sure that you also get plenty of omega-3 in your diet by choosing fatty fish like salmon — Alaskan salmon has the highest omega-3 content — walnuts or chia seeds," she adds.
Is olive oil a seed oil?
Some vegetable-based oils are also considered part of the seed oil family if they're made from the seed of a vegetable (see: sunflower, grapeseed and canola oils). But olive oil is not considered a seed oil.
Is whole wheat bread actually healthier?Here’s what experts say.
What is the healthiest oil?
If Thomason had to pick, she'd say olive oil is the best, based on the fact that it has "the most positive research and the least negative research behind it for our health." Myriad studies have found olive oil to help prevent cardiovascular diseases and decrease inflammation.
But overall, "healthy" is a loaded word in nutrition. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for a single best food, because everyone is different, nutrition experts stress.
"If you think of your nutrition choices as a bank account, where you make daily deposits and withdrawals, choosing nutrient dense options the majority of the time will ultimately compound on itself for your health," Thomason says. "A healthy diet is made up of our collective choices over time. Thus, one single diet choice cannot worsen your health, and similarly, one nutrition choice cannot improve your health. Using language like 'the healthiest' doesn’t help us understand the complexities of nutrition and choosing balanced choices the majority of the time."
Vegans swear by nutritional yeast.What is it?
veryGood! (637)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Bills' Von Miller suspended for four games for violating NFL conduct policy
- Why Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix Are Sparking Wedding Rumors
- Shell Shock festival criticized for Kyle Rittenhouse appearance: 'We do not discriminate'
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- Five Chinese nationals charged with covering up midnight visit to Michigan military site
- Hurricanes like Helene are deadly when they strike and keep killing for years to come
- Woman associated with MS-13 is sentenced to 50 years in prison
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- U.S. port strike may factor into Fed's rate cut decisions
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Looking for Taylor Swift's famous red lipstick? Her makeup artist confirms the brand
- Queen Elizabeth II Battled Bone Cancer, Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson Says
- American Idol Reveals First Look at New Judge Carrie Underwood
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Price gouging, fraud, ID theft: Feds say scammers set sights on Hurricane Helene victims
- Pennsylvania town grapples with Trump assassination attempt ahead of his return
- Harris and Biden are fanning out across the Southeast as devastation from Helene grows
Recommendation
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
Bills' Von Miller suspended for four games for violating NFL conduct policy
Doctor to stars killed outside LA office attacked by men with baseball bats before death
Queen Elizabeth II Battled Bone Cancer, Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson Says
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
Queen Elizabeth II Battled Bone Cancer, Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson Says
US ‘Welcome Corps’ helps resettle LGBTQ+ refugees fleeing crackdowns against gay people
15-year-old arrested on murder charge in fatal shooting of Chicago postal worker