Does anybody love to eat potato chips? Have you ever stopped to think about what’s in them? It’s highly likely that they contain one or more seed oils that are not good for your body. Catherine Shanahan, MD., is the person who opened my eyes to the dangers of seed oils. In this blog, I am going to explain why to avoid the “Hateful 8” seed oils, the bad fats to avoid, and the good fats to choose instead.
Why Avoid the Hateful 8 Seed Oils
Catherine Shanahan, MD., also called Dr. Cate, has written an article called “The Hateful 8 Are the Bad Seed Oils We Need to Avoid.” This article says that the average American gets 80% of their fat calories from seed oils that contain PUFAs. PUFA is short for “polyunsaturated fatty acid.” PUFSs are highly unstable fats that oxidize and become unstable, toxic, rancid, etc. These fats break down into toxins when you cook with them and cause problems when you eat them on a regular basis, year after year.
Seed oils can cause inflammation (a root cause of many diseases like arthritis, cancer, and heart disease), weaken the immune system, affect metabolism in the body, and increase the risk of colon cancer. Metabolic disease can cause overactive hunger, chronic allergies, chronic asthma, high fasting blood sugar, arterial fat, acid reflux, blood clots, migraines, and erectile dysfunction.
Bad Fats: Which Oils to Avoid
When a person learns which oils to avoid and are intentional about not purchasing or using them, they can avoid them. One needs to carefully read labels on food products. Look for bad seed oils: Canola (also called Rapeseed), Corn, Cotton seed, Safflower, Soy, Sunflower, Grapeseed, and Rice bran. Vegetable oil sometimes includes coconut, olive, or peanut oil (these will be the cheap, refined PUFA-rich seed oils- not the good first press, unrefined products). It is best to avoid everything that says hydrogenated because it starts with refined oil and further processes them into trans fats. Refined Palm oil is also toxic and should not be used.
Memorize the list of bad oils so you don’t forget to identify them on a list. Here’s a tip to help you remember some of them- three C, three S words, one G, and one R. Think: CSGR.
Scan ingredients for the Hateful Eight oils and do not purchase items containing them. This includes fish oil supplements.
Note: It is fine to eat the food that vegetable oils come from like Sunflower seeds and Corn.
Good Fats: Choose These Oils
Almond oil, Avocado oil, Butter, Coconut Oil, Duck Fat, Flax oil, Ghee, Lard, Macadamia nut oil, Olive oil, Peanut oil, Sesame oil, Tallow, and Walnut oil are good unrefined fats and oils that are low in PUFA and high in Omega-3 when not heated. Look for products that are cold-pressed and unrefined. It must be both.
- Cook with these: Almond oil, Avocado oil, Butter, Coconut, Duck Fat, Ghee, Lard, Macadamia nut oil, Peanut oil, Tallow, and Sesame/Toasted Sesame oil (Sesame is better if combined with peanut or other more stable fat).
- Do not cook with these: Fish oil, Flax oil, and Walnut oil.
Tips for reducing seed oils in your diet.
- Cook at home. Make your own salad dressing. Home made products of all kinds can be made with healthy oils and are a better choice overall.
- Choose cooking methods that are better overall. Try baking, grilling, or steaming instead of frying food.
- Choose whole foods. Natural foods rather than processed foods that often contain seed oils.
- Look for restaurants that refuse to use the “Hateful Eight” oils.
Action Step
Empower your wellness through making informed choices. Educate yourself on good and bad oils. Then start reading labels and avoid products that contain bad oils. Read articles such as the ones listed under resources that will help you learn more about how to avoid the Hateful Eight seed oils.
Resources:
May God bless you on your wellness journey!
Joni
P.S. How have you avoided seed oils?
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