Last summer I hosted a dinner for my book, Surfer Stories. Asking my guests, world famous surfer Garrett McNamara and family among them, if they had any dietary restrictions, he said, “No seed oils, please”. This was the first time I’d heard that, but have increasingly since then, and noticed a trend with snack foods promoting their use of beef tallow instead of seed oils.
For many years, seed oils like safflower, corn, and canola were considered the healthy oil of choice, positioned as a better alternative to animal fats like butter, lard, beef tallow, and other saturated fats. In the 1950’s, the American Heart Association had recommended polyunsaturated fats from seed oils as part of a heart-healthy diet. But recently seed oils have come under fire — and now thought to be a far worse alternative.
In ancient societies, animal fats were the primary sources of fat in human diets. Their essential nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids, were crucial for various bodily functions, including brain development, immune function, and hormone regulation.
Two key developments propelled the widespread use of seed oils – and they were not dietary. First was the invention of mechanical oil presses during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s which revolutionized the mass production of industrial seed oils like flax, sesame, and cottonseed oils — the latter which became the preferred alternative to traditional machine lubricants. Its availability and effectiveness contributed to its widespread adoption across multiple industries — food among them.
“So the irony is the prevalence of seed oils has coincided with an increase in conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Yet persistent myths about saturated fats continue to contribute to their widespread use.”
In 1900, seed oils accounted for only 1% of added fat in the American diet. By the end of the century, they constituted approximately 85%. These oils have infiltrated nearly every product in the grocery store, used in most packaged foods and snacks.
This dramatic shift was catalyzed by Procter & Gamble’s discovery that cottonseed oil could be hydrogenated to mimic the texture of lard, making it a viable alternative for cooking fats, and enhancing processed foods’ shelf life and stability. Marketed under the brand name Crisco, this product quickly gained popularity nationwide.
Procter & Gamble’s success with Crisco marked a pivotal moment in the widespread adoption of seed oils. In the 1940’s, the company donated $1.7 million (equivalent to roughly double that today) to the American Heart Association, which coincided with the organization’s endorsement of vegetable or seed oils as “heart-healthy” alternatives to animal fats.
Hydrogenation, however, transforms unsaturated fatty acids into saturated ones.
Seed oils are now typically extracted through high-heat methods and chemical solvents, followed by refining processes such as bleaching and deodorizing, which strips these oils of their essential nutrients and antioxidants. High-heat extraction methods can also produce oxidized fats that are associated with adverse health effects. Seed oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids as well, which can disrupt the balance with omega-3 fatty acids, potentially leading to chronic inflammation.
So the irony is the prevalence of seed oils has coincided with an increase in conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Yet persistent myths about saturated fats continue to contribute to their widespread use.
A new trend is emerging, however. Research increasingly links seed oils to inflammation and various other diseases. Perhaps the only sane guideline to come from United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are new mandates recommending the increase of animal fats in the American diet.
A new wave of brands is going back to basics, swapping seed oils for more traditional fats — most notably beef tallow — and can be found in snack products like Masa Tortilla Chips and Beefy’s Own Potato Chips. And though not animal fats, snacks cooked in avocado and olive oil (both derived from the pulp of the fruit, not the seed ) from brands like Seite and Good Health are readily available on grocery store shelves. The appeal is both nutritional and sensory: less processed, and, not surprisingly, better tasting.
SOURCES:
The Hidden History and Controversial Rise of Seed Oil
Industrial Seed Oil: Are You Eating Machine Lubricants?
7 Reasons Seed Oils are Bad for Your Health
A short history of saturated fat: the making and unmaking of a scientific consensus
