(NewsNation) — The debate over whether seed oils are healthy or harmful is intensifying, with some Americans arguing seed oils are bad for our health.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken a strong stance on seed oils in the past.
“Seed oils — soy, canola, sunflower, and then, you know, wheat and corn … Doritos, Cheez-Its. Cap’n Crunch, gummy bears. Everyone knows that these are junk foods. So maybe you wouldn’t be too surprised to see that the ingredients include a lot of poisons,” Kennedy said.
During a budget hearing for HHS on Tuesday, Kennedy defended the various cuts made at the National Institutes of Health, saying the studies the agency was conducting didn’t do enough to address ways the health of Americans could be improved.
“Very few of the studies that were being done by NIH were being done on chronic disease,” Kennedy said. “NIH should be telling us: What are seed oils doing to our children?”
So, are seed oils in our food “poisoning us,” as Kennedy suggests? Or is the rise in sickness and obesity simply due to Americans’ overconsumption of fast food and processed foods that often contain seed oils?
What are seed oils?
Seed oils are refined oils manufactured from canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, soy, sunflower, safflower, and rice bran. Often referred to as the “hateful eight,” these oils are controversial.
Critics argue seed oils contribute to inflammation, diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases because they are high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids.
Some also argue these oils can break down during cooking or even while stored, forcing harmful molecules that can damage cells.
On the other hand, many nutritionists consider these oils to be healthier than saturated fats such as butter or lard, as they fall into the “unsaturated fat” category.
According to Johns Hopkins’ School of Public Health, seed oils are not harmful to your health and can support cardiovascular and metabolic health when consumed in moderation.
Should you consume seed oils?
NewsNation spoke with two health experts who said more studies are needed to fully understand seed oils’ impact on the body.
“They are a healthy fat to consume, particularly when you replace animal fat and sources of saturated fat in the diet,” said Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of Nutrition and Science and Policy at Tufts University. “People that consume dietary patterns that are higher in plant oils and plants in general have better health outcomes.”
“It’s a really simple question: Are these healthy? Are these good? Are these bad, or are they not? But we really don’t have enough research to have really clear answers, and that’s kind of why they’re all the rage right now,” said internal medicine specialist Dr. Heather Hirsch.
Both supporters and critics of seed oils argue more research and transparency would help Americans make more educated food choices.