For decades we’ve been indoctrinated into believing that saturated fat, primarily from animal sources, will clog our arteries and make us fat. Yet this couldn’t be further from the truth. Did you know farmers have tried to fatten up livestock using coconut oil? It didn’t work. Instead, these animals grew leaner and stronger. Conversely, seed oils paint an entirely different picture. Industrial farms routinely feed their livestock ultra-processed seed oils to effectively fatten them up. But what is this doing to our health? Seed oils are packed with linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that, in excess, drives inflammation and obesity.
Astonishingly, the average American now consumes 20-30% of their calories from these inflammatory oils—and it's showing clearly in our national health crisis. So, what's the takeaway? Avoid all seed oils, and instead embrace nourishing saturated fats that have supported human health for millennia—like grass-fed ghee, beef tallow, butter, goose fat, duck fat, and coconut oil.
Saturated Fat Is Not the Enemy, Avoid All Seed Oils
The war on saturated fat began in the mid-20th century, fueled by flawed research and corporate interests. Unfortunately, this misguided nutritional advice has persisted. Unlike seed oils, saturated fats are chemically stable, resistant to oxidation, and critical for maintaining healthy cell membranes and hormone production. Grass-fed animal fats like tallow and butter are nutrient-dense powerhouses providing vitamins A, D, E, and K2, along with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)—all vital for optimal metabolic health.
In stark contrast, seed oils—such as canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower oil—are chemically unstable and highly prone to oxidation. This oxidation triggers inflammation and cellular damage throughout the body, a primary driver of chronic diseases including cardiovascular conditions and obesity. It’s clear we've demonized the wrong fat for far too long.
Seed Oils Increase Mortality Risk
Recent studies clearly illustrate the deadly effects of seed oils. One significant graph shows a direct correlation between increased seed oil consumption and elevated mortality risk from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Historically, seed oils were minimal in the human diet, but now they're omnipresent. Consumption has skyrocketed, paralleling the rise in chronic illnesses. Alarmingly, each incremental increase in seed oil intake substantially raises mortality risk, demonstrating the urgent need to eliminate these oils from our diets.
When I See Someone Cooking in Seed Oils
Witnessing someone cook with seed oils is akin to watching a preventable health disaster unfold in real-time. Seed oils rapidly oxidize when heated, generating harmful compounds like aldehydes, known carcinogens linked to inflammation and degenerative diseases. Cooking with these oils is not only damaging to immediate health but contributes to long-term metabolic disorders. Opting instead for stable saturated fats, such as butter or ghee, drastically reduces harmful exposure and promotes overall well-being.
Seed Oils Directly Promote Obesity Without Changing Calories
Seed oils uniquely drive obesity independent of calorie intake due to their high linoleic acid content. Linoleic acid increases fat storage by promoting adipogenesis—the process of creating new fat cells. Unlike saturated fats, seed oils stimulate appetite, disrupt metabolism, and impair insulin sensitivity. Numerous animal studies demonstrate clear weight gain solely from seed oils, despite maintaining consistent calorie levels. This highlights the hormonal and metabolic disruptions caused by these pervasive oils.
Omega-3 to Omega-6 Graph Change Over Time
Historically, humans consumed omega-3 and omega-6 fats at a balanced ratio of roughly 1:1 or 1:2, optimal for health. Today, due primarily to seed oil consumption, the average omega-6 intake is excessively high, skewing ratios to 1:20 or even higher. This imbalance significantly increases inflammation, contributing to chronic disease prevalence, including arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune conditions, and obesity. Restoring balance through reducing omega-6 intake and increasing omega-3 rich foods like grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish is crucial.
This is Now a Generational Issue
The seed oil crisis isn't just affecting us—it’s now a generational issue. Seed oils' inflammatory effects compound over generations, potentially altering genetic expressions and increasing susceptibility to chronic diseases in future offspring. Our dietary choices today shape the health of generations to come, making it imperative we correct our trajectory by choosing traditional fats our ancestors thrived upon.
Which Fats to Eat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats
Navigating dietary fats requires clarity. Good fats—such as animal-based saturated fats like beef tallow, grass-fed butter, ghee, duck fat, and coconut oil—are stable, nourishing, and inflammation-reducing. These fats support metabolic health, hormonal balance, and brain function. Bad fats, predominantly seed oils (canola, sunflower, corn, soybean), are unstable, inflammatory, and linked to chronic disease. Prioritizing traditional, ancestral fats ensures robust health and metabolic resilience.
Closing Thoughts
Our bodies crave fats they've known for thousands of years—natural, stable, nutrient-rich saturated fats. Rejecting the pervasive, industrially produced seed oils is not just beneficial; it’s essential for reversing the modern health crisis. Embracing ancestral dietary wisdom aligns us with nature, promoting health and vitality for future generations.
References
- DiNicolantonio, James J., and James H. O’Keefe. "Omega-6 Vegetable Oils as a Driver of Coronary Heart Disease: The Oxidized Linoleic Acid Hypothesis." Open Heart, vol. 5, no. 2, 2018, doi:10.1136/openhrt-2018-000898.
- Simopoulos, Artemis P. "An Increase in the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases the Risk for Obesity." Nutrients, vol. 8, no. 3, 2016, pp. 128-145. doi:10.3390/nu8030128.
- Ramsden, Christopher E., et al. "Use of Dietary Linoleic Acid for Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease and Death: Evaluation of Recovered Data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and Updated Meta-analysis." BMJ, vol. 346, 2013, doi:10.1136/bmj.e8707.
- Taha, Ameer Y., et al. "Dietary Omega-6 Fatty Acid Lowering Increases Bioavailability of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Human Plasma Lipid Pools." Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, vol. 90, no. 5, 2014, pp. 151-157. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2014.02.003.
- Bradbury, Kathryn E., et al. "Saturated Fat Intake and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands Cohort." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 91, no. 1, 2010, pp. 161-166. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27725.