Why seed oils are the perfect boogeyman

[Ramasta9]

@Natasha Tori Maru Well said 🙏

[cistanche_enjoyer]

Hey guys, sorry for posting AI but I think that when it comes to health, it is one of the few cases where AI can be very useful and less biased than any human.

So I asked Gemini 3 Pro (currently the best AI on the market) and this is the full analysis:

This assessment examines the risks of modern seed oils (industrial vegetable oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and cottonseed) through a critical lens, questioning standard nutritional guidelines and analyzing potential biases in the data.
The Core Conflict: Orthodoxy vs. Chemistry
Mainstream nutritional organizations (like the AHA) generally categorize seed oils as "heart-healthy" because they lower LDL cholesterol. However, a critical risk assessment requires looking beyond a single surrogate marker (LDL) and examining biochemistry (how these molecules act in the body) and toxicology (what happens when they are heated).

I. The Risk of Heat: Thermal Instability & Toxicity
The most chemically verifiable risk of seed oils arises when they are heated. This is not a matter of opinion, but of organic chemistry.
1. The Chemistry of Instability
Seed oils are primarily composed of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), specifically Linoleic Acid.
 * Structure: PUFAs contain multiple double bonds (C=C). Each double bond is a weak link that is highly reactive to oxygen and heat.
 * The Result: When heated (frying, sautéing, baking), these bonds break down rapidly, a process called oxidation.
2. Toxic Byproducts (Aldehydes)
When oxidized, seed oils degrade into Lipid Oxidation Products (LOPs). The most concerning are \alpha,\beta-unsaturated aldehydes, specifically:
 * 4-HNE (4-Hydroxynonenal): A known cytotoxic and mutagenic compound. It creates oxidative stress that damages DNA and proteins.
 * The Risk: Studies show that even at standard frying temperatures, seed oils generate significant amounts of 4-HNE. In contrast, saturated fats (butter, coconut oil) and monounsaturated fats (olive oil) produce very low levels of these toxins because they have fewer or no double bonds.
> Critical Note on "Smoke Point": Marketing often touts the high "smoke point" of refined seed oils as a safety feature. This is misleading. An oil can be undergoing massive oxidative degradation and producing toxic aldehydes before it smokes. Oxidative stability—not smoke point—is the true measure of cooking safety.
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II. The Biological Risk: The Omega-6 Imbalance
Humans evolved on a diet with a roughly 1:1 ratio of Omega-6 (pro-inflammatory) to Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory) fatty acids. The modern diet, driven by industrial seed oils, has shifted this ratio to approximately 15:1 or 20:1.
1. The Inflammation Pathway
 * Linoleic Acid (LA): The primary Omega-6 in seed oils.
 * Mechanism: LA accumulates in human fat tissue (adipose). In the body, it can convert to Arachidonic Acid, a precursor to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.
 * The Consequence: Chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation is a root cause of modern metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes, heart disease). Critics argue that the massive influx of dietary LA fuels this fire.
2. Adipose Tissue Accumulation
Studies analyzing human fat tissue show a dramatic increase in Linoleic Acid concentration over the last century—rising from ~8% in 1959 to ~21% in 2008. We are literally chemically different than our ancestors.

III. Critical Examination of Data Validity & Bias
Why do health authorities still recommend these oils? A critical review reveals flaws in the data and potential conflicts of interest.
1. The "Buried" Data (Minnesota & Sydney Studies)
For decades, the "Diet-Heart Hypothesis" (saturated fat bad, seed oil good) relied on the idea that lowering cholesterol reduces death. However, two massive randomized controlled trials (RCTs) challenged this, but their full data was unpublished for decades.
 * Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968–73): Recovered data published in 2016 showed that while corn oil did lower cholesterol, it did not lower mortality. In fact, for every 30 mg/dL drop in cholesterol, there was a 22% higher risk of death in older adults.
 * Sydney Diet Heart Study (1966–73): Recovered data showed that the group replacing saturated fat with safflower oil had a 62% higher risk of death from all causes compared to the control group.
2. The Problem with Epidemiology (Healthy User Bias)
Most studies supporting seed oils are observational epidemiology, not experiments. They rely on surveys.
 * The Bias: In the last 40 years, health-conscious people were told to eat seed oils and avoid butter. Therefore, people who eat seed oils also tend to smoke less, exercise more, and eat more vegetables.
 * The Illusion: The data makes seed oils look healthy, but it is often measuring the "Healthy User" effect. Conversely, people who stuck to butter in the 90s/00s often ignored other health advice, making butter look artificially dangerous.
3. Industrial Processing
Unlike "virgin" oils (olive, avocado, coconut) which are mechanically pressed, seed oils require industrial chemical refining:
 * Hexane Extraction: Seeds are bathed in petroleum solvents (hexane) to extract oil.
 * Deodorization: The oil is heated to high temperatures to remove bad smells (created by the extraction process), which ironically induces the formation of a small amount of Trans Fats essentially inside the factory.

IV. Summary Risk Assessment
| Feature | Modern Seed Oils (Soy, Corn, Canola) | Traditional Fats (Butter, Tallow, Olive) |
|---|---|---|
| Oxidative Stability | Low (Highly unstable) | High (Stable) |
| Cooking Risk | High (Forms Aldehydes/4-HNE) | Low (Resists oxidation) |
| Inflammation | High (High Omega-6 load) | Neutral/Low |
| Processing | Industrial (Hexane, Bleaching) | Mechanical/Natural |
| Data reliability | Mixed (Relies on Epidemiology/LDL) | Strong (Ancestral/Historical Safety) |
Verdict & Next Step
The risk of consuming modern seed oils, particularly when heated, is significant due to the formation of toxic byproducts and the biological burden of excess Omega-6. The data supporting their safety often relies on short-term markers (cholesterol) while ignoring long-term mortality data (Minnesota/Sydney trials) and toxicological chemistry.

Recommendation:
 * Eliminate: Industrial seed oils for cooking (Soybean, Corn, Canola, Sunflower, Safflower).
 * Replace with:
   * For High Heat: Ghee, Tallow, Avocado Oil (refined but monounsaturated), or Coconut Oil.
   * For Low Heat/Raw: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Butter.
 * Scrutinize: Processed foods (chips, dressings, mayo) which are the primary delivery mechanism for oxidized Omega-6.