My virulent response to sunflower oil in food has me noticing a seed oil invasion when I shop. It could be that seed oils have always been present to this extent and I failed to notice. It could also be that they are contained in more foods now than ever before.
Seed oils are plant based which can make them sound healthy. To make things additionally confusing, they are sometimes found in minimally processed foods that are labeled as healthy alternatives to ultra processed foods.
And who thinks of bread, bagels, and granola as ultra processed food? Not most of us. And yet many brands are chock full of seed oils.
Are seed oils good for you? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/seed-oils-are-they-actually-toxic
In theory, they could be acceptable. But most often they are bleached, refined, and heated to help with taste and shelf-life. Such processing eliminates the potential health benefits and leaves oils with high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. While the body needs some omega-6s, this is problematic.
If you have too much omega-6 in your system, it upsets the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s and causes inflammation. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 2:1 or 1:1. For most Americans, the actual ratio is a staggering 10:1 and sometimes 20:1. And people keep asking if inflammation is to diet. With these numbers, it seems like the question answers itself.
The numbers also suggest seed oils are a big problem for lots of people besides me. If you have recurring abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea and can’t identify the source, you may want to see how much seed oil you are ingesting.
I know I’ve written about label reading ad nauseum, but I’m about to do it again.
The only way to know whether a packaged food contains seed oil is to read the label. I know it’s time consuming and not fun, but label reading can save you a lot of painful symptoms when you have food intolerance or allergies. And it can help you reduce the possibility of inflammation.
What you’re looking for are things like canola, cottonseed, grapeseed, sesame, soybean, sunflower, and safflower oil. Many characterize corn oil, rice bran oil, and peanut oil as seed oils, but peanut oil has fewer omega-6 fatty acids than others on this list.
Even though seed oils are pervasive, you will still have options to explore. Coconut, palm, and avocado oils are not considered seed oils. Neither is olive oil.
But before you start a journey to eliminate seed oils from your diet, be prepared – especially if you love chips and fries. It can be hard to locate chips that are fried in olive or avocado oil. And you may have to order something besides fries with your burger or risk a tummy ache.
I wish my favorite almond crackers hadn’t been invaded by seed oil. I feel the same about my favorite packaged popcorn. Even the doughnuts I used to order for my sister’s visits have been invaded. Again, the reality may be this has always been true and I’m just now noticing.
Or it could be we’re under siege from seed oils!