Seed oils (processed vegetable oils) are not the culprit responsible for a poor diet; blaming these oils primarily serves to avoid questioning an overall poor-quality diet.

noli's read

Dr. Israetel here highlights a crucial distinction between overall diet quality and the demonization of an isolated ingredient. The current state of science, notably meta-analyses and systematic reviews (e.g., Cochrane Library), suggests that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, found in vegetable oils, is generally correlated with improved cardiovascular health. Although some observational work suggests potential inflammatory mechanisms linked to an excess of omega-6, direct clinical evidence in humans linking the normal consumption of seed oils to chronic diseases remains weak or inconsistent. The idea that these oils are 'toxins' is considered exaggerated by the majority of scientific literature, which instead points to caloric excess and the ultra-industrial processing of products as the primary issues. It is accurate to say that focusing on a single ingredient while neglecting total caloric intake and overall nutritional density is an ineffective strategy for weight management or health. In sum, science supports that the dietary context prevails over the elimination of a specific type of oil.

the sources

1. 1Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al. 2019
2. 2Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, et al. 2024