ABC’s Good Morning AmericaJune 3, 20258:13 a.m. EST
[ON SCREEN HEADLINE: Seed Oil Reality Check]
MICHAEL STRAHAN: Now to a GMA health alert on seed oils. They’re in everything from salad dressings to snack foods. But now seed oils like canola and soybean are under new scrutiny on social media. So, are seed oils getting a bad rap or is there real cause for concern?
Our Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Tara Narula, is here with a reality check. Many on TikTok, they are calling them toxic and dangerous for your health. What do you, as a medical expert, think about this?
DR. TARA NARULA: They’re calling them the ‘Hateful Eight,’ actually. I think it’s really important to talk about nutrition in general and the science. We know that it’s ever evolving, it’s very nuanced, it’s difficult to do, and we don’t always have answers. And I think that can be really frustrating for people because one day we tell them something’s good, the next day we tell them something’s bad.
STRAHAN: Yeah.
NARULA: And there’s actually a great quote from a public health researcher in nutrition at Harvard that I love. She said that we need less in terms of hype around the seed oil debate and more in terms of humility and science. And I think that really captures the essence of what I want to say, which is that the science to date, if you look at the nutrition researchers who really do this every day would say seed oils are part of a healthy diet, or can be, right?
They are not dangerous for most people who use them. In fact, they’ve been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, improve blood sugar, possibly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and they have not been known to show increased inflammatory markers in the blood. So, that ‘Hateful Eight,’ although it’s important to talk about the science and the controversy behind it, probably a little bit much.
STRAHAN: So, what are the issues that are driving the controversy?
NARULA: Right, so there’s a couple. So, first of all, the seed oils are basically packed with omega-6 fatty acids. When omega-6 acids break down, the breakdown product has been shown in some cases to be pro-inflammatory, but in other cases to be anti-inflammatory, so you have to kind of counterbalance that.
Also, when you extract the seed oil with a chemical process, sometimes you produce hexane gas. That gas evaporates off, but could there be trace amounts that are left in the oil that you’re consuming? That’s a concern. Also, when you’re reheating oils at very high temperatures over and over again, not something you’d really be doing at home but maybe at a restaurant, there could be dangerous chemicals produced.
Then, people talk about the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3’s. We know omega-3’s are very good anti-inflammatories, and we used to eat a diet that was really a one to one ratio of 6 to 3. Now, it’s much more in favor of the 6s, about ten to one. So some people say that’s concerning. But most nutrition researchers, Michael, will say, ‘well that doesn’t mean cut back on your omega-6’s, it just means increase your omega-3’s.’
Many people say, well, omega-6’s are driving diabetes and obesity, but again, when you look at what’s really driving it, it’s the seed oils in the ultra-processed foods that you’re eating, right? So you’re consuming lots of refined carbs and sugars and additives.
And then I’ll say the last piece that has raised some eyebrows is there’s been recent research that shows that some of these seed oils in the lab or in research has been shown to fuel triple-negative breast cancer cell growth, so there’s concern around that.
STRAHAN: So, you’re gonna use seed oil. How do you make the best choices if you’re gonna use them?
NARULA: We love this word, you and I, moderation, right?
STRAHAN: Yes.
NARULA: So, I think if you’re using this in moderation in a balanced way, on your salad dressings or to stir fry, you’re probably, the benefits are probably outweighing the risks.
Also choose more fresh foods, less processed foods. You can actually eat the whole seeds. And then If you are gonna choose a seed oil, probably canola and soybean may be better options. They have omega-3’s and mono and saturated fats in higher levels.
STRAHAN: Doc, thank you.
NARULA: Don’t be afraid!
STRAHAN: I know who to call if I need something. I’m calling you, doctor. Thank you very much for all of that useful information. We appreciate it.
