[‘Seed oil’] is the catchy description coined by internet influencers, wellness gurus and some politicians to refer to common cooking oils — think canola, soybean and corn oil — that have long been staples in many home kitchens.
Those fiery critics refer to the top refined vegetable oils as “the hateful eight” and claim that they’re fueling inflammation and high rates of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the new health secretary, has said Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned” by seed oils and has called for fast-food restaurants to return to using beef tallow, or rendered animal fat, in their fryers instead.
The seed oil discussion has exasperated nutrition scientists, who say decades of research confirms the health benefits of consuming such oils, especially in place of alternatives such as butter or lard.
“I don’t know where it came from that seed oils are bad,” said Martha Belury, an Ohio State University food science professor.
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[R]esearch from the American Heart Association and others has consistently shown that plant-based oils reduce so-called bad cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially compared with sources high in saturated fat.
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“There is no evidence to indicate that beef tallow is healthier than seed oils, [writes food scientist Eric] Decker …. “Remember, tallow is also processed to purify the fat.”
