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Health & Wellness

The Seedy Side of Seed Oils

and calling it Crisco. A more solid trans fats as zero because regula-
fat like lard, Crisco, introduced in tors have allowed food manufac- Kate Thomsen MD, MPH
1911, had a high smoke point, did turers to report zero trans fats if IntegratIve and HolIstIc HealtH and Wellness
not absorb the odors from foods, there is no more than 0.5 grams per
and made fabulous pastries. More serving. Average Linoleic Content of Seed Oils
edible seed oils followed as the It is important to realize how Remember, the “lesser of the bad oils” (avocado and olive)
extraction processes improved and long it takes for public health are often adulterated with cheaper oils—
liquid corn oil, soybean oil, sun- policy to sort through their vari- do your homework; buy quality oils)
flower oil, safflower oil, and peanut ous vested interests and how many Grapeseed oil 71% Peanut oil 30%
oils were soon on the market. The unnecessary deaths can be caused Sunflower oil 68% Canola oil 21%
food industry referred to them by inertia and conflicts of interest. Corn oil 56% Avocado oil 13%
collectively as “vegetable oils” as We all have to think for ourselves Soybean oil 55% Olive oil 12%
opposed to animal oils (and because now that our regulatory agencies Cottonseed oil 53% Palm oil 10%
Dr. Kate Thomsen and Silky it sounded healthy) but they are are captured by industry.
more accurately called seed oils. Remember Olestra? In the Rice bran oil 30% Cultured Oil 3%
There are many questions Crisco became the deep fat 1990s the food industry came up (Reference: Jeff Nobbs, Zero Acres Farms)
about nutrition on the Lifestyle frying oil of choice in homes and with this synthetic, non-absorbed Office of Dr. Kate Thomsen
Questionnaire that I ask my especially during the rise of the fast fat that could make our junk food 252 West Delaware Ave.
patients to fill out prior to each food restaurants with their famous calorie free. (Junk food for weight Pennington, NJ 08534
visit. An overwhelming majority of french fries. In the 1950s, the cho- loss!!!!). I distinctly remember this 609-818-9700
patients check the box “confused lesterol/saturated fat connection to one line in the commercial: “may WWW.DRKATETHOMSEN.COM
about nutritional advice”. And why heart disease was gaining recogni- cause loose stools and the inability Additional articles on holistic health topics
shouldn’t they be? There are so tion and partially hydrogenated to control them”. That was not a can be found on the website
many studies with conflicting con- oils, like margarine and Crisco, market winner.
clusions. There are so many kinds were advertised as heart healthy Palm oil is a seed oil that is semi
of research – each with its own alternatives. Since then, we have solid at room temperature, is not cause of all chronic diseases. High multiple times. Each successive
been on a trajectory of “anything hydrogenated and so contains no
strengths and weaknesses. There that is not saturated fat or choles- trans fats. It became very popular in omega 6 levels in the “exposed/ heating forms more toxic oxidative
are different interpretations that terol” is “heart healthy” includ- the early 2000s and consequently external” cell membranes (skin and by-products. To avoid getting trans
can be made from a single study. ing partially hydrogenated oils, the tropical environments where it eyes) have long been associated fats in your liquid seed oils (by-
And there are the funding issues unlimited refined carbohydrates, was being harvested suffered defor- with oxidative damage from expo- product of heat used in extraction
and vested interests. Dietary and and seed oils. (really? These have estation and species endangerment. sure to air and light. processing) buy oils that are “cold
lifestyle research is even more dif- turned out to not be heart healthy.) Public outcry has slowed the food Early humans are thought to pressed”.
ficult to interpret because of the Researchers were finding that trans industry from continuing to grow have had an omega 6:omega 3 ratio The Consumer Reports article
many variables among individuals fats were created during the partial that market. They switched their of 1:1. Currently the “6:3 ratio” (Do Seed Oils Make You Sick?
that can’t be controlled for in these hydrogenation process and these focus to soybean oil. Soybean oil is ranges from 10:1 to 50:1. In my 5/31/2022) defends seed oils and
types of research studies. With appeared to be “heart un-healthy”. about 50% omega 6 fatty acid, lin- practice I definitely see the imbal- cites the usual academic Public
that in mind, I want to review the Crisco contained about 50% trans oleic acid – a high amount. It now ance shifted towards the inflamma- Health authorities and journals.
controversial topic of seed oils and fats. As early as 1957 a biochem- makes up about 14% of the average tory omega 6s before our interven- The 2019 article in Circulation that
what the health concerns may be. ist named Fred Kummerow had American’s calories. tions. An imbalanced ratio has been was cited looks impressive but it
Prior to the early 1900’s there research showing artery clogging There are 2 “essential fats” for associated with prostate cancer, was funded by Unilever who gets
was no such thing as edible seed and dysfunctional blood flow humans – omega 3 fatty acids and breast cancer, cardiac death, skin 40% of it’s revenue from processed
oils. Now seed oils (aka vegetable dynamics resulting from artificial omega 6 fatty acids. In nutrition, cancers, asthma, and inflammatory foods and beverages (soups, bouil-
oil) is the third most consumed trans fat intake. For decades, he “essential” means that it must be joints. Obesity has been associated lons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise,
food in the world, after rice and pursued industry and government diet derived; it cannot be made with an elevated 6:3 as the inflam- salad dressings, margarine, and
wheat. Vegetable oils account for to remove trans fats from the food from other fats in the body. These matory omega 6s can upregulate spreads). To me, it’s biologically
10 – 20% of our daily total calories. supply. He wasn’t the only one 2 omega fats compose a large per- some cannabinoid receptors caus- plausible that seed oils can be
This is a very significant altera- but he was the most persistent. A centage of every cell membrane ing cravings for sweet, salty and harmful to health – especially if
tion in our human diet occurring 1993 paper from the Nurses Health in the body. They are crucial for oily foods. heated. With all the take out, eat
in only the last 100 years. During Study showed that for every 2% cell membrane structure (which As mentioned above the rise in out, and packaged food consump-
these same years we have also seen increase in calories from trans fats, supports receptors for cell com- chronic inflammatory diseases has tion, we all have elevated omega 6
the dramatic rise in chronic disease the risk of heart disease almost munication) and function (allowing paralleled our increased exposure fats in our cells. It will take many
(heart disease, cancer, diabetes, doubles. themselves to be removed and be to linoleic acid – a fat essentially years, but I predict it will be found
autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel In 2009 Kummerow filed a turned into inflammatory and anti- unknown to the human body 100 to be a bad thing. For now, lower
disease…) It has been postulated citizen’s petition with the US FDA inflammatory messages). Omega 3 years ago. 6 in 10 Americans has the omega 6 consumption as much
that our growing consumption of to ban partially hydrogenated fats fatty acids (EPA and DHA in fish a chronic disease. This is a 700% as you can, balance by taking high
seed oils has contributed to this from the American diet. Four years oil) produce anti-inflammatory increase from the prevalence in quality, high EPA fish oil and try
chronic disease explosion. later, with no response, he filed a messages. Omega 6 fatty acids 1935. Vegetable oils are in almost cooking with Zero Acres Farms
The late 18th century saw the lawsuit to force a decision on his (found in seed oils) generally pro- all processed foods as well as Cultured oil (no trans fats, very low
start of the Industrial Revolution petition. It was 2018 and he was 98 duce inflammatory messages. Seed hygiene products and cosmetics. linoleic acid).
where machines were first used years old. Three months later the oils (grape seed, sunflower, corn, Where whole foods (eg, avocado) Dr. Kate Thomsen’s office for
in manufacturing. The cotton gin FDA finally responded and deter- soy, cottonseed, peanut, safflower, contain 0.5 – 1 or 2 grams omega 6 holistic health care is located in
was in use and, like other machine mined that “trans fatty acids are olive, avocado…) contain varied fats per serving, 1 Tbsp of seed oils Pennington, NJ. She is trained
applications, required lubricants. not generally recognized as safe for amounts of the omega 6 linoleic will contain 7 – 10 grams. The aver- in Family Medicine, and Board
Animal fats were expensive and any use in food”. Finally!! This was acid – and there is concern that age American consumed 9.5 grams Certified in Integrative Medicine.
the wasted cottonseed had oils that 61 years after his early research and this particular fat is associated with omega 6 fats/day in 1909 and 40
were unused until extraction of 25 years after the Nurses Health health risks. Too many omega 6 grams/day in 2020. Soybean is the She is an Institute for Functional
these oils became possible. Viola – Study was published. fats cause instability of the cell main source accounting for 45% of Medicine Certified Practitioner.
seed oil! But this seed oil was quite There are some trans fats in membranes making them more sus- US dietary omega 6 intake. She has been practicing
toxic if ingested. Two brothers, seed oils too. These occur when ceptible to damage from air, heat Heating these omega 6 fats Functional Medicine for 26
Proctor and Gamble invented a way the seed oil extraction process uses and light. This is called oxidative creates toxic by-products like alde- years. For more information see
to refine and partially hydrogenate heat. Canola oil, for example is damage. Oxidative stress causing hydes. Vegetable oil used for deep www.drkatethomsen.com or call
the cottonseed oil making it edible 3.6% trans fats but the label reports inflammation is thought to be the fat frying in restaurants is reused the office at 609-818-9700.

Mercer County Woman 6 September/October 2023