Are Seed Oils Bad for You? Breaking Down the Controversy

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Ash joins us to break down the buzz, and the backlash, around seed oils. We dive into the science of inflammation, how omega-6s interact in the body, and why understanding a little organic chemistry goes a long way to help make sense of nutrition claims. We also explore how fear-based messaging spreads online, how food influencers keep their audiences hooked, and why nutrition advice often falls apart when it promises a silver bullet. Dr. Ash reminds us that “when you try to oversimplify that one thing, it often just falls apart.” 

Learn more about Dr. Ash’s work below:

NC State Bio Page: https://cals.ncsu.edu/food-bioprocessing-and-nutrition-sciences/people/sla/ 

Check out the following resources to learn more about today’s topic:

Article: Seeding doubt: The truth about cooking oils: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/seeding-doubt-the-truth-about-cooking-oils 

Article: The Facts About Plant Oils: https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/healthy-eating/the-facts-about-plant-oils/ 

Book: Pressure Cooker: Why Home Cooking Won’t Solve Our Problems and What We Can Do About It: https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Cooker-Cooking-Solve-Problems/dp/0190663294 

The Science That Feeds Us podcast brings together extension agents, faculty specialists, and scientists for interdisciplinary conversations on emerging trends in agriculture and the food system. Designed to inform and engage both professionals and curious consumers, we highlight the stories behind the science to build deeper connections to food and agriculture research. The Science That Feeds Us is supported by NC State Extension and NC State University.

Edited and Produced by: Bhavisha Gulabrai

Music: Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.