Seed Oils Saga
- ketogenicfasting
- Sep 5, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Did you know that nearly 30% of the calories consumed in America come from seed oils? It sounds shocking—but it’s true.
Did you know 60% of U.S. adults are living with at least one chronic disease? Even more shocking—40% have two or more. These conditions, many of which are preventable, account for most deaths and healthcare costs in the country.
🚨 Simply Put, Americans Are Sick! What’s Gone So Wrong? How did we get here?
Over the past century, our diets have changed dramatically. But one shift stands out: the explosion in seed oil consumption. Take soybean oil—a popular seed oil—as an example. Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. consumption skyrocketed by more than 1000%. And we’re paying the price.
🧪 What Are Seed Oils, Really?
Seed oils are a type of vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of crops—like soybeans, corn, canola, and sunflowers. The origin of the seed oils is actually quite disturbing!
Cottonseed oil was the first seed oil introduced into the food supply.
Originally used as machine oil, lamp oil, fertilizer, and cattle feed, it was later marketed to consumers as a cheaper alternative to butter and lard.
The campaign was wildly successful—and today, soybean oil has taken the lead as the most widely consumed vegetable oil in America.
They’re rich in linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. In moderation, our bodies need omega-6 fatty acid. But most Americans are getting way way too much—and that’s a problem.
Check out this interview with Dr. Chris Knobbe about his fascinating research on seed oils.
0:00 Welcome, Dr. Chris Knobbe!
0:18 Seed oils vs. sugar
4:44 Diabetes and seed oils
12:36 Seed oils and nutritional deficiencies
14:12 The history of seed oils
17:49 Seed oils and junk food
25:44 How to eliminate seed oils from your diet
27:13 Corn oil and dent corn
30:06 The cost of healthy food
The Seed Oil Crisis: What Dr. Knobbe Discovered
Dr. Chris Knobbe, a practicing ophthalmologist, has spent the last 13 years researching industrial seed oils and their alarming link to chronic disease. His work points to a direct correlation between the rise in seed oil consumption and the explosion of modern health issues—including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
A Look at the Numbers:
Between 1922 and 1987, sugar consumption remained relatively stable.
Yet during that same period, obesity increased by 600%.
Meanwhile, vegetable oil consumption skyrocketed from just 78 calories per person per day to 497.
By 2010, the average American was consuming 80 grams of seed oils daily.
Today, about ⅓ of the average American's calories come from seed oils.
How Do Seed Oils Contribute to Diabetes?
In short: they damage your metabolism at the cellular level.
Seed oils cause mitochondrial dysfunction, impairing your body’s ability to burn fuel efficiently.
Rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), seed oils accumulate in your body fat, cell membranes, and mitochondria—where they fuel inflammation and oxidation.
These oils are also nutrient-deficient. When you consume empty calories like seed oils or sugar, your body has to pull from its own nutrient reserves, eventually leading to deficiencies.
Check out Dr. Chris Knobbe's YouTube Channel and Website:
⚠️ Disclaimer
This video, presented by Dr. Eric Berg, is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose or replace a professional medical consultation. Always speak with your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or health regimen.
What’s the Difference Between Seed Oils and Vegetable Oils?
The terms “seed oil” and “vegetable oil” are often used interchangeably, but there is a key distinction. Technically, all seed oils are vegetable oils, but not all vegetable oils are seed oils.
Seed oils are extracted specifically from the seeds of plants—such as soybean, corn, sunflower, canola (rapeseed), cottonseed, and safflower.
Other vegetable oils, like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil, are derived from the flesh of fruits rather than seeds. These are still considered vegetable oils but are not seed oils.
The term “vegetable oil” became popular as a generic label—especially in processed foods—because it sounds healthier and more appealing than listing oils like soybean or cottonseed. While some companies may highlight “seed oil” to distinguish their product, labeling often reflects marketing choices rather than precise botanical definitions.
💣 Why Seed Oils May Be Fueling Chronic Disease
Mounting research is connecting excess seed oil consumption with a surge in modern diseases:
🍩 1. Obesity
America leads the world in both obesity rates and seed oil consumption.Studies suggest omega-6 fats may promote fat storage and metabolic disruption—especially when combined with sedentary lifestyles and refined sugars.
❤️ 2. Heart Disease
For decades, we were told to replace butter with "heart-healthy" oils. But now?New evidence shows seed oils don’t lower heart attack risk—and may actually contribute to coronary heart disease when omega-6 levels crowd out omega-3s.
💉 3. Diabetes
Animal studies show diets rich in PUFAs (like soybean oil) may dysregulate genes tied to obesity and type 2 diabetes—especially compared to fats like coconut oil.
🧬 4. Cancer
The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in our diets has shifted from 4:1 to as high as 50:1.That imbalance has been linked to inflammation and a higher risk of certain cancers.
🧯 5. Autoimmune Disorders
Too much omega-6 and too little omega-3 may trigger autoimmune responses. Lowering this ratio has been shown to reduce inflammation in some studies.
🌿 Time for a Food Reset
Use common sense!!! Cut seed oils from your diet!
Seed oils are everywhere and unnaturally abundant in our diets—in salad dressings, snack foods, frozen meals, and restaurant fryers. Reduce, and gradually eliminate ...
✅ fast food consumption all together.
✅ dining at major restaurant chains and diners.
✅ When you dine out, question the venue's choice of frying oil while you are ordering your food.
Seed oils are highly processed, and increasingly linked to chronic inflammation and modern disease.
✅ Stop buying foods with a "label." Seed oils are everywhere, also in packaged food.
✅ Stick to whole, unprocessed foods like meat, eggs, dairy, and fresh produce.
Cook at home with ...
✅ healthy fats like butter, ghee, or animal fats (bacon fat, beef tallow).
✅ cold-pressed olive or avocado oil.
✅ coconut oil especially for high-heat cooking/frying.
🧠 The Bottom Line
If chronic disease is the epidemic of our time, seed oils may be one of the hidden causes behind it. Your body—and your future self—will thank you when you eliminate seed oils out of your diet.
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