Seed oil controversy bubbles up to the surface. What's the truth?

What's the deal with seed oils?

The trend is to vilify seed oils among some health experts and lifestyle influencers. Why?

FOX 2 - Seed oils have been a hot topic online, with many people saying to avoid them altogether. But before you clear out your kitchen cabinets, there’s more to consider.

Why you should care:

"The bigger picture is looking where these seed oils are found," said Teresa Eury. "So, a lot of products if you're eating ultra-processed foods, that's when you want to pump the brakes. You want to eat less of those foods, so we don't want to target exactly the oil itself. but look at the food as a whole."

Eury, a registered dietitian, said ultra-processed foods like chips and other prepackaged snacks and fried foods often contain seed oils.

Some examples are sunflower oil, canola, soybean, or peanut. Critics claim seed oils can cause chronic inflammation.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats, baked goods and breakfast foods.

However, Eury points out, the foods that have seed oils have other added ingredients, which is why Eury says it’s not the seed oils that are necessarily making these foods unhealthy.

When it comes to cooking at home, she says it’s okay to use seed oils for sautéing veggies or creating another healthy meal.

But no matter what oil you're using,  Eury, from Cleveland Clinic, says moderation is key.

"It is a balance," she said. "You don't need to go on an oil cleanse and start tossing everything out in your pantry. Just try to incorporate healthy choices throughout your diet and having small amounts is not a big deal."

The bottom line is to do your own research on the possible health impact. But overall a good rule of thumb is to stay away from all ultra-processed foods in general, whether they have seed oil in it or not.