It can be hard to keep up with food fads and diet trends (and spoiler: you don’t need to).

But an intriguing assumption that has gained traction recently is that seed oils – think canola, sunflower, grapeseed – are terrible for you.

Norman and Tegan unpack how that assumption has spread, and whether there’s any solid evidence to back it up.

References:

• Biomarkers of Dietary Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality
• Serum n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of death: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study
• Omega-6 fats to prevent and treat heart and circulatory diseases
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids intake and risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, mental health, and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
• Perspective on the health effects of unsaturated fatty acids and commonly consumed plant oils high in unsaturated fat
• If you’re worried about inflammation, stop stressing about seed oils and focus on the basics