Hidden Poisons: The Dangers of Seed Oils in Your Food

By Brandon Spaulding

You grab a cookie, a bag of chips, or a meal with fries at the cafeteria. As this food is considered unhealthy enough, it all includes one ingredient that can be considered toxic: seed oil. Seed oils are refined oils that come from the seeds of plants. They include vegetable oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil and several others. These oils are linked to health risks that can compromise people's lives today.

"As far as seed oils go, similar to other products that are synthesized, and even though they may come from natural sources, once they go through processing, it's very difficult for your body to metabolize and digest them. And they're seeing a lot of people are having issues if they ingest specifically high quantities. But even in small quantities, your body may not know what to do with these ingredients" said Mr. Cantor, Columbus' wellness director and anatomy teacher.

To extract oil from seeds, they must be heated at extremely high temperatures, which can cause oxidation. According to the article Cooking Oil and Oxidative Stability, harmful by-products and compounds are formed by oxidized oils that make food inedible (About Olive Oil, 2019). Seed oils contain polyunsaturated fats, making them vulnerable to oxidation.

This can reduce the antioxidants and nutritional value of these oils. These oils possess omega-6 fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Chemicals and solvents are used to neutralize and bleach the extracted oil.

These include hexanes, peroxides, and hypochlorites are used in the process. This process is what makes seed oils so hazardous.

The chemicals in making seed oils pose vast health concerns for modern-day society. For instance, hexane is a petroleum-derived solvent found in gasoline and other crude oil. In the text Hexane, it is stated that "Chronic (long-term) exposure to hexane in the air is associated with polyneuropathy in humans, with numbness in the extremities, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache, and fatigue observed" (Hexane, 1) 

As most of the hexane is removed to make the oil edible, there can be small traces of it left in the oil itself. Exposure to this solvent can lead to neurological health issues. According to the article Association of Long-Term Consumption of Repeatedly Heated Mix Vegetable Oils in Different Doses and Hepatic Toxicity through Fat Accumulation, peroxides can cause cancer and neurologic-destructive conditions (Ambreen, et al. 2020).

Moreover, in the article What are the side effects of Sodium Hypochlorite?, it is stated that hypochlorite exposure can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract and chronic respiratory issues (Synapse, 2024). These can be fatal to victims of this chemical, as it can lead to death.

In closing, seed oils are the worst fats to cook with. They are unnatural, unhealthy, and hazardous. Other healthier fats to cook with include extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, beef tallow, clarified butter, and others. Get rid of seed oils in your diet today and get better alternatives for your health and livelihood.