Could seed oils be the cause of your extra weight?
Mar 12, 2022
"Altogether, industrial seed oil processing creates an energy-dense, nutrient-poor oil that contains chemical residues, trans fats, and oxidized byproducts." (Chris Kresser)
Someone on my professional network shared a video and an article about the health risk associated with seed oils (see links below).
In a nutshell: consuming seed oil is linked to increase in weigth gain and other chronic illnesses.
This is something I became aware of over 2 years ago.
After reading about the issue, I stopped eating anything with seed oil in it.
For a while...
Then, I slowly reintroduce them in my diet. Not through fast food or oil directly poured from a bottle.
Not consciously.
It simply creeped back in my diet through many prepared food items I like to buy from time to time.
Because they are convenient and taste good.
Healthy may not be that healthy
These food items include "healthy" chips, crackers, granola cereals or bars, canned fish, etc as well as most condiments (mayonnaise) and often, roasted nuts or nut butters.
Even prepared hummus, guacamole or salad mixes have seed oil! Basically, anything that requires some fat, texture or taste added to it will likely have some seed oil in it (and sugar! But that is another story).
Once you look into the ingredients of anything prepackaged, prepared in store or in mass production, you see these seed oils everywhere!
Is the challenge that alternative fats are too expansive or unstable (olive oil, coconut oil)? Or is it because some of these alternative to seed oils such butter and animal fat have been "demonized" by our health experts? Or maybe it is just the food industry pushing for these low cost high profit commodities?
Anyways...
My own experience and renewed commitment
I just realized recently that as I resumed eating more chips and prepared foods, I started to feel emotionally low and had digestive issues.
My skin was not as healthy and my energy not stable. I had more cravings too.
So I decided to pause and listen to my body.
My body was telling me that it needed more nutrients and less empty-calories and inflammation-inducing fuel.
I have decided to remove and throw away anything in my pantry that contains seed oils. This includes items on the picture below.
Picture of common food items, some considered healthy, with seed oil in it.
I will stick to olive and coconut oil and use other whole sources of fat (nuts, avocado, grass-fed meat, wild fish).
I will pay more attention to the ingredient list of anything prepared that I buy.
At least the items on the image below are good. Not everything is going to waste!
Picture of healthier food items without added seed oil in it.
How I am feeling now
I have started just over a day ago and already feel better!
Even if I had eggs with lardons this morning, some cheese, olive oil and nut butter.
Worth a try. What do you think?
Are you inspired to give it a try?
Whatever you decide to do, here's my "food" advice:
(Note: I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist so please consult your health experts if you have health issues):
- Eat as whole, fresh and natural as you can. Nature does things right. We human like to mess-up things by over-processing things (this include over-thinking too).
- Prepare your food yourself or choose a provider that focuses on health and quality of ingredients. A lot of the ingredients that turn out to be bad for us are added to ensure the food can sit on shelves longer or to compensate for the loss of natural texture and flavor.
- Experiment to find the food that you enjoy eating AND is good for you (your body, your mind, your spirit). I guarantee you that you can have more pleasure with what nature provides!
Invite friends and family to cook and share the meal with you to experience even more joy and abundance!
References:
How Industrial Seed Oils Are Making Us Sick, blog post by Chris Kresser: https://chriskresser.com/how-industrial-seed-oils-are-making-us-sick/#How_to_Avoid_Industrial_Seed_Oils
Diseases of Civilization: Are Seed Oil Excesses the Unifying Mchanism?, talk by Dr. Chris Knobble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kGnfXXIKZM