The Hidden Dangers of Seed Oils (And Why Your Gut Hates Them) July 8, 2025
Think seed oils are healthy? Think again. Canola, soybean, and other vegetable oils fuel inflammation, leaky gut, and hormone chaos. Learn why to ditch them and which real fats—like olive oil and butter—support true gut and whole-body health.
You swapped the butter for canola because someone told you it was heart-healthy.
You bought the “avocado oil” mayo only to learn it’s 90% soybean oil.
And now your gut’s inflamed, your joints ache, and your hormones are on strike.
Let’s talk about the one “healthy” thing that’s anything but: seed oils.
🧪 What Are Seed Oils, Really?
Seed oils (aka “vegetable oils”) sound harmless, but most are highly processed industrial oils made from crops never meant to be squeezed into a bottle.
Common offenders:
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Rice bran oil
They’re everywhere: restaurant fryers, boxed snacks, salad dressings, even your so-called health bars.
🔥 Why Your Gut Hates These Oils
1. They’re Inflammatory Bombs
Seed oils are loaded with omega-6 fatty acids, which throw your body into an inflamed frenzy when consumed in excess. Chronic inflammation = gut damage, leaky gut, and autoimmune flare-ups.
2. They Go Rancid Easily
These oils oxidize quickly during processing, shipping, and cooking. That means by the time they hit your plate, they’re full of free radicals that damage your gut lining and cells.
3. They Disrupt Cell Membranes
Every cell in your body has a membrane made of fat. When you feed it garbage fats, you get weak, leaky, inflamed cells, especially in the gut, where that barrier is everything.
4. They’re Often GMO and Chemical-Laden
Most seed oils are extracted using hexane (a petroleum solvent) and bleached, deodorized, and stripped of nutrients. Yum.
⚠️ Signs Seed Oils Might Be Sabotaging You
- Constant bloat or belly pain
- Hormonal chaos (especially estrogen dominance)
- Stubborn weight (especially belly fat)
- Skin issues (eczema, breakouts, rosacea)
- Brain fog or anxiety
- Achy joints or mystery inflammation
Sound familiar? It’s not just gluten or dairy—it could be the “heart healthy” oil on your salad.
💪 What to Use Instead
Time to upgrade your fat game:
- 🧈 Grass-fed butter or ghee- Stable and delicious
- 🥑 Avocado oil (REAL avocado oil)- Look for 100% pure
- 🫒 Extra virgin olive oil- Great raw or low-heat cooking
- 🐄 Beef tallow- Incredible for high-heat and your microbiome
- 🥥 Coconut oil Antimicrobial and gut-supportive
Pro tip: If it needs a chemistry lab to make it, don’t eat it.
🛒 How to Avoid Seed Oils
- Read every label. Even "organic" and "keto" foods sneak them in.
- Ditch processed snacks and make your own dressings/sauces.
- Ask restaurants what oils they use. (You’ll be shocked.)
This isn’t about being perfect, it’s about lowering the toxic burden so your gut can heal.
💛 In Case You Skimmed
- Seed oils = inflammation, leaky gut, hormonal chaos
- Replace with real fats: butter, olive oil, tallow, avocado oil
- Read labels and don’t trust “healthy” marketing
- Protecting your gut starts with the oils you use daily
We’re not waiting for permission,
Jamie Shahan MSN, CRNA, RN
Empowering Holistic Health
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⚠️ Disclaimer
The information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The content reflects the personal research, experiences, and opinions of Jamie Shahan and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are taking medications.
Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use myself or would confidently recommend to someone I love
