Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week, Dr Zac Turner discusses claims made by influencers that seed oils are dangerous.
QUESTION: Hi Dr Zac, I went down a bit of a TikTok rabbit hole about seed oils and am a bit freaked out now. If these people are correct, we should never be consuming seed oils, ever! Are they correct? I didn’t want to trust them because none of them were doctors, they were just gym junkies and influencers. Which are the best oils to have in your diet and why? – Tom, 28, Queensland
ANSWER: Great to see that your bullcrap detector remains on when using social media, Tom. We should never be trusting health advice over social media unless it’s proven the person is a medical professional. Even though I myself am a doctor, I would always recommend that you seek second opinions from your own doctor or GP. Health literacy is built by learning and research, not by scrolling TikTok!
Now let’s dive into the wonderful world of oils. Those who are a bit older may know this to be a bit of a rollercoaster when it comes to health advice and oils. At one point it was to have as much oil as you can, other times it was only to have it in moderation, and then none at all. At the moment the fad is to be selective with which oil you consume.
Let me start this by saying it is important to consume oils. Oils and fats contain essential fatty acids such as omega 3s and 6s that are part of the structure of every single cell in the body. They’re the building blocks of hormones, help decrease inflammation, and lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure.
I always recommend using a variety of oils, as they have different uses. For example you need to make sure you only cook with an oil that has a high smoke point. When cooking oils are heated, particularly at a high heat, they eventually reach their smoke point. This is the temperature at which the oil is no longer stable and begins to break down. When oil breaks down, it begins to oxidise and release free radicals. These compounds can have negative health consequences, potentially causing cellular damage that may lead to disease development. Avocado, peanut, canola, rice bran, sunflower, light olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil), and sesame oil have high smoke points so are great for cooking.
In general, the healthiest oils are liquid and plant-based. The one that comes to mind first is olive oil, and for good reason. It helps lower blood cholesterol and provides antioxidants, and extra virgin is the ideal version, as it’s the first pressing and least refined. After that, canola, grape seed and sunflower fall into the healthy column. Seed oils with a lower smoke temperature are great when used in salads for example.
On the unhealthy side, there’s lard, butter, palm oil and coconut oil. The reason why these are unhealthy is because they come in a semisolid state and have a high level of saturated fat, which leads to increased LDL cholesterol. This is the bad type that is linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Do not be afraid of seed oils! People on TikTok believe in a lot of things but that doesn’t mean they are true. The key is to have everything in moderation. Enjoy your oil!
Got a question? Email askdrzac@conciergedoctors.com.au
Dr Zac Turner has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. He is both a medical practitioner and a co-owner of telehealth service, Concierge Doctors. He was also a registered nurse and is a qualified and experienced biomedical scientist along with being a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering.