Think about the 1 ingredient you probably use in almost every meal, breads, curries, even that quick tadka to add at the end – Cooking oil.
We often spend so much time choosing the right vegetables, protein, grains and spices… but rarely stop to ask what oil we’re cooking all of it in. If the cooking oil you use every single day is contributing to inflammation or oxidative stress, it doesn’t really matter how “healthy” the rest of your meal looks, you’re still adding that oil to your system, meal after meal, day after day.
So in this deep dive, I want to simplify the whole seed-oil conversation for you. We’ll understand what seed oils actually are, what the concern around them is, which oils are better suited for everyday cooking, and what I personally recommend when choosing a cooking oil.
What are Seed Oils ?
So, seed oils are extracted from the seeds of plants, rather than from naturally oil producing foods like olives, walnuts, avocados. Some of the common ones are soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed and grapeseed oil. Earlier people used oils or fats coming from natural sources like coconut oil, walnut, peanut, sesame seeds. This big shift happened during the 20th century, when industries started making these oils on a large scale to mass-produce. And that’s when they started becoming a staple in packaged foods, restaurants and everyday cooking.
Just like when rice is processed, the bran and germ are removed, leaving mainly the starchy endosperm behind. Similarly, when these oils are commercially extracted and processed on a large scale, every nutrient is removed, leaving behind a highly concentrated source of omega-6 fats, particularly linoleic acid. That doesn’t mean omega-6 is the villain,your body actually needs it. You can’t make it on your own, so you have to get it from food. Current nutritional recommendations suggest that omega-6 fat only needs to make up a small percentage of your daily intake roughly 1–2% of calories, that’s just 1 Teaspoon a day to meet essential requirements
The concern is more about how much you’re getting, and what happens to these fats when they’re exposed to constant heat, light and oxygen. These fats have multiple double bonds in their structure , and these are like weak points in that structure. The more double bonds they have, the more they will react to oxygen in the atmosphere and the more they become rancid. So when seed oils are repeatedly exposed to oxygen, heat during processing, those weak points can break down and form aldehydes. They can act as biological irritants and are one reason why the quality, processing and cooking conditions of an oil matter.
Cold Pressed v/s Industrial Refined Seed Oil
Now that we know what seed oils are, the next question is: are all seed oils the same? Not really!
The biggest difference comes down to how the oil is extracted and processed. Seeds are tough and contain much less oil than something naturally oily like coconut, sesame or avocado. So extracting that oil requires either Mechanical Pressure (cold pressing ) or Industrial Processing.
Industrial refining is where seeds are crushed and exposed to high heat and chemical solvents such as hexane to extract the oil hidden behind the fibre of the seed. The oil then goes through processes like bleaching and deodorisation because they smell and have a lot of unwanted compounds. So you lose the essential nutrients.
On the other hand, Cold pressing is a mechanical process. The seeds or nuts are cleaned, crushed and then pressed under mechanical pressure of ancient stone to release the oil without relying on chemical solvents for extraction and without any high temperature heat. The oil is then filtered or allowed to settle naturally with a use of muslin cloth
That’s why don’t look at an oil and simply ask, “Is it a seed oil or not?” Instead ask How was it extracted and processed? And how heat stable is it when I’m actually cooking with it?
Long Term Consumption Of Seed Oils
So what happens when highly refined seed oils and trans fats become part of your diet ? Your gut lining is basically a vast, single-cell barrier held together by tight junctions. Think of them as security guards. Their job is to let nutrients through while keeping bacteria, toxins and undigested food away. But when you’re consuming large amounts of unstable omega-6 fats, that are repeatedly exposed to heat, they oxidize and form highly reactive byproducts. These compounds gradually damage the lining of your gut, even triggering premature cell death.
Research suggests that excess seed oil consumption acts like a food for certain bacteria, supporting the overgrowth of harmful strains like E. coli, while suppressing good gut bacteria that help protect the gut lining. Now you have damaged gut cells and an altered microbial environment.
As these seed oil particles come in contact with your gut, those tight junctions in the lining loosen up, undigested food particles and bacterial products get passed into the bloodstream. Your immune system sees these particles as foreign and responds by sending out immune cells and signals. When this immune system is constantly being triggered, the inflammatory alarm doesn’t get much of a chance to switch off. On cellular level, your cell outer covering is fluid filled, flexible and absorbs nutrients from food. Trans fats make those membranes dehydrated and stiffer. All the important hormones or enzymes need these cells to attach and function properly. So it eventually affects your hormones like insulin, TSH, and tissues throughout the body, including your joints giving symptoms like swelling, pain, stiffness and the chronic aches
Finding Right Balance
So, if you are trying to calm the inflammation created by a modern, seed-oil-heavy diet, you need to understand what your body needs more of, and this is where Omega-3 fatty acids come in. Your body needs both Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats. They’re both essential fatty acids, which simply means your body cannot make them on its own, so you have to get them from your diet. They are 2 sides of the same coin , omega 6 helps your body create an inflammatory response when needed for example, for blood clotting when you’re injured, for creating immune defence when you’re down with a cold or cough. Omega-3s, on the other hand, help keep that inflammatory response in check when it goes overboard and support the resolution of inflammation. These fats come from plant foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts, as well as marine sources like algae
Historically, humans consumed a much more balanced Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio, estimated to be somewhere around 1:1 to 4:1. Today, because industrial refined seed oils are so common in packaged foods, restaurant meals, dressings and fast food, this ratio has increased dramatically reaching to 15:1 or even 20:1. Because both these fats use the same metabolic pathway to go inside your cells. When there is a huge amount of Omega-6 coming in, it competes with Omega-3 and your body doesn’t get the same opportunity to use it effectively.
The goal should be to keep the overall balance of both fats into a healthier range by reducing industrial seed oils, consuming cold pressed oils while making sure you’re getting enough Omega-3 sources as well. To fight chronic inflammation, you must consume around 1,000–3,000 mg (1–3 grams) of omega 3 per day.
Checklist to Buy the Right Cooking Oil
Save this checklist for your next grocery run:
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Look for “Cold-Pressed” or “Wood-Pressed (Kachi Ghani)” – Choose oils extracted mechanically, without harsh chemical solvents or excessive industrial heat.
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Choose the Right Container- Go for dark glass bottles or tins. Avoid plastic containers
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Check the Ingredient List- Ideally, it should contain one ingredient only e.g., “100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.” Avoid hidden blends with refined vegetable or sunflower oil.
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Check the Date- Choose the freshest harvest or packaging date you can find. Cold Pressed oils are not meant to sit on shelves forever.
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Match the Oil to Your Cooking Method- Check whether the oil is suitable for the heat you’re using. If an oil starts smoking, it’s breaking down that’s your hint to stop or low the gas flame
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Never Reuse Frying Oil- Don’t reheat the same oil multiple times. Use only that much oil which is appropriate for single frying session
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Don’t Deep-Fry With Delicate Cold-Pressed Oils- Extra virgin olive oil and raw seed/nut oils are nutrient-rich but aren’t the best choice for very high-heat deep frying. Save them for drizzling or finishing.
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My Personal Recommendation- For high-heat cooking like sautéing, roasting or pressure cooking, prefer cold pressed avocado, coconut, peanut or sesame oil because they are naturally more stable after heat and resistant to oxidation. For low-heat cooking, salad dressings and drizzling, go for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or virgin olive oil to preserve their flavour and beneficial compounds.
The Bottomline
Just like you choose the right cooking oil for your body’s needs, your health needs a personalised approach too.
If you’ve been feeling confused about your health or overwhelmed about where to start, book a Root-Cause Discovery Call with me. We’ll look at the bigger picture, connect the dots, and understand what your body may actually be asking for.