The use of seed oils is coming under increasing scrutiny.
There is a small but growing group of activists who argue that there is growing health evidence linking their consumption to a variety of serious concerns, ranging from heart disease to chronic inflammation and some types of cancer.
These calls, despite reservations from other nutrition and health experts about whether or not the claims are true, have increased consumer interest in seed oil-free products.
It is so significant that the Seed Oil Free Alliance, launched earlier this month, is the first certification program dedicated to providing brands and manufacturers with a way to verify the status of their non-seed oil products.
FoodNavigator reports that the independent certification body, which currently only works with American restaurants and brands, will soon announce the certification of a variety of food products made in the EU. This comes amid growing concerns about the ingredient, both on the American side of the Atlantic.
'Growing evidence' against seed oils
Seed oils are used in many consumer products, including confectionery and snack foods. These include soybean, safflower, cottonseed, corn seed, rapeseed, grapeseed, cottonseed, sunflower, cottonseed, rice bran, and soybean.
Corey Nelson, director of innovation at the Seed Oil Free Alliance, estimates that these seed oils account for 20 % of the average daily caloric intake in Europe. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), average per capita vegetable oil consumption in the EU is about a third lower than in the US and is expected to decline slightly over the next decade. This will vary across EU states, but I would say the average amount of seed oil in total calories is about 20 %. It is not surprising that the amount of seed oil in our diet has increased significantly, given that it was non-existent in the human diet before the turn of the century.
They are essential to a healthy lifestyle because the body cannot produce them. These fats help maintain healthy skin and hair, regulate metabolism, and keep the reproductive system healthy. Nutrition expert Alexa Mullane says that some of these fatty acids, like arachidonic acid, are abundant in the brain and essential for creating new synapses and neurons. These fats are necessary for our nervous system to function properly, so we need to consume them.
Nelson says the requirement is only 1 to 2 % calories per day, which is far below current consumption levels in Europe and the United States.
Seed oils raise health concerns
This high consumption has been linked to a variety of health problems, such as chronic inflammation, obesity, heart disease, and some cancers. A recent study found that high levels of consumption were linked to a wide range of health problems, including chronic inflammation, weight gain, and heart disease. Population-based cohort studiesPublished in April this year, they were associated with an increased risk of death.
Nelson says: "We believe that high levels of seed oil consumption are not necessary for a healthy lifestyle and research has shown that current consumption carries serious risks."
Seed oils may be harmful, but the strength of the evidence for this is debatable. Not all experts agree. There is confusion around seed oils, said Dariush Mozoaffarian, the Jean Mayer professor of nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Consumer Reports 2022 article. If you read the research, you will find that this is not true. [against seed oils] “This is neither correct nor complete.”
The pointer points to a Analysis of 30 studiesCirculation published a study in 2019, for example, that found that higher levels of linoleic acid, found in seed oils, did not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In fact, people with high levels of linoleic acid in their blood are seven percent less likely to suffer from it than others.
The rise of seed oil-free claims
Although health experts are still in disagreement about whether seed oil is harmful to health, consumers seem to have a growing desire for products without seed oil.
As a result, some brands have already chosen to label themselves “seed oil free”. Amy Moring, co-founder of UK brand Hunter and Gather, claims that all products, including coffee, condiments and supplements, are free of seed oil. This claim is a central part of their philosophy. She says chronic diseases have increased and with seed oil only being introduced into the diet in the last 110 years, she believes seed oils will be the new tobacco or sugar when it comes to health. Tesco recently launched a new range of seed oil free mayonnaise, made with 100% avocado oil, made from discarded, squeezed or wobbly avocados.
The Keto Collective is another brand that highlights the lack of refined seed oil in its ingredient list.
The Seed Oil Free Alliance has launched an independent certification program to help formalize these claims. The Seed Oil Free Alliance launched its standards in July and reports that there are currently about 40 products in the process of being certified. A handful of these have already been verified to carry the claim. Nelson says the plan is to expand certifications and certify some EU products this year.
He believes that demand for the certificate will increase in line with public health concerns. He says online discussions on the issue have increased significantly. You now see companies labelling premium oils like olive and avocado oil on their packaging as well. And you also see more and more seed oil-free claims that coincide with the launch of our product. That wasn’t the case eight months ago when we got the certification mark.
He adds that it remains to be seen how this issue will play out in Europe. I spoke to EU citizens who said they found out about it on social media and American websites. The movement continues to gain momentum in the United States. However, it is unclear whether health-conscious European consumers will be as vocal as American consumers or whether they will be more muted.
We believe that consumers should be informed about the issues they face and have the freedom to choose based on accurate information and transparency.
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