Science Vs Seed Oils: Should You Switch to Butter?
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Nov 6, 2025 Dr. Cate Shanahan, a family physician and author, dives into the heated debate over seed oils versus saturated fats. She argues that the rising consumption of seed oils is linked to diseases like obesity and cancer. Exploring the history of saturated fat demonization, she challenges the notion that butter and bacon are harmful. The discussion includes insights on cholesterol's role in heart disease and why dietary context might matter more than the type of fat consumed. Can seed oils really be the villain they are made out to be?
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Not All LDL Is Equally Dangerous
- LDL cholesterol is essential but excess LDL increases heart disease risk through plaque formation and macrophage buildup.
- LDL particle size and other risk factors (smoking, hypertension) influence how dangerous LDL is.
Correlation ≠ Causation For Seed Oils And Disease
- Seed oil consumption rose since the 1960s while many diseases also rose, but this is correlational and confounded by aging and other factors.
- Correlation alone doesn't prove seed oils cause those diseases.
Seed Oils Don't Raise Measured Inflammation
- Randomized feeding trials swapping seed oils for saturated fats (e.g., muffin studies) found no increase in inflammation from seed oils.
- Systematic reviews report virtually no evidence that seed oils raise inflammatory markers.
