The Modern Ancestral Mamas Podcast The Seed Oil Lie: What Every Family Needs to Know | Ep 94
Sep 3, 2025
Dr. Cate Shanahan, a physician and author of "Deep Nutrition," dives deep into the controversy surrounding seed oils, labeling them the "Hateful Eight" for their link to inflammation and disease. She explains why saturated fats are more stable and better for health than polyunsaturated options. Listeners learn practical tips for avoiding hidden seed oils in their diets, from label reading to selecting quality alternatives like olive and avocado oils. Dr. Shanahan encourages families to embrace real food while challenging conventional dietary wisdom.
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Seed Oils Oxidize And Damage Cells
- Seed oils are the least healthy thing in the food supply because their molecules polymerize with oxygen and damage cell membranes.
- That oxidation-driven membrane damage underlies inflammation and many modern diseases, including pregnancy complications.
Double Bonds Determine Fat Stability
- Fatty acids differ by chemical bonds: saturated (no double bonds), monounsaturated (one), polyunsaturated (two+).
- More double bonds make fats kinked and far more prone to oxygen-driven breakdown and instability.
Tallow Fries Tasted Better, Says Dr. Cate
- Dr. Cate fondly recalls McDonald's fries fried in tallow as crisp and delicious before they switched to seed oils.
- She links that change to the period when seed oils were marketed as heart‑healthy.
