Big Idea: Why Are Seed Oils So Pervasive and The Case For and Against Them

Jun 23, 2025

Join Jeff Nobbs, cofounder and CEO of Zero Acre Farms, as he dives into the contentious world of seed oils. With over 15 years in health and nutrition, Jeff highlights their historical rise from industrial use to everyday kitchens. He explores the research debates, from observational studies to the case against these oils, and addresses the harmful effects of trans fats. Discover why understanding the history and implications of vegetable oils is crucial for healthier choices in our diets!

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Seed Oils Became Industrial Staples

Seed oils were initially industrial lubricants due to scarcity of whale blubber and were toxic until detoxified in early 1900s.
Crisco was created from partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, becoming a household staple and introducing "vegetable shortening".

INSIGHT

Vegetable Oils and Cholesterol

Lowering cholesterol became the basis to recommend vegetable oils despite lack of direct evidence for heart disease benefits.
President Eisenhower's experience worsened on a high corn oil diet, highlighting uncertainty in vegetable oil's heart health claims.

INSIGHT

Fast Food Shift to Harmful Oils

In 1990s, animal fats were removed from fast food fryers and replaced by partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats).
This switch caused far worse health outcomes, linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

This episode is brought to you by Momentous, Ollie, and Manukora Honey.

Vegetable oils are a hot topic in the wellness world. Some consider them a heart-healthy alternative to saturated fats, while others argue they may be far more harmful to our overall health than once believed. But where did they come from, and how did they become so widely used?

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Jeff Nobbs to discuss the history of seed oils and how they’ve become ubiquitous in restaurants and ultra-processed foods. He also describes the research limitations and selective reporting that have heavily influenced their recommendation and use.

Jeff Nobbs is the cofounder and CEO of Zero Acre Farms, a company replacing harmful vegetable oils with healthier, more sustainable options made through fermentation. With over 15 years of experience in health and nutrition, Jeff has launched several start-ups focused on better ingredients and food access, including the restaurant chain Kitava and the nonprofit HelpKitchen. He’s also served as COO of Perfect Keto and GM at Ebates (now Rakuten).

In this episode, Dhru and Jeff dive into:

The history of seed oils and how they became so pervasive (04:01)
Why trans fats were banned from commercial production (17:26)
Observational research and the case for seed oils (21:40)
Randomized controlled trials and the case against seed oils (28:21)
Biomarkers in people who consume seed oils and observational data on trans fats (33:04)
The Minnesota Coronary Experiment (40:32)
McDonald’s transition to seed oils (43:15)
Final thoughts (44:36)

Also mentioned:

Full episode with Jeff Nobbs

This episode is brought to you by Momentous, Ollie, and Manukora Honey.

Support your energy, bones, and resilience with The Women’s Three: Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin D3—formulated by experts, made for women. Head to livemomentous.com and use code DHRU for 35% off your first subscription.

Want to give your dog the best in clean eating? Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Right now, Ollie is offering 60% off your first box of meals when you subscribe today! Just head to Ollie.com, use the code DHRU, and you’ll get 60% off your first box of meals in your subscription.

Upgrade to the creamiest honey, packed with antioxidants and prebiotics. Just go to manukora.com/dhru to get $25 off the Starter Kit and boost your energy, immunity, and digestive health today!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices