Seed Oils

Philip Pape 0:00

Seed oils friend or foe . Apparently , my take on this controversial topic ruffled some feathers , and today we're going to dive into the one-star review that called me out recently , and I'm setting the record straight on seed oils , on big food , on what the science really says . Grab your popcorn , or should I say dad joke warning cold-pressed organic coconut oil popcorn , because this is going to be a spicy one . Welcome to a bonus episode of Wits and Weights , the show that helps you work smarter and more efficiently to build the physique you want . I'm going to read you a quote from a recent review on the podcast , a one-star review , which I absolutely love one-star reviews for their feedback . I don't love getting them , and so , if you want to see the entire review , go check it out on Apple , as you're on your way to give me a five-star review If you feel it's so deserved . Otherwise , just reach out to me and let's chat it out . And it says , quote Philip is either taking money from big food or simply doesn't understand the science , or perhaps both . To say that ultra processed industrial seed oils are okay for consumption and that evidence against them is flimsy shows that he hasn't done his homework . I don't have the time or the desire to educate this man , but listeners be aware Philip is not to be trusted .

Philip Pape 1:24

All right , so that reviewer was responding to a recent QuickWits episode about seed oils , which I can link in the show notes . It's a topic that stirs up quite a reaction across the interwebs whenever it comes up for some strange reason , and maybe that's why I keep gravitating to it as well . Honestly , I don't have super strong personal feelings about it , but I definitely have a lot of evidence-based analyses and thoughts about it , and today we're going to unpack this further . We're going to address the theme of what he's trying to get at , and first of all I want to thank the listener who left the review because it wasn't exactly a glowing endorsement , but it highlights an important conversation that we need to have about nutrition science , evidence , how we communicate complex topics , and I want to start by revisiting my stance on seed oils . I said that there's no compelling scientific data showing that they are inherently harmful to our health , and I stand by this statement . But let me elaborate . The reviewer accused me of being anti-science and potentially taking money from Big Food . Now let me address this head on , because I wish Big Food was sending me those checks that he says I must be receiving . You know , my bank account would definitely appreciate it , but alas , there is no such luck . I have zero financial ties to any food industry entities . My goal , of course , as always , is to provide balanced , evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions about your health . And trust me , if Big Food starts sending checks my way , you'll be the first to know . I'll be too busy lounging on my massive yacht to record any more podcasts . So let's talk about this anti-science accusation , because I have immense respect for the scientific process , the scientific method .

Philip Pape 3:06

My approach is to look at the totality of evidence , considering the quality and the consistency of studies , not just cherry-picking individual papers that support a particular view . You know actual science and when we look at the body of scientific evidence on seed oils , we find a mixture of studies . Some suggest potential issues , others show neutral or even beneficial effects , especially when you're comparing it to saturated fats . The key is in how we interpret the evidence , and many studies used to argue against seed oils are observational . What that means is that they can show correlations , but they can't prove causality . They can't prove cause and effect . For example , if a study finds that people who consume more seed oils have higher rates of certain diseases , it doesn't necessarily mean the seed oils caused those diseases . There could be , and are often , other factors at play , like maybe people who use more seed oils are also more likely to deep fry their food or consume more ultra-processed snacks . Just a thought , right , just a thought , and that's kind of where I was going with the last episode , which I hope the reviewer actually listened to all the way through and didn't just assume based on the title what I was talking about . Other studies are based on animal models which don't always translate directly to humans .

Philip Pape 4:21

Our bodies process nutrients differently and the quantities used in animal studies often far exceed what humans typically consume , like we've seen with the rat studies on protein , for example , unless you're chugging canola oil by the gallon , in which case we have bigger problems to discuss . Yeah , now does this mean seed oils are a superfood right that we should consume in large quantities ? Absolutely not . Like any source of calories , they should be consumed in the appropriate amount as part of an overall balanced dietary pattern . Again an argument that I made in that episode . I'm not out here advocating for seed oil smoothies or adding extra seed oils to things just for the heck of it anything like that .

Philip Pape 5:04

Now let's talk about the ultra-processed angle , because this is crucial . In my previous episode , I mentioned that seed oils are often found in highly processed , calorie-dense foods , and this association is very important , because when we see negative health outcomes linked to seed oil consumption , it's often that the overall dietary pattern high in ultra-processed foods excess calories , added sugars , refined carbs , adding it all together is the real culprit , right ? Not the seed oils themselves . And then this brings us to an important point about nutrition nuance . Nutrition science is complex and it's tempting to find a single villain , like seed oils , to blame for our health woes , and I'm always trying to call out these extreme , binary villains that people love to single out the influencers , the fitfluencers the industry loves to use because it gets attention , but the reality is always , always more complicated and nuanced than that , which is why I advocate for an 80-20 approach .

Philip Pape 6:07

Focus on whole , minimally processed foods 80% of the time and don't stress too much about the other 20% , right ? Not only is life too short to ever enjoy a cookie or some ice cream or a slice of pizza , it's just not sustainable to do it that way , and I want to emphasize again that I'm not saying seed oils are completely benign , like any nutrient . Excessive consumption could lead to issues . You can have a toxic level of consuming anything , but the evidence doesn't support the level of fear and avoidance that some promote , right ? We're not talking about radioactive waste , we're talking about seed oils . Talking about radioactive waste , we're talking about seed oils .

Philip Pape 6:47

So what should you take away from all of this ? First , be skeptical of extreme claims in nutrition . If someone tells you a common food is toxic , that's usually a red flag , unless we're talking about actual poison , in which case , yeah , it's toxic , and yeah , there are some poisons we deliberately consume , like alcohol toxic and yeah , there are some poisons we deliberately consume like alcohol . Second , focus on the big picture of your diet . Are you eating mostly whole foods ? Are you maintaining the weight range that you want to be in and the body composition with fat and muscle ? Are you training ? Are you lifting weights ? Are you physically active ? Because these factors have a much bigger impact on your health than whether you occasionally consume some seed oils . I mean , honestly , that goes in the 0.01% of who really cares , because you need to take care of the big rocks first .

Philip Pape 7:34

Lastly , I want to address how we engage with differing opinions because , yeah , I'm being a little bit sarcastic here . I'm being a little snarky . Some of you might be thinking why is he even giving the person the time of day ? But I think nutrition is a field where passionate debates are really common , and it's crucial that we approach these with respect and an open mind . If you disagree with something you hear on this podcast or anywhere , I encourage you to dig into the evidence yourself . Don't just assume you know the answer because you've heard the same thing hammered in your head over and over . Look at primary sources , consider the quality of studies , be willing to change your mind if the evidence warrants it , and remember what I'm taking here is a more agnostic view that seed oils are neither good nor bad , like almost any other food , that instead , it's a matter of how they're consumed , what dietary pattern they are part of , the quantities and things like that . And hey , if you find compelling evidence that I'm wrong , please let me know . Send me the specific . Well , I don't want to be doing the cherry picking with the studies , but send me what you have please .

Philip Pape 8:39

I'm always happy to learn and evolve my views , and in fact , I used to believe seaweed oils were this terrible thing , and I've evolved my views as I realized the evidence shows that's not really what we're supposed to take from it . So remember , my goal of this podcast is not to tell you what to think , but to help you think critically about nutrition and fitness information . We homeschool our kids . I don't just shove information into my kids' brains . We teach them how to think about things and we give them all different perspectives . And I don't claim to have all the answers . I hope I never have done that . I'm always learning . I'm evolving my views based on new evidence .

Philip Pape 9:15

So , to wrap up this episode , I want to thank you all for listening , even when you disagree , because your engagement and your critical thinking make me and this podcast better . And if you have thoughts on this specific topic , I'd love to hear from you . Hopefully not through a one-star review . Hopefully you take the time to reach out personally . Okay , you can reach out on Instagram , at wits and weights or a few other ways . You can send a text message through the show and , honestly , the best thing you could do to support me now , if you're listening to this and you're like , you know what I get , what you're saying , and I actually appreciate this approach , I appreciate that you use this platform , this long form nuanced platform , where occasionally you make mistakes and save the wrong thing or may have , you know , a certain opinion that doesn't a hundred percent jive with yours , to let me know that you appreciate that about the show with a five-star

Podcast Reviews and Health Prioritization

Philip Pape 10:06

review .

Philip Pape 10:06

I would love that to kind of offset any of these negative reviews in Apple Podcasts . Please go in there , give me your love . If you haven't done it , it only takes a minute or two and that would be so much appreciated . Until next time , I want you to stay curious , I want you to stay skeptical and I want you to keep prioritizing your health through evidence-based practices . And , by the way , the best evidence is yourself , right , experimenting with yourself and letting your body and your biofeedback tell you what is right and wrong . And if you've been consuming seed oils for years and your health is great , you're active , you're training , that's probably really strong evidence right there . Um , remember , if anyone offers you a seed oil smoothie , I want you to politely decline and I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights podcast .