What is The Debate about Seed Oils and What I Really Think

Why is there canola oil in hummus. That question changed the way Amy Mewborn shops for food, and it is the center of this episode of the Living Simpler Podcast. Amy was buying hummus for a pool party when her regular brand was out of stock. She grabbed another one, flipped it over to check the ingredients out of habit, and found canola oil sitting right there in a food she thought was clean. Chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic do not need canola oil. So why was it there. That single moment sent her down a path of reading labels on foods she had always trusted. Salad dressing. Mayonnaise. Crackers. Sauces. Granola. Protein bars. Even the vegetables at some restaurants. Seed oils were everywhere, hiding inside foods marketed as the healthy choice. This episode is not about fear or perfection. Amy is very clear that she still eats at restaurants, travels, and enjoys dinner at friends' houses without turning every meal into an investigation. What she does control is her own kitchen, and that is where this episode focuses. KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED The hummus and salad dressing discovery that started the shift The seven common seed oils to watch for on ingredient labels Why seed oil consumption has increased dramatically over the last one hundred years How seed oils behave when they are heated repeatedly, especially in frying The problem with "clean" labels on products like avocado oil that are not always accurate The SIGNALS framework and why this episode lives inside the I for Inflammation and Inputs Why removing something can matter more than adding another supplement or routine The 30 day action step to minimize seed oils at home THE SEVEN SEED OILS TO KNOW Amy names the specific oils to look for on ingredient labels. These show up most often in packaged and processed foods. Soybean oil Canola oil Corn oil Sunflower oil Safflower oil Cottonseed oil Grapeseed oil WHY SEED OILS BECAME A PROBLEM Seed oils are cheap and easy for food companies to produce, which is a major reason they ended up in so many packaged foods. Amy points out that seed oil use has climbed sharply over the last century, a shift in the food supply that happened quietly and quickly compared to how humans ate for generations before that. She also raises a concern about heat. Many seed oils are high in polyunsaturated fats, which can break down and oxidize when they are exposed to heat, oxygen, and time. This matters most with frying, where oil sits at high temperatures and gets reused again and again, something common in restaurant fryers. Amy also calls out a frustrating trend. Some products labeled as avocado oil have been found to actually contain canola oil. For her, that crosses a different line. It is not about the oil itself, it is about being told you are making a good choice when you are not. STANDOUT MOMENTS AND QUOTES Amy shares one of the guiding beliefs at Living Simpler. Quote: "Food is either medicine or poison. I mean that food gives your body information. Food is either giving your body something useful, or it is giving your body something extra to deal with." She also reminds listeners that the goal is progress, not perfection. Quote: "If most of the meals you eat at home do not contain seed oils, you have already changed a huge part of your diet. That is meaningful. That is worth doing." And she connects this back to the bigger purpose behind Living Simpler. Quote: "Health is not the final destination. Health is the resource that helps you live the life you want." THE SIGNALS CONNECTION This episode fits inside the I of the SIGNALS method, which stands for Inflammation and Inputs. Amy explains that before adding more supplements or another wellness routine, it is worth looking at what is already coming into your body every day. Sometimes the better question is not what should I add, but what could I remove. WHAT TO USE INSTEAD Amy shares the fats she chooses on purpose in her own kitchen. Extra virgin olive oil Avocado oil, verified from a trusted source Butter Ghee Coconut oil Tallow THE ACTION STEP Amy gives listeners one clear challenge for the next 30 days. Look at the foods in your kitchen that you think of as healthy, starting with hummus, salad dressing, mayonnaise, crackers, sauces, and chips. Turn the package around and read the ingredients. If you see one of the seven seed oils, decide if there is a simpler option. You do not need to replace everything tonight. As items run out, swap them for something with a shorter, more familiar ingredient list. This is not about restriction. It is about paying attention to a pattern, one everyday product at a time. If this episode gave you something to think about, the Living Simpler App and the Living Simpler Collective both include simple, seed oil free recipes for dressings, dips, and sauces, so you never have to start from scratch. Living Simpler App: https://living-simpler.com/app/ Living Simpler Collective: https://living-simpler.com/collective/ Living Simpler Reset: https://living-simpler.com/reset/ Free Resources: https://living-simpler.com/resources Favorites: https://living-simpler.com/favorites/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amymewborn Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/amymewborn Labs: https://partners.superpower.com/amy-mewborn Peptides: https://elliemd.com/livingsimpler Peptide Partner Program: https://partner.elliemd.com/MemberToolsDotNet/EnrollmentV4/StartPublicEnrollment.aspx?EnrollmentCode=DEALER&referringDealerId=1019111