🌻 Seed oils have been accused of causing everything from inflammation to colon cancer. But how much of this is rooted in science? These trendy claims on social media are often propagated by various individuals with large followings. Notably, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., (nominated by Trump in 2024 to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), claimed in October 2024 that Americans are being poisoned by seed oils. A study by Soundarajan et al. published in December 2024 further promoted this trend, thanks in part to a Daily Mail article claiming that the study showed seed oils “may be fueling explosion of colon cancer in young people”. ❗We reviewed the Mail’s claim and found it to be misleading. If you've come across similar claims online, share this post to help others understand the full picture: https://science.feedback.org/review/no-study-didnt-find-seed-oils-fuel-explosion-colon-cancers-young-people/ The study examined the types of lipids in normal colon tissue and colon cancer tissue. It reported finding more pro-inflammatory lipids in colon cancer tissue, which the authors speculated could be derived from omega-6 fatty acids, which seed oils are rich in. However, the study didn’t examine the seed oil content of study participants or the effects of seed oils in colon cancer patients. Moreover, the participants in the study were on average around 60 years old. Therefore, the study isn’t representative of “young people”, as the Mail claimed. ◼️Evidence about the inflammatory effects of seed oils is generally mixed. The claim that seed oils are harmful because they fuel inflammation is an oversimplification. In fact, fatty acids in seed oils are also precursors for compounds that reduce inflammation. ◼️Bold claims on social media that blame one specific ingredient, like seed oils, for all kinds of health problems obscure the fact that seed oils’ effects in the body are very likely complex and cannot be boiled down to a simple “good/bad” dichotomy.