What Are Seed Oils?

Seed oils are industrial oils extracted from seeds—often using high heat and chemical solvents. Common examples include canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, and grapeseed oil. These oils became popular because they’re cheap to produce, easy to mass-market, and widely used in packaged foods.

If you want to see how often seed oils show up, check ingredient labels on chips, crackers, dressings, mayonnaise, and “healthy” snack bars. They’re everywhere.

Related WellnessAbility reads: What are ultra-processed foods? | New dietary guidelines and the return to real food

Why Many People Avoid Seed Oils

The concern isn’t that every drop of seed oils is instant doom. It’s that modern diets often contain them in large amounts, day after day, in foods that are already highly processed.

Here are the most common reasons people are replacing seed oils with more stable fats:

• Highly processed extraction: Many seed oils are refined using high heat and chemical solvents.
• Omega-6 overload: Seed oils tend to be high in omega-6 fats, which can promote inflammation when out of balance.
• Heat instability: Some seed oils oxidize more easily, especially during high-heat cooking.
• Hidden consumption: Even if you don’t cook with them, seed oils dominate restaurant food and packaged snacks.

If you’re already working on inflammation and metabolic health, swapping fats is one of the simplest upgrades you can make. See also: Foods that reduce inflammation.

For general whole-food guidance, you can also visit RealFood.gov.

4 Healthy Cooking Oils to Use Instead of Seed Oils

If your goal is to reduce seed oils and upgrade to healthy cooking oils, start with fats that are more stable under heat and closer to traditional food preparation.

1) Tallow Benefits: A Nutrient-Dense, Heat-Stable Fat

Best for: frying, roasting, sautéing, and crispy foods.

• High smoke point: more stable for high-heat cooking than many vegetable oils.
• Rich and satisfying: helps with satiety and steady energy.
• Traditional fat: used for generations before industrial oils became the default.

Affiliate tip: Look for grass-fed beef tallow with minimal processing.

2) Butter vs Seed Oils: Why Butter Still Wins

Best for: spreading, baking, and medium-heat cooking.

• Butyrate: supports gut health and may help reduce inflammation.
• Satisfying fat profile: helps reduce snack cravings for many people.
• Flavor matters: butter makes real food taste like… real food.

Pro tip: Choose grass-fed butter when possible.

3) Ghee Benefits: High-Heat Cooking Without Dairy Issues

Best for: high-heat cooking and dairy-sensitive households.

• Heat stable: great for sautéing and stir-fry.
• Low lactose/casein: often better tolerated than butter.
• Rich flavor: adds a subtle nutty taste.

Pro tip: Start with a teaspoon in eggs or vegetables—instant upgrade.

4) Avocado Oil vs Canola Oil: A Better Plant-Based Choice

Best for: dressings, marinades, grilling, and high-heat cooking.

• Monounsaturated fats: supports heart health and inflammation balance.
• High smoke point: typically excellent for higher-heat cooking.
• Versatile: neutral flavor works for savory and sweet.

Pro tip: Choose cold-pressed avocado oil with no additives.

How to Replace Seed Oils in Your Kitchen

If you want to reduce seed oils without overcomplicating your life, do this in order:

1. Stop buying “vegetable oil” blends and replace them with one stable cooking fat.
2. Swap your “everyday” oil (canola/soy/corn) for avocado oil or ghee.
3. Replace packaged snacks that list seed oils as the first or second ingredient.
4. Ask restaurants what oil they use—you’ll learn fast why this matters.

Want the bigger picture? Metabolic health basics | The truth about cholesterol

Where to Buy High-Quality Cooking Oils

If you’re upgrading from seed oils to healthy cooking oils, quality matters. Cheap, highly refined products defeat the purpose.

• Grass-fed butter
• Organic grass-fed ghee
• Beef tallow (ideally grass-fed)
• Cold-pressed avocado oil (no additives)

👉 Shop: Best Healthy Cooking Oils (Affiliate Picks)
(Affiliate link—supports our work at no extra cost to you.)

FAQ: Seed Oils and Healthy Cooking Oils

Are seed oils always bad?

The bigger issue is volume and frequency. Many people consume seed oils daily through restaurant food and packaged snacks. Reducing them and using more stable fats is a practical step toward better metabolic health.

What’s the best oil for frying?

Many people prefer tallow or ghee because they’re stable at higher temperatures. Avocado oil can also work if it’s truly pure and high quality.

What if I want a plant-based option?

Avocado oil is one of the best “clean” plant-based cooking oils, especially compared to canola or generic vegetable oil blends.

How do I start without spending a fortune?

Start with one change: replace your main bottle of cooking oil. Then reduce packaged snacks and restaurant fried food, which is often the biggest seed-oil source.