Seed Oils on a Keto Diet, Good or Bad?

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Claudia Münch
Master of Science, nutrition, obesity and eating disorders.

 

Seed oils are worse than sugar on a Keto (Low Carb) diet

The keto diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. Many people are concerned about weight gain and heart health, so they choose to go on a keto diet. A ketogenic or low-carb diet eliminates all sugar and processed carbohydrates from your diet. However, substituting seed oils for such meals may do more harm than good. This article discusses why avoiding oils extracted from seeds should be just as important to you as cutting back on sugar.

This is not just about saturated versus unsaturated fat

For many years we thought we had figured out the simple formula for determining which fats are healthy for humans and which are not. It was easy to eat. It said that saturated fat should be avoided and replaced with seed or vegetable oils made from plants such as soybeans, canola, corn, cottonseed, peanuts, sunflower or safflower.

We used this simple strategy for many years, but then some problems crept up and began to blur the distinction between what we had previously considered good and bad fats.

For example, coconut oil consists mainly of saturated fatty acids. However, it contains many lauric acids, a unique fatty acid. High-density lipoproteins, or HDLs, have risen significantly in response to lauric acid. We consider HDL to be healthy cholesterol. [1]

We have saturated fat here which has a preventive effect, although we have been taught that consuming saturated fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, many studies began to support the notion that saturated fat is not the primary cause of heart disease, as previously thought. [2]

When it comes to health, saturated fat is not entirely exempt. Saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol, and your genes can affect your body's response to a diet high in saturated fat.

What's the problem with seed oils?

There is a lot of confusion out there about seed oils and whether they are healthy or not. The short answer is no, they are not. Seed oils are worse than sugar in a keto diet.

Here's why:

i) Seed oils contain omega-6 fatty acids, so they cause inflammation

The problem with seed oils is that they contain a high amount of omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory. They increase inflammation in the body. This is the opposite of what you want on a keto diet, as you are trying to reduce inflammation. And we all know that inflammation is the primary cause of various ailments, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's. [3,4]

ii) Seed oils are difficult to extract. Therefore, they are prone to degradation

Seed oil extraction uses hot or dangerous chemical solvents that destroy them. Seed oils contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Their chemical "make-up" contains several double bonds between carbon atoms. As a result, these molecules are less stable and search for a free atom, such as an oxygen atom.

When the fat molecules are exposed to substances such as light and heat, this lack of stability is exacerbated. If this oxidation takes place, the oil breaks down, and it causes the release of oxidation products such as free radicals from the oil, which can damage cells.

We use volatile seed oils that have already been heated during the extraction process to cook chicken nuggets and fries in very hot deep fryers. As a result, the cell-damaging oxidative products increase.

iii) Seed oils can form trans fats

But the biggest problem with seed oils is that they can form trans fats when heated. Vegetable and seed oils undergo hydrogenation due to the available bonds that allow them to attach to hydrogen. Because this process turns liquid oil into solid fat, hydrogenation of seed oils is popular among food manufacturers. The food has a much longer shelf life as a result. Trans fats are incredibly harmful to your health and are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. So if you cook with seed oils or use them in your food, there's a good chance you're consuming trans fats without realizing it.

For all these reasons, it is best to avoid seed oils when on the keto diet.

Conclusion

The keto diet is all about reducing your carbohydrate intake to encourage your body to burn fat for energy. However, seed oils are a type of fat that can interfere with this process.

Seed oils promote inflammation in the body. Inflammation can make it harder for your body to enter a state of ketosis and lead to weight gain.

So if you're trying to follow a keto diet, it's best to avoid seed oils. Instead, stick to healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil and avocado.