Few nutrition topics have generated more debate in recent years than seed oils. Once promoted as heart-healthy alternatives to saturated fat, oils like canola, sunflower, soybean, and corn oil are now being scrutinized by researchers, clinicians, and a growing number of health-conscious consumers.
Meanwhile, traditional animal fats — tallow, lard, duck fat, and butter — are making a quiet comeback. Here's what the science actually says, without the hype in either direction.
What Are Seed Oils?
Seed oils are industrially extracted from seeds using high heat, chemical solvents (typically hexane), and deodorization processes. The result is a highly refined oil with a long shelf life — but one that is fundamentally different from the fats humans have eaten for millennia.
Common seed oils include:
- Canola (rapeseed) oil
- Sunflower oil
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Safflower oil
The Omega-6 Problem
The primary concern with seed oils is their extremely high omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content — particularly linoleic acid. While omega-6 is an essential fatty acid, the modern diet delivers it in quantities far exceeding what our physiology evolved to handle.
Historically, humans consumed omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in roughly a 1:1 to 4:1 ratio. Today, the average Western diet delivers a ratio closer to 15:1 to 20:1 — driven largely by seed oil consumption. This imbalance is associated with increased systemic inflammation, a root driver of chronic disease.
Heat Stability: A Critical Factor
Polyunsaturated fats are chemically unstable at high temperatures. When seed oils are heated during cooking, they oxidize — producing aldehydes, lipid peroxides, and other compounds that are toxic to cells. The higher the PUFA content and the higher the heat, the greater the oxidation.
Traditional animal fats, by contrast, are predominantly saturated and monounsaturated — chemically stable structures that resist oxidation at cooking temperatures. This is why our grandparents cooked in lard and tallow without a second thought.
Traditional Fats: What They Offer
Grass-Fed Beef Tallow
Rendered from grass-fed beef fat, tallow is rich in stearic acid (a saturated fat that converts to oleic acid — the same fat in olive oil — in the body), CLA, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2. It has a high smoke point (~250°C) and a clean, neutral flavour.
Our Grass-Fed Beef Tallow is rendered from BC grass-fed cattle — no additives, no processing.
Rendered Duck Fat
Duck fat is approximately 35% saturated, 50% monounsaturated (oleic acid), and only 14% polyunsaturated — a profile remarkably similar to olive oil, but with a higher smoke point and extraordinary flavour. It's been a staple of French cuisine for centuries for good reason.
Our Rendered Duck Fat is house-made in Gibsons, BC from Fraser Valley free-range ducks.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For cold applications and low-heat cooking, extra virgin olive oil remains one of the most well-researched healthy fats — rich in oleic acid and polyphenols. We carry Extra Virgin Cretan Olive Oil (Abea) and Castela Notti Spanish Premium EVOO — both cold-pressed and premium grade.
A Practical Cooking Fat Guide
- High-heat roasting & frying: Beef Tallow or Duck Fat
- Sautéing & pan sauces: Duck Fat or Premium Olive Oil
- Dressings & finishing: Extra Virgin Cretan Olive Oil
- Roasting vegetables: Beef Tallow — transforms root vegetables
The Bottom Line
The evidence against seed oils isn't settled science — but the case for traditional fats is compelling, particularly around heat stability, nutrient density, and evolutionary alignment. Swapping industrially processed seed oils for whole, minimally processed animal fats and quality olive oil is one of the simplest, most impactful dietary changes you can make.
Your great-grandmother cooked in tallow. She was onto something.