In the Dr. Katie Detox, our 5 or 10-day health reset, we provide anti-inflammatory, balanced, and delicious meals that emphasize what truly nourishes us—plant-forward nutrition, high-quality protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fiber.

A natural benefit of this approach is reducing something ubiquitous in today's food environment—seed oils. These unhealthy fats are easy to overlook since they're present in so much of our modern food, from packaged foods like breads, sauces, and snacks to being the primary cooking oil in restaurants and food chains.

Let's explore what seed oils are, why they should be avoided, and practical swaps you can make in your daily life.

Navigating the Seed Oil Landscape

Seed oils are highly refined oils extracted from plants, including sunflower, soybean, safflower, palm, canola, corn, cottonseed, and grapeseed. These oils undergo extensive processing—they're refined, bleached, deodorized, washed with chemical solvents like hexane, and may be chemically altered. The point at which hexane becomes toxic to humans is still up for debate and needs further research. However, considering the wide availability of healthy alternatives available on the market, why take the chance?

Seed oils contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats—omega-3 and omega-6—making them highly unstable and prone to oxidation, both during cooking and within the body. This oxidation drives inflammation, which underlies many diseases and chronic health conditions. The standard American diet's heavy use of seed oils can create an imbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, often reaching 15:1 or even 20:1. This imbalance, combined with oxidized fats, can lead to chronic inflammation and contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.

Healthy Swaps

What to look for instead?

Choose unrefined oils such as extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), avocado oil, coconut oil and grass-fed butter or ghee all avoid the chemical extraction process described above.

EVOO, in particular, is especially beneficial given its versatility in the kitchen and its anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fats. EVOO is best used in salad dressings, as a drizzle at the end of cooking, or under lower heat.

For higher-heat cooking, consider using avocado oil or even cultured oil (made from fermented sugar cane), and always remember if the oil in the pan begins to smoke, pour it out and start the cooking process over. The smoke means that the fat is decomposing and generating free radicals which are damaging to the body.

Reducing Exposure

There are many ways to replace seed oils with healthier options. Here are practical steps to minimize your exposure:

Choose whole foods instead of processed foods whenever possible
Stock your kitchen with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter for all your dressing, baking, roasting, and sautéing needs
Check ingredient labels of sauces, salad dressings, condiments, and snacks—many brands now use olive oil or avocado oil in their products
Support restaurants committed to being seed-oil free such as SweetGreen
Opt for olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar instead of restaurant salad dressings
Consider making your own sauces and salad dressings - see one of our favorite recipes from Chef Lisa below

If prioritizing an anti-inflammatory, plant-forward approach to nutrition is on your mind, check out our upcoming Dr. Katie Detox registration links.

Join the Dr. Katie Detox