Seed oils explained: a Malaysian's plain-English guide

The most controversial topic in nutrition right now. People shouting on both sides. Here's what's actually known, calmly.

What seed oils are

Industrial extraction of oil from seeds — soy, sunflower, corn, safflower, grapeseed, canola, cottonseed. The process: high-heat pressing or solvent extraction (often hexane), then refining, bleaching, and deodorising. The resulting oil is very high in omega-6 and often partially oxidised before it even hits the bottle.

The "seed oils are bad" camp says

• Industrial processing oxidises the oil before you buy it
• Reheating in restaurants oxidises it further
• Oxidised polyunsaturated fats damage cell membranes
• Population-wide omega-6 increase correlates with metabolic problems

The mainstream view says

• Seed oils are not toxic in moderation
• The bigger issue is calorie surplus and processed food in general
• Cold-pressed versions (rare) are different from refined
• Whole seeds (sunflower, etc.) are different from extracted oil

What's known with high confidence (no debate)

• Industrial seed oils are 60–80% omega-6 by composition
• Frequent reheating causes oxidation
• Most modern populations have seen ratios shift dramatically over 50 years
• The mechanism between high omega-6 intake and cellular outcomes is genuinely still debated

The pragmatic position

You don't have to declare a side to make the practical choice:

• Use olive, avocado, or coconut for home cooking
• Limit fried food regardless of which oil it's cooked in
• Don't lose sleep about a salad dressing once a week
• The cumulative dose is what matters — daily exposure adds up

You don't have to pick a tribe in this debate to make the practical choice. Less is less.