function, metabolism, growth,
and development—but if we eat
too many, they can promote
inflammation in the body.We need some PUFA in our diet to be
healthy—but too much causes problems,
especially if it’s too much omega-6. The
trouble is, seed oils contain a lot of omega-6,
and a modern diet includes a lot of seed oils,
because seed oils are in everything.
Almost every restaurant cooks with them,
whether they’re fast-food joints, chain
restaurants or fine-dining establishments.
They’re found in most processed foods as well
—everything from tortilla chips to soups,
salad dressings to fruit snacks. The estimated
consumption of soybean oil alone in the
United States increased more than a
thousandfold (!) between 1909 and 1999; the
National Institutes of Health estimates that