Why Seed Oils Are the Worst Foods in Your Diet & How To Avoid Them - Dr. Cate Shanahan

Dave Asprey

Jun 4, 2024

Episode description

Dr. Cate Shanahan returns to share vital insights on the dangers of seed oils and their impact on health. As a well-known Cornell-trained physician and author, Dr. Cate has spent years researching and advocating against the use of harmful vegetable oils. In this episode you’ll learn about the "Hateful Eight" oils and why they are detrimental to metabolic health.

Dr. Cate explains the connection between these oils and chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. You will understand how to read labels to avoid these oils in everyday foods and get practical tips for making healthier dietary choices. Dr. Cate also covers the history and influence of the American Heart Association on dietary recommendations, revealing some eye-opening truths.

Key takeaways you’ll gain include understanding the role of oxidative stress, the importance of choosing the right fats for a healthy diet, and how avoiding these oils can improve overall well-being.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 — Opening
00:01:46 — Welcome and Introduction of Dr. Cate Shanahan
00:02:34 — The Reality of Food Deserts and Vegetable Oils
00:04:01 — The Ultra Wealthy and Their Dietary Choices
00:05:42 — Dr. Cate’s Personal Journey to Understanding Fats
00:11:10 — The Benefits of Avoiding Seed Oils
00:12:08 — The Hateful Eight Oils
00:19:07 — American Heart Association and Proctor & Gamble
00:28:15 — The Importance of Avoiding Oxidized Oils
00:39:05 — Clarifying Misconceptions About Omega-6
00:50:18 — The Impact of Diet on Family Structures
01:00:24 — The Role of Testosterone and Endocrine Disruptors
01:15:29 — Understanding Insulin Resistance
01:25:00 — The Slippery Slope of Statin Use
01:45:00 — Practical Tips for Avoiding Vegetable Oils
01:52:01 — Conclusion

Sponsors:

ARMRA | Go to TryARMRA.com and use the code DAVE to get 15% off your first order.
Leela Quantum | Visit LeelaQ.com/Dave for 10% off.

Resources:

Dr. Cate’s book, “Dark Calories” is out now!
Learn more about Dr. Cate: https://drcate.com/
Dr. Cate's Instagram: @drcaseyskitchen
Levels’ Instagram:

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Avoid statin use to prevent health decline cascade

Taking statins can initiate a 'slippery slope' of declining health, leading to a cascade of other issues like depression, low testosterone, and intestinal distress, requiring more drugs.

#side-effects

#statin

Recognize "hangry" as a sign of insulin resistance

Feeling 'hangry' is a key symptom of insulin resistance, where your brain isn't getting enough sugar because cells damaged by vegetable oils are consuming it abnormally fast.

#insulin

#metabolism

Improve nutrition to enhance facial structure and beauty

Poor nutrition, especially from vegetable oils, disrupts optimal growth patterns based on the mathematical ratio phi, affecting the geometry of your jaw, hips, and facial beauty.

#nutrition

#seed-oil

Beware of toxic plant-based omega-3s in canola oil

Plant-based omega-3s, like those in canola oil, can be more toxic than omega-6s because they oxidize up to ten times more easily.

#omega-3

#oxidation

Uncover AHA's financial ties to vegetable oil promotion

The American Heart Association's promotion of vegetable oils originated from a financial relationship with Procter & Gamble in 1948, a fact unknown to most doctors.

#seed-oil

Identify vegetable oils as root cause of sugar cravings

Vegetable oils, not sugar, are the root cause of type 2 diabetes because they create a physical addiction to sugar at a cellular level.

#diabetes

#seed-oil

Avoid harmful industrial seed oils for better health

The eight most harmful industrial seed oils to avoid are corn, canola, cottonseed, soy, sunflower, safflower, rice bran, and grape seed.

#nutrition

#seed-oil

Reframe high cholesterol as a sign of nourishment

High cholesterol is not a risk factor for disease but rather an indicator of a well-nourished body, as cholesterol is a vital nutrient.

#cholesterol

#nutrition

Replace protein powders with real food to lower LP(a) levels

The speaker has observed that high LP(a), a marker for heart disease, can improve when people stop consuming protein powders and switch to real food-based protein like steak.