Are Seed Oils Actually Good for Your Heart and Metabolic Health? Study Sheds Light

A new study presented at NUTRITION 2025, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, adds to the growing body of evidence that linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils may help reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The research, to be published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, challenges popular claims that seed oils are harmful to cardiometabolic health.

Linoleic acid is the most common omega-6 fatty acid in the diet and is found primarily in plant-based oils like soybean, corn, and sunflower oil, as well as in many nuts and seeds. Recently, some critics have claimed that seed oils promote inflammation and worsen metabolic health, but the new study offers data that suggest the opposite.

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1,894 adults participating in a Covid-19-related observational cohort. Unlike prior studies that relied on self-reported diet data, this research used blood markers to objectively assess linoleic acid levels, providing a more accurate picture of dietary intake.

The study found that individuals with higher levels of linoleic acid in their blood had significantly lower levels of glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR, an indicator of insulin resistance. They also showed reduced levels of inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein, glycoprotein acetyls, and serum amyloid A.

"We saw consistent results across the different biomarkers measured," said Kevin C. Maki, Ph.D., adjunct professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and chief scientist at Midwest Biomedical Research. "People with higher levels of linoleic acid in their blood tended to have a healthier overall risk profile for heart disease and diabetes."

Reference: https://nutrition.org/