The Dark Truth About Cooking Oils

Let’s go back in time—just for a moment.
 
Imagine it’s the early 1900s. It's the industrial revolution. Factories are bustling, machines are working overtime, and manufacturers need a cheap, industrial lubricant to keep things running. That’s where seed oils came in—waste products from cotton and other crops, repurposed to oil machines. Business was booming.
 
Then came the crash of the industrial revolution. But how would the seed oils industry survive? Fast-forward a few decades, and those very same oils? They're being sold to you as “heart-healthy” cooking staples. Think: canola, soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils.
 
But here’s the billion-dollar question:
How did something originally meant for machines end up in our kitchens, and why are we being told it’s good for us?
 
Let’s dig into the story the seed oil industry doesn’t want you to know…

The Industrial Origins of “Vegetable Oils”

 

These so-called "vegetable" oils are more accurately industrial seed oils—a far cry from something you’d naturally find in your food.

 

One of the earliest products was cottonseed oil, a byproduct of cotton manufacturing. It was dirty, unstable, and not fit for human consumption. But when chemically processed—bleached, deodorized, and refined—it became something that could be marketed and sold.

 

Enter Crisco. Procter & Gamble took this industrial byproduct and created the first hydrogenated oil for cooking. And here's where it gets wild: In 1940, they donated $1.7 million (around $30–40 million in today’s money) to the American Heart Association (AHA)—shortly before the AHA began promoting vegetable oils over animal fats as “heart-healthy.”

 

Coincidence? We’ll let you decide.

 

💔 The “Heart-Healthy” Myth

 

For decades, the AHA and other major institutions told us that animal fats—like butter, lard, and tallow—were the enemy. They blamed them for rising heart disease rates. Their solution? Replace them with seed oils.

 

But here's the kicker: since this advice went mainstream, heart disease, obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes have skyrocketed.

 

In fact, soybean oil consumption increased 1,000-fold between 1909 and 1999 alone. And studies are now linking high intake of seed oils with:

• Chronic inflammation
• Oxidative stress
• Cardiovascular disease
• Insulin resistance
• Even liver damage and fertility issues (hello, cottonseed oil and its gossypol content)

Still think these oils are heart-healthy?

 

 

How Are Seed Oils Made

 

Unlike cold-pressed oils like olive or avocado, seed oils don’t flow freely from the seeds. They have to be:

1. Chemically extracted, often using hexane (a toxic solvent)
2. Deodorized to remove their rancid smell
3. Bleached to make them visually appealing
4. Refined to increase shelf life

The end result? A highly processed fat, stripped of nutrients, loaded with unstable polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), and prone to oxidizing — both in your pan and inside your body.

 

And yet, we’re told to cook our food in this stuff.

 

 

The Modern Health Crisis

 

According to the AHA, nearly 48% of American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease. That’s nearly HALF the population. And yet the same bodies that push these seed oils as “healthy” haven’t changed their tune, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

 

Makes you wonder: is this just outdated advice… or is there something bigger at play?

 

After all, organizations like the AHA receive funding from Big Pharma — companies that profit when people stay sick.

So… What Should We Be Cooking With?

 

Not all fats are created equal. The good news? There are amazing, heat-stable, and nutrient-dense alternatives to seed oils that support your heart, hormones, brain, and more.

 

Here are our top Super Boost–approved picks:

 

🥩 Tallow

• Rendered beef fat that’s rich in fat-soluble vitamins
• Highly stable at high heat
• Great for frying, sautéing, or roasting

🧈 Ghee

• Clarified butter without the milk solids (lactose-friendly!)
• Contains butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids for gut health
• Ideal for medium to high heat cooking

🥑 Avocado Oil

• Packed with monounsaturated fats (MUFAs)
• Boosts HDL (“good”) cholesterol and antioxidant activity
• Great for high heat, just ensure you buy a pure, high-quality brand (many are diluted with cheaper oils)

🥥 Coconut Oil

• Rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for energy and brain function
• Naturally antimicrobial
• Excellent for baking or high heat cooking

🍈 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Best for low-heat cooking, salad dressings, or drizzling
• Contains polyphenols that support cardiovascular and cognitive health

Seed oils didn’t become a household staple because they’re healthy — they became one because they were cheap, heavily marketed, and highly profitable.

 

But your health isn’t a business model.

 

The more we question what we’ve been told, the more empowered we become to make better choices—for our hearts, our minds, and our long-term well-being.

 

At Super Boost Nutra, we believe in simple, real nourishment—and that starts with knowing what you’re putting in your body.