The History Behind Seed Oils

The average American consumes almost 6 tablespoons of seed oil per day, translating to 62 pounds per year.

But why exactly are they bad?

Instead of delving into the countless studies and research papers exploring this subject…

Let’s dive into the history behind them to answer this question.

The Birth of Seed Oils

By the late 1800s, the invention of the cotton gin had caused a boom in cotton production.

This resulted in cotton producers having a significant amount of toxic byproducts from cotton production leftover, with nothing to do with it.

While oil could be extracted from this waste, it was highly toxic to humans and animals.

Despite this fact, William Procter and James Gamble (sound familiar?), saw a major opportunity to cut costs by using cottonseed oil in their products.

So with the help of German chemist E. C. Kayser, they transformed this grimy waste into a solid fat that resembled lard (the most common dietary fat at the time).

This led to the birth of Crisco in 1911, which soon became a staple in households all across America.

Corrupt Moves By The AHA

In a strategic move, Procter & Gamble “donated” $1.7 million worth of stock to the American Heart Association in the 1940s.

It wasn’t really a donation, since the AHA began endorsing vegetable oils such as Crisco as a “heart-healthy” alternative shortly after.

And this generous contribution came at the perfect time for the AHA, which was struggling financially.

P&G capitalized on this endorsement, emphasizing the health benefits of Crisco, citing the AHA’s recommendations.

Cookbooks, advertisements, and promotional materials highlighted Crisco's advantages over traditional animal fats.

The message was clear—using Crisco could help reduce the risk of heart disease, aligning with the AHA's dietary guidelines.

Seed Oil Boom

The success of Crisco paved the way for other cheap oils, including soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, and peanut oils.

These oils were marketed as “heart healthy,” despite nobody truly knowing their long-term effects.

This led to a significant rise in vegetable oil production throughout the 20th century.

In the United States alone, soybean oil consumption increased over 1,000-fold between 1909 and 1999.

The increasing consumption of vegetable oils introduced abnormally high levels of fatty acids to the human diet, including trans fats and linoleic acid.

Both of which were previously consumed by humans in minimal amounts.

Today, the legacy of seed oils continues to impact our diets and health.

They’re far from food—they’re industrial waste repurposed for our kitchens which many people do not realize (just watch this video to see how they’re made).

If you have any friends or family members who need convincing not to eat these toxic oils, just sent them this article.

Until next time,

Kashif Khan

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice from your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your regular health care provider.