The Seed Oil Problem with Cherie Calbom

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Seed oils don’t just show up in your frying pan, they show up in the “healthy” stuff too. Host Joe Grumbine sits down with nutritionist and author Cherie Calbom (The Truth About Seed Oils) to trace how industrial cooking oils became a staple of the modern diet and why so many people now suspect they’re driving inflammation, cravings, and chronic health issues.

We walk through the origin story: cottonseed oil and wartime industry, the rise of “vegetable oil” branding, and the moment heart disease surged and saturated fat took the blame. Sherry explains why the cholesterol narrative stuck for decades, how low-fat food culture helped fuel more sugar intake and rising obesity, and why it’s so easy to confuse correlation with causation when you’re looking at health headlines.

Then we get practical. Sherry breaks down which oils are considered seed oils (soy, corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, cottonseed, rice bran, peanut), why processing methods matter (high heat and chemical extraction), and what to use instead based on smoke point and flavor. We also talk omega-6 vs omega-3 balance, simple grocery-store label checks, and easy swaps like choosing olive oil or avocado oil based dressings and snacks, plus cooking more at home so you control the ingredients.

If you want a clear, doable plan for healthier fats without perfectionism, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves reading labels, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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