Episode 67: Seed oils

Episode 67: Seed oils

Author: Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie March 11, 2025 Duration: 57:22

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. thinks that seed oils—like sunflower or soybean oil—are causing terrible damage to people’s health. And now he’s the US Health Secretary (wait, what?!) we should probably take him seriously.

In this episode of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart trace the origins of the idea that seed oils are uniquely unhealthy, and look at all the best evidence from randomised trials on whether it’s remotely true.

The Studies Show is sponsored by Works in Progress magazine, where you can find detailed, beautifully-written essays on technology and progress. If you need something to read that’s full of unexpected and inspiring ideas about how science and technology can make the world better, you can be confident that you’ll find it at worksinprogress.co.

Show notes

* Joe Rogan’s interview with the aptly-named dietary influencer Paul Saladino

* A typical anonymous tweet about the supposed effects of seed oils

* Article about Ray Peat’s advice on how often to measure your temperature for optimum health

* Guardian article on RFK Jr. and his views on seed oils

* Dynomight on seed oils

* 2013 systematic review on linoleic acid and inflammation

* 2017 systematic review on randomised trials of linoleic acid

* 2015 meta-analysis of cohort studies looking at linoleic acid and coronary heart disease

* 2020 meta-analysis of saturated fat and health outcomes

* The safflower oil study beloved of seed oil worriers

* And the Minnesota Coronary Survey

Credits

We’re very grateful to Stevie Miller for helping us with the research for this episode. The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.com/subscribe

Every week, Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie pull apart the biggest arguments and most confusing claims making headlines. Science Fictions isn't just about celebrating breakthroughs; it's a necessary dive into the messy, contested, and often surprising realities of how science actually works. You'll hear them unpack heated debates, examine questionable studies, and explore why even solid research can sometimes lead to public confusion. This podcast serves as a guide through the noise, separating compelling evidence from overblown narratives. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply informed friends who aren't afraid to ask tough questions, offering clarity on topics that matter. For anyone curious about the stories behind the science headlines, this is an essential listen. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that goes beyond the press release, grounded in a genuine fascination with how we know what we know.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Science Fictions
Podcast Episodes
Paid-only Episode 17: The lab leak hypothesis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:47
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.comIt’s been five years since the start of the COVID pandemic (yes, you read that correctly—five years). And the debate still rage…
Episode 64: IQ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:58
Every so often there’s a controversy related to IQ. The latest was caused by [checks notes] the new Vice President of the US attacking the IQ of a political podcaster on Twitter.You could argue that the VP should have be…
Episode 63: Philosophy of science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:24
It had to happen eventually: this week The Studies Show is all about philosophy. As we look at science in general, how do we decide what those studies are actually showing? Tom and Stuart take a look at the Big Two of ph…
Episode 62: Violent videogames [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:55
Before the panic over social media—but after the panic over “video nasties”—was the panic over violent videogames. Was Pac-Man causing little Johnny so much frustration that he’d take it out on his siblings with his fist…
Paid-only Episode 16: Recycling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:17
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.comIs recycling worthwhile? Is sending your rubbish to landfill actually so bad? Grab your cotton tote bag and join Tom and Stuart…
Episode 61: Conflict of interest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:21
We want scientists to be paragons of objectivity. At the very least, we want them to tell us who’s paying their bills. But it turns out that in some fields of research, the norms about reporting financial conflicts of in…
Un-paywalled: Youth gender medicine & the Cass Review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:24
This week, as a gift for New Year’s Eve, we’re opening up a previously-paywalled episode so that everyone can listen. It’s our episode from April 2024 on “Youth gender medicine & the Cass Review”. Since the show notes we…
Episode 60: Best and worst science of 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:41
In this final episode of 2024, Tom and Stuart talk about the most exciting scientific breakthroughs of the year… but temper it with some of the worst episodes of scientific fraud and misconduct, too. Then, just as a bonu…
Episode 59: The apocalypse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:32
In this “fun”, festive episode of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart discuss two ways—one man-made, one natural—that our species might be wiped off the planet.The first is “mirror life”, a science-fiction-sounding threat t…
Paid-only Episode 15: Sex and sport [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:45
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.comRather unexpectedly, the idea of separate sports for males and females has become massively controversial—a major flashpoint in…