Scientist: They’re Lying to You About SEED OILS! This is What’s ACTUALLY Healthy!

The American Food System

Dr. Nurk opens with a candid assessment of the current American food system, emphasizing that it is overwhelmingly dominated by ultraprocessed foods—making up approximately 70% of the food available. These foods, commonly low in nutrients, are designed primarily for shelf stability and profitability rather than health. This systemic setup, she argues, is a major driver behind the alarming rise in lifestyle-related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic conditions.

In discussing chronic disease, she reflects on a personal story involving her grandfather, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in his 60s and passed away prematurely from a heart attack. This experience fueled her passion for chronic disease prevention. Despite well-intentioned choices by her family—such as switching to "sugar-free" products—lack of proper nutrition knowledge and the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods hindered effective change.

Highlighting further troubling data, she underscores that over 90% of Americans fail to meet recommended vegetable and fiber intake guidelines, while more than half consume excessive added sugars. Coupled with widespread insufficient physical activity—over 80% of Americans do not meet activity recommendations—the system is failing the majority of individuals when it comes to health outcomes.

Systems Approach vs. Individual Responsibility

A significant part of the discussion revolves around the balance between individual choice and systemic influence. While personal responsibility is important, Dr. Nurk stresses that systems surrounding us often make healthy choices more difficult. Urban environments designed predominantly for automobiles rather than pedestrians, limited access to affordable fresh foods, and aggressive marketing of ultraprocessed products all present barriers to healthier living.

Rather than faulting individuals, Dr. Nurk urges listeners to recognize that if systems were designed to support health—by making nutritious foods more accessible and reducing ultraprocessed food prevalence—more people would succeed in adopting better habits. Behavior change is undoubtedly crucial, but without addressing the larger context in which these decisions are made, meaningful progress is limited.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Dr. Nurk tackles common nutritional myths including the demonization of specific ingredients like high fructose corn syrup . Contrary to popular belief fueled by social media and some health narratives, high fructose corn syrup is not uniquely harmful compared to other processed sugars like cane sugar or sucrose. All added sugars carry potential for harm when overconsumed, but high fructose corn syrup is "just sugar" derived from corn, a commodity crop subsidized heavily in the U.S. due to agricultural policies.

The prevalence of high fructose corn syrup in American foods is largely an artifact of economic conditions rather than intentional public harm. Nutritionally, it shares similar components—glucose and fructose—with cane sugar. Dr. Nurk urges focus on reducing overall added sugar intake rather than fixating on one sugar type, recommending a limit of less than 10% of daily calories from added sugars, a threshold most Americans exceed.

The Truth About Seed Oils

One of the episode's highlights is Dr. Nurk's clear-eyed examination of seed oils, which have been increasingly vilified online and in popular diets such as paleo and carnivore as toxic or inflammatory. She explains that seed oils—also labeled as vegetable oils—are processed oils extracted from the seeds of plants such as canola, sunflower, safflower, and soybean. Despite their frequent portrayal as harmful, a large body of scientific research does not support these claims.

Seed oils are abundant worldwide and contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-6 fatty acids like linoleic acid. Epidemiological data reveals that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats is associated with improved cardiovascular health outcomes. The supposed toxicity of seed oils is more a reflection of the broader problem of excessive consumption of ultraprocessed foods—which often contain these oils—rather than the oils themselves.

Dr. Nurk emphasizes that demonizing seed oils can cause confusion and reduce access to affordable cooking oils, especially since these oils are often cheaper and more available than alternatives like olive or avocado oil. While overconsumption of any fat or nutrient can be problematic, seed oils in moderation, particularly when paired with a balanced diet rich in whole foods, are not inherently harmful.

Importantly, Dr. Nurk clarifies that what benefits health is not the mere removal of seed oils but rather reducing intake of ultraprocessed, low-nutrient foods and increasing whole, nutrient-dense foods. She warns that many people trying to avoid seed oils unknowingly end up improving their overall diet quality due to cutting out processed snacks rather than due to the direct removal of the oils.

Fighting Misinformation

Given her experience communicating nutrition science through social media, Dr. Nurk addresses the challenge of misinformation driven by fear-based content and sensationalism. She points out that creators who thrive on algorithms often exaggerate and oversimplify findings to boost engagement, which contributes to confusion and anxiety.

She advises audiences to seek trustworthy sources that contextualize scientific findings rather than induce fear. Experts who provide balanced information cite research comprehensively and avoid alarming claims about individual foods or ingredients. The consensus from decades of research is clear on core nutrition principles, and the noisy debates on minor details often distract from these fundamentals.

Personal Habits

Dr. Nurk personally credits attention to fiber intake as a key change that improved her health—a nutrient too often overlooked in favor of protein. She advocates for adopting simple, sustainable health habits: increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, reducing ultraprocessed foods, ensuring physical activity, managing stress, and prioritizing sleep.

Looking ahead, Dr. Nurk envisions systemic change driven by improved policies supporting local food systems, nutrition education, and regulation that prioritizes public health over profitability. She calls for campaign finance reform to reduce corporate influence on food policy, fostering an environment where healthier options are accessible and affordable.

Food as Medicine

The conversation touches on the concept of "food as medicine." Dr. Nurk embraces this idea as a preventive and healing tool but clarifies that food is not a substitute for necessary medical care. Healthy dietary patterns and lifestyle habits can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases and decrease reliance on medications but cannot eliminate every health condition, especially those with strong genetic components.

Bridging Divides and Simplifying Health

Concluding on a heartfelt note, Dr. Nurk stresses the importance of unity and bridge-building in a world rife with division—both socially and in nutrition debates. Her three key lessons encapsulate building bridges instead of barriers, focusing public health efforts on uplifting the most vulnerable, and embracing the simple, well-established pillars of health to make meaningful progress.

Her definition of greatness underscores connection: creating understanding and collaboration rather than division as the foundation for lasting change in nutrition, public health, and beyond.