The Hidden Agenda Behind “Healthy” Diets: How Seed Oils and Low-Fat Lies Are Fueling Chronic Illness
By: JakeGTV
In the battle for our health, the weapon of choice is information, and the battlefield is our food supply. For decades, Americans have been misled about what constitutes a healthy diet, with corporations leveraging subversive language and cherry-picked data to push seed oils and low-fat diets. As a result, the American diet has become a breeding ground for chronic illness, metabolic disease, and systemic inflammation. Meanwhile, powerful food and pharmaceutical industries continue to profit, while mainstream journalism—often funded by these very industries—echoes misleading dietary advice.
One of the most effective tools in this misinformation campaign is the manipulation of language. Seed oils, for example, are commonly marketed as “heart-healthy” due to their polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content. However, while some PUFAs are indeed essential, the high omega-6 content of seed oils like soybean, corn, and canola oil has been linked to inflammation and an imbalance in the body’s omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Ideally, this ratio should be close to 1:1, but in America, it’s closer to 20:1, thanks in large part to seed oils being in almost everything—from cereals to snacks to restaurant foods (1).
The American Diet vs. the World: A Dangerous Imbalance
To understand how poorly Americans fare in terms of diet and health, we need only look at how our eating habits compare globally. For example, Argentina ranks as one of the highest consumers of red meat, especially beef, with a per capita consumption of around 88 pounds annually (2). Notably, Argentina has lower rates of heart disease compared to the United States, where highly processed foods and seed oils dominate grocery store shelves. Similarly, Japan is known for high egg consumption, and its citizens have some of the highest life expectancies in the world. Japan’s diet is rich in natural, nutrient-dense foods, and includes relatively low levels of processed seed oils compared to the United States (3).
Meanwhile, countries with diets rich in animal fats, such as Iceland, where organ meats and fatty fish are dietary staples, have lower instances of cardiovascular disease and boast some of the healthiest populations globally. In stark contrast, the U.S. leads in chronic illness and obesity rates, with over 70% of Americans being overweight or obese, in part due to a diet that is 20% seed oils and ultra-processed foods (4). It’s estimated that processed foods make up 60% of the average American’s grocery store purchases, filled with preservatives, artificial ingredients, and of course, cheap seed oils that extend shelf life but wreak havoc on human health (5).
Seed Oils, Omega Ratios, and the Inflammation Epidemic
Seed oils became popular due to their long shelf life and low cost, but they come at a significant health cost. These oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which, when consumed in excess, disrupt the body’s natural inflammatory processes. The ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is around 1:1, but the typical American diet contains about 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3. This imbalance is a major driver of chronic inflammation, which is implicated in diseases ranging from cardiovascular issues to cancer (6).
Countries like Japan and Spain, which have closer omega ratios due to diets rich in fish and olive oil, show markedly lower rates of chronic inflammatory diseases. However, seed oils are nearly ubiquitous in the American food supply due to their low cost and ability to enhance the flavor and shelf life of processed foods. Even foods marketed as “heart-healthy,” such as vegetable oils and margarine, contain high levels of omega-6. This pervasive use of seed oils has helped fuel America’s chronic disease epidemic, with inflammation-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease affecting millions (7).
The Role of Endocrine Disruptors and Toxic Additives
Seed oils are only part of the problem. Many products that contain seed oils are also laced with other harmful additives, including glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, which has been found in trace amounts in cereals, snacks, and even water supplies. Glyphosate is known as an endocrine disruptor, interfering with hormone function and linked to increased cancer risk. Studies have shown that glyphosate exposure is associated with conditions like thyroid disease and infertility, yet regulatory bodies continue to allow its widespread use due to pressure from agricultural and pharmaceutical giants (8).
Beyond glyphosate, American consumers are regularly exposed to hormone-disrupting plastics and chemicals, which leach into food through packaging and storage. These endocrine disruptors have been shown to interfere with hormone balance, contributing to issues like obesity, diabetes, and reproductive disorders. As a result, Americans are facing a toxic burden that further compounds the health risks associated with their diet. In countries where regulations on pesticides and plastic additives are stricter, such as Switzerland, health outcomes tend to be better. This has not stopped American companies from using studies from countries with stricter food safety standards to market seed oils and processed foods as safe and healthy (9).
Knowledge is Power: How Information is Controlled
The food and pharmaceutical industries have gone to great lengths to control the narrative around diet and health. Mainstream news outlets, heavily funded by pharmaceutical advertisements, frequently downplay the impact of diet on chronic illness. The same companies that push seed oils and processed foods also profit from the drugs needed to manage the resulting health issues. Blood pressure medications, diabetes treatments, and cholesterol-lowering drugs are all multi-billion dollar industries in the United States (10).
Meanwhile, as trust in traditional media declines, more people are turning to independent sources for information. Influencers, athletes, and even celebrities have started to question the health advice propagated by corporate-backed media. NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, for example, recently called out Pfizer for using athletes in their commercials, pointing out the hypocrisy of promoting a drug-dependent lifestyle while ignoring dietary interventions (11). As people become more aware of the ties between big business and mainstream health advice, there is a growing movement to seek out information from sources not funded by pharmaceutical or food conglomerates.
The Real Solution: Rethinking Our Food Choices
To protect ourselves and our loved ones, we need to take back control of our health by understanding who funds the studies and shapes the narratives we encounter daily. By reducing our intake of processed foods and seed oils, and instead focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods like pasture-raised meats, raw dairy, and fresh produce, we can reclaim our health. The American diet needs a radical overhaul, not more low-fat, high-carb processed foods that line the pockets of multinational corporations.
In the end, knowledge truly is power. By staying informed and challenging the dietary advice handed down by corporate-funded research, we can make choices that align with our biology, not with the profits of companies that benefit from our sickness. The fight for our health is as much about understanding what’s on our plates as it is about knowing who put it there—and why.
References
1. Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, “Researchers Challenge Claims That Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
2. World Population Review, “Meat Consumption by Country,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
3. BBC, “Why Japan is Home to Some of the World’s Healthiest People,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
4. CDC, “Adult Obesity Facts,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
5. National Institutes of Health, “Ultra-Processed Foods Make Up Over Half of American Diet,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
6. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Inflammation,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
7. Mayo Clinic, “Omega-3 in Fish: How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
8. Environmental Health Perspectives, “Glyphosate as an Endocrine Disruptor,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
9. World Health Organization, “Endocrine Disruptors and Health,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
10. The Washington Post, “Pharmaceutical Ads Dominate Cable News,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
11. Sports Illustrated, “Aaron Rodgers Takes a Stand Against Pharmaceutical Influence,” accessed October 13, 2024. Link
