You Were Lied To About Seed Oils! The Truth About Butter, Tallow & Olive Oil

In this episode, Dr. Josh Axe tackles one of the most polarizing nutrition debates online: are seed oils actually toxic, or has the internet oversimplified the science? Using research from both sides of the argument, Dr. Axe breaks down the truth about seed oils, saturated fats, omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, inflammation, heart disease risk, and how the fats you eat affect the health of every cell in your body. Dr. Axe explains how industrial seed oils like soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, and rice bran oil are often processed through solvent extraction, bleaching, deodorizing, and high heat — and why reheated fryer oils may be very different from cold-pressed or mechanically pressed oils. He also explores the ongoing debate between experts like Lane Norton and Paul Saladino, including the arguments around LDL cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, mitochondrial health, lipid peroxidation, metabolic dysfunction, and healthy-user bias in nutrition studies. Rather than framing the conversation as simply “seed oils vs. butter” or “animal fats vs. plant oils,” Dr. Axe explains why the real answer comes down to food quality, processing, omega-3 balance, cooking method, and the overall food matrix. He also ranks the top cooking oils and fats for health and longevity, including macadamia oil, cocoa butter, duck fat, grass-fed beef tallow, grass-fed butter, sesame oil, ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin olive oil. You’ll learn why Dr. Axe considers extra virgin olive oil the most studied and defensible oil for longevity, heart health, brain health, inflammation, metabolic health, and cellular repair — and why he recommends focusing on fruit-based oils like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil over both industrial seed oils and excessive animal fats. Topics covered include: seed oils, omega-6 fats, omega-3 balance, linoleic acid, inflammation, heart disease, LDL cholesterol, saturated fat, butter, beef tallow, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, cell membrane health, mitochondrial health, lipid peroxidation, metabolic dysfunction, cooking oils, functional medicine, longevity, and food as medicine.