What Are Seed Oils And Why Are Millions of Families Avoiding Them?

Seed oils have become one of the most discussed topics in consumer food and nutrition, and the debate is louder than ever in 2025. Mainstream health organizations including the American Heart Association and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend seed oils as heart-healthy alternatives to saturated fats. At the same time, millions of families are actively removing them from their kitchens and choosing products made with avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil instead. Both positions have real science behind them, and the honest answer is that the seed oil debate is more nuanced than most articles on either side acknowledge. Here is what seed oils actually are, what the research says, what the legitimate concerns are, and why Roots Farm Fresh uses organic avocado oil instead. Available at Sprouts, Erewhon, Natural Grocers, Harris Teeter, Kroger banner stores, and online at rootsfarmfresh.com with free shipping.

What Seed Oils Actually Are

Seed oils are vegetable oils extracted from the seeds of plants. The most common in processed and frozen foods are soybean oil, canola oil (from rapeseed), corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, and safflower oil. They are the dominant fat in the modern American food supply. According to USDA data, seed oils are the second-largest source of per-person caloric intake in the American diet, contributing over 500 calories per day on average. That is not a small dietary variable.

Most commercial seed oils are produced through an industrial process that involves high heat, chemical solvents (primarily hexane), and refining, bleaching, and deodorizing steps. The result is a highly stable, shelf-stable, cost-effective oil that works well at scale in food manufacturing. An NPR report notes that a 2025 federal toxicology review called hexane residues in seed oils "toxicologically insignificant," and experts point out that any residual hexane evaporates when heated. Cold-pressed and expeller-pressed seed oils that avoid hexane extraction exist but are rarely what is used in conventional frozen food production.

The primary fatty acid in most seed oils is linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid, meaning the body cannot produce it and must obtain it from food. It is not inherently harmful in the quantities found in a balanced diet.

What the Mainstream Science Says

The mainstream nutritional consensus, represented by the American Heart Association, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and major research institutions, supports seed oils as a healthy dietary choice. The core position is that replacing saturated fats (from butter, lard, tallow, and coconut oil) with polyunsaturated fats from seed oils reduces LDL cholesterol and lowers cardiovascular disease risk.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports that seed oils do not cause inflammation according to nutrition scientists, and that the concern is based on a misunderstanding of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Stanford's Christopher Gardner, who served on the USDA's Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, states that omega-6 gets "unfairly demonized" and that if people want to close the omega-6 to omega-3 gap, the recommendation should be to eat more omega-3, not to cut omega-6.

A 2025 review of human outcome data concluded that linoleic acid from seed oils does not increase chronic disease risk and that the human research evidence shows linoleic acid intake does not affect inflammation or increase inflammatory biomarkers. The American Heart Association and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines maintain recommendations to include omega-6 seed oils as part of a healthy diet.

This is the scientific consensus position. It is not a fringe view, and families choosing seed oils as part of a balanced whole-food diet are not making an unreasonable choice based on the current evidence.

Why Millions of Families Are Choosing to Avoid Them Anyway

Understanding why so many health-conscious families are moving away from seed oils requires separating two distinct questions: whether seed oils in isolation are harmful in controlled research settings, and whether the way seed oils are actually consumed in the modern American diet creates a different picture.

The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the real diet. The research consensus acknowledges the ratio concern even while disputing the inflammatory mechanism. Stanford's Gardner notes that the rise in seed oil consumption paralleled increases in obesity and chronic disease, and while this correlation could be caused by other factors, the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the modern American diet has shifted dramatically. The University of New Hampshire Extension notes that we currently lack strong evidence that avoiding seed oils is beneficial, but also that increasing omega-3 intake would help close the gap. The practical concern for most families is that their diet is already omega-6 dominant, and seed oils in processed foods are the primary driver.

The ultra-processed food context. Nearly all research supporting seed oils was conducted using refined seed oils in controlled dietary settings, not in the context of the ultra-processed foods where most seed oil is actually consumed. In frozen fries, packaged snacks, fast food, and baked goods, seed oils arrive pre-oxidized from industrial processing, often pre-fried at high temperatures before the consumer heats the product again at home. The oil that reaches your plate has been through multiple high-heat events. Healthline notes that vegetable and seed oils are "highly processed oils that are easily damaged during cooking" and that their health effects vary depending on extraction method and processing. The laboratory versions used in clinical trials are not identical to the industrially processed versions in most frozen food products.

The processing method concern. NPR's coverage of the seed oil debate notes that hexane residues in seed oils are considered toxicologically insignificant by federal reviewers, but that consumers who are concerned can choose organic seed oils processed without hexane. The concern is not that hexane residues are definitively harmful, but that industrial processing of fats creates a product meaningfully different from cold-pressed alternatives, and that difference matters for families prioritizing minimal processing.

The cumulative load argument. Seed oils are the second-largest caloric source in the American diet. For families already eating seed oils across multiple meal categories (packaged snacks, salad dressings, frozen foods, takeout), the concern is not one tablespoon of canola oil in a home-cooked dish. It is the cumulative baseline of seed oil consumption that comes from weekly frozen snacks, packaged foods, and restaurant meals combined. Families reducing seed oils from frozen snacks are often doing so as part of a broader reduction across the whole diet, not because a single bag of fries is definitively harmful.

The Specific Case Against Seed Oils in Frozen Fries

Even setting aside the broader dietary debate, the frozen fry context creates conditions that differ from seed oils in a home kitchen. Conventional frozen fries are pre-fried in seed oil at the factory before freezing, then reheated by the consumer at high temperatures. The oil undergoes heat stress at the factory and again at home. The smoke points of most seed oils used in frozen production range from 400 to 450°F, which air fryers commonly reach.

This matters because oil pushed past its smoke point begins oxidizing and breaking down. The oil that arrives in a conventional bag of frozen fries is not fresh cold-pressed canola oil. It is a heavily refined, pre-heated fat that will be heated again in your kitchen. The research that supports seed oils as cardiovascular-healthy is largely based on fresh, unoxidized oil consumed in dietary settings. The frozen fry context is meaningfully different.

Why Roots Farm Fresh Uses Organic Avocado Oil

Roots Farm Fresh uses certified organic avocado oil in every product because it outperforms seed oils on every dimension that matters for frozen fry production, independent of the broader dietary debate.

Avocado oil is composed of approximately 70% oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat as olive oil. Oleic acid is chemically more stable at high heat than the polyunsaturated linoleic acid that dominates seed oils, because monounsaturated fats have one double bond rather than multiple. Research links oleic acid to lower LDL cholesterol, reduced inflammatory markers, and improved cardiovascular risk factors. The smoke point of organic avocado oil is approximately 500°F, higher than most seed oils, meaning it stays chemically stable at the temperatures air fryers and hot ovens reach.

Roots' organic avocado oil is cold-pressed without chemical solvents, certified organic, and applied to raw fries that are frozen without pre-frying. The oil undergoes one heat event: the one in your kitchen. That is the practical difference that matters most for a food your family eats regularly.

The choice is not about declaring seed oils definitively harmful. It is about using the best available fat for this specific application, and on smoke point, fat profile, processing method, and flavor, avocado oil wins on every measure.

Seed oils vs. organic avocado oil:

	Seed oils (soybean / canola)	Organic avocado oil
Smoke point	400-450°F	~500°F
Primary fat type	Linoleic acid (omega-6)	Oleic acid (omega-9)
Omega-6 content	High to very high	Low
Extraction method	High heat + chemical solvents	Cold pressed
Flavor impact	Masks potato flavor	Neutral, potato leads
Heat events in frozen fry	2 (factory + home)	1 (home only)
Used by Roots Farm Fresh	No	Yes

What This Means for Your Family's Choices

The honest guidance is this: if your family eats a largely whole-food diet with modest processed food consumption, seed oils in cooking are not a priority concern based on current evidence. The mainstream nutritional science does not support treating moderate seed oil consumption as a significant health risk.

If your family eats processed or frozen foods regularly across multiple daily meals, the cumulative seed oil load is worth paying attention to, not because any single serving is harmful, but because the total dietary omega-6 intake from processed food sources adds up. In that context, choosing frozen snacks made with avocado oil is a practical reduction in the most consistent source of seed oil in a weekly diet.

The Roots Farm Fresh position is straightforward: for a food your family eats weekly, a better fat is available, it tastes cleaner, it performs better at high heat, and it comes from a simpler supply chain. We use it for those reasons, and we will keep using it until something demonstrably better exists.

How to Cook Roots Fries for Maximum Crispiness

Air fryer (best results):

Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
Spread fries in a single layer, do not stack or overlap.
Cook for 12-15 minutes.
Shake the basket halfway through.
Serve immediately for maximum crunch.

Oven (alternative method):

Preheat oven to 425°F with an empty sheet pan inside.
After 2 minutes, carefully remove the hot pan and spread fries in a single layer.
Cook for 18-22 minutes until golden and crispy.

Where to Find Roots Farm Fresh

In stores: Sprouts Farmers Market, Erewhon, Natural Grocers, Marianos, King Soopers, Harris Teeter, and other Kroger banner stores nationwide. Use the Grocery Store Finder to locate the nearest retailer.

Online: Shop directly at the Roots Farm Fresh shop for free shipping on every order, ships Monday through Wednesday for Wednesday through Friday delivery. Packaging is fully biodegradable and recyclable with a 100% frozen guarantee.

Same-day delivery: Order through Instacart for same-day delivery from a local retailer near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are seed oils? Seed oils are vegetable oils extracted from the seeds of plants, including soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, cottonseed, and safflower. They are the dominant fat in most processed and frozen foods and the second-largest caloric source in the average American diet. Most commercial seed oils are produced using high heat and chemical solvents. Their primary fatty acid, linoleic acid, is an essential omega-6 fat the body needs but cannot produce on its own.

Are seed oils actually bad for you? The mainstream nutritional consensus, including the American Heart Association and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, supports seed oils as heart-healthy when replacing saturated fats. A 2025 review of human outcome data found that linoleic acid from seed oils does not increase chronic disease risk. The legitimate concerns center on the industrial processing method (hexane extraction, high-heat refining), the cumulative omega-6 load in the modern diet when seed oils appear across many food categories simultaneously, and the specific context of frozen foods where oil is pre-heated multiple times before consumption.

Why are families avoiding seed oils in 2025? Consumer concern about seed oils is driven by several factors: the sheer volume of seed oil consumption in the modern diet (second-largest calorie source), the industrial processing methods used to produce them, the multiple heat events that frozen food seed oils undergo before reaching the plate, and a broader movement toward simpler, less processed ingredients. A new Seed Oil Free Certified label launched in the U.S. in 2024. Mainstream science does not support the most extreme claims against seed oils, but the processing and cumulative load concerns are real and reasonable for families already eating across multiple processed food categories.

What is linoleic acid and why does it matter? Linoleic acid is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in high concentrations in most seed oils. It is an essential fatty acid, meaning the body requires it and cannot produce it. The concern is not linoleic acid in isolation but its dominance in the American diet relative to omega-3 fatty acids. Johns Hopkins and Stanford researchers recommend increasing omega-3 intake (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed) rather than eliminating omega-6, but both agree the current dietary ratio is significantly skewed toward omega-6.

Why does Roots Farm Fresh use avocado oil instead of seed oils? Avocado oil has a smoke point of approximately 500°F, higher than most seed oils, and stays chemically stable at air fryer and oven temperatures where seed oils can begin breaking down. It is composed of approximately 70% oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat more chemically stable at high heat than the polyunsaturated linoleic acid in seed oils. It is cold-pressed without chemical solvents and certified organic. Roots fries are not pre-fried, so the avocado oil undergoes one heat event rather than the two that seed-oil-coated conventional fries undergo.

Why don't Roots fries use beef tallow? Beef tallow is an option Roots has evaluated and continues to monitor. Three factors keep it off the table for now. First, the raw material supply is shrinking: the U.S. beef cow herd has declined for seven consecutive years to its lowest level since 1951, meaning clean grass-fed tallow is the scarcest subset of an already contracting supply. Second, what is commercially available at scale is not clean tallow: industrial rendering produces tallow that is deodorized with chemicals, treated with antifoaming agents, hydrogenated, and typically sourced from feedlot cattle given antibiotics and GMO feed, not the ingredient Roots would use. Third, most high-quality tallow at industrial scale is being directed to biofuels and renewable energy production, leaving the traceable grass-fed tallow available for food use as a shrinking fraction of a shrinking supply. The Cleveland Clinic's cardiovascular dietitian also notes that beef tallow's saturated fat content is so high that a single tablespoon approaches the full daily recommended limit.

The Full Roots Farm Fresh Line

All products are made with certified organic upcycled potatoes and organic avocado oil, seed oil-free, allergen-free, and gluten-free across the board.

White potato: Classic Cut Fries, Crinkle Cut Fries, Crispy Waffle Fries, Crispy Potato Wedges, Crispy Potato Tots, Crispy Hash Browns

Sweet potato: Sweet Potato Fries, Crinkle Cut Sweet Potato Fries, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries, Sweet Potato Tots, Sweet Potato Hash Browns, Sweet Potato Toast, Sweet Potato Croutons

Available in 15oz bags in stores and online. Subscribe at rootsfarmfresh.com for monthly delivery with free shipping, flexible quantity, and no contract.