In our modern nutrition landscape certain topics become obsessions – pursued with relentless focus, often at the expense of balance. It’s reminiscent of the literary classic Moby Dick, where an all-consuming chase blinds the characters to the bigger picture. The same can be said for how dietary fats – and more recently, seed oils – have been discussed in the public sphere.

Dietary Fats Through History: From All Or Nothing To A Refined Approach

Nowhere is this fixation more evident than in the ongoing debate about dietary fats. In the 1980s and 90s, scientific understanding at the time led to widespread recommendations to consume low- and non-fat foods. Conversely, weight loss diets popularized a contrary conviction that carbohydrates are the dietary evil to target and that healthy diets should restrict carbohydrates and instead focus on protein and/or fat consumption.

As with most nutrition debates, the truth lies in the middle – and nuance matters. In the case of dietary fats, science now differentiates between and among fatty acids that promote health as well as those that increase the risk of diet-related disease. Yet despite this evolution, public dialogue and discourse still lean on oversimplified ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ fat messaging, with negative narratives dominating the conversation, leading to many misperceptions that persist today. According to the 2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey, one in five consumers still believe that healthy foods are low in total fat.

Dietary Fat Dilemma Du Jour

Given the consistent history of dietary fats as a near-constant target of misinformation, it’s no surprise that there’s now a new villain on the scene: seed oils.

Seed oils are exactly as they sound – vegetable oils derived from the seeds of plants. They are relatively high in unsaturated (healthy) fats and lower in saturated (less healthy) fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend replacing saturated with unsaturated fat sources. Further, a recent systematic review by the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee found strong evidence that replacing butter with plant-based oils high in unsaturated fats benefits heart health and moderate evidence that swapping plant-based saturated fats for unsaturated ones reduces cardiovascular disease risk.

Yet, seed oils have become a cultural flashpoint – begging the question: If seed oils align with public health recommendations, why have they become a target of controversy? The answer is simple. Unlike past debates on dietary fats, concerns about seed oils are not currently being driven by evolving scientific evidence, but rather digital discourse.

Not surprisingly, in the most recent IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions Of Seed Oils, we found that three in four Americans were at least somewhat familiar with the term. Fittingly, close to half of those who had heard of seed oils got their information through friends and family (24%) and social media (22%).

Seed Oils: Ripe For Confusion

Consumers perceive avocado (67%) and olive (56%) oils as being the healthiest fat source, followed by butter (42%). Behavior somewhat aligns with these perceptions with 56% of consumers reporting using olive oil most often in food preparation, followed by vegetable oil (41%) and butter (38%).

Americans are divided on seed oils, with nearly half considering them healthy, while 13% view them as unhealthy. Another 25% remain unsure.

When it comes to information exposure, 46% report hearing positive messages, while only 9% recall negative ones. Notably, 19% describe the information they’ve received as equally positive and negative, and 27% have not encountered discussions on seed oils at all.

Most Americans (72%) do not avoid seed oils, but 28% say they do.

Among those who avoid them:

• 63% believe seed oils are more processed than other oils.
• 62% think they are more genetically modified.
• 61% associate them with weight gain.
• 58% believe they increase heart disease risk.
• 57% link them to inflammation.

Interestingly, 55% of seed oil avoiders still consider them more heart-healthy than butter.

Tackling The Tough Questions: Moving Beyond The Nutrition Noise

The excitement and energy surrounding healthy eating as well as reducing the risk of diet-related chronic diseases is reason for celebration among individuals like me who got into the nutrition field to promote and improve public health. Yet, the complexity is palpable, and confusion can often leads to apathy. For instance, in the case of whether consumers seek out information on dietary fat sources, the most common response (41%) was no.

How do we do better? Well, admittedly, there are some questions we still need to be answered. For instance:

1. How can we best help consumers tune out the noise and distractions from well-meaning friends and family as well as influencers and media headlines that divert them from the path of building healthy dietary patterns overall?
2. What level of scientific detail is necessary to properly inform consumers so that their understanding can best lead to improved eating behaviors?
3. Where does food science and access fit into the picture to ensure consumers have options for healthy foods that are flavorful and shelf-stable?

While the full picture is not complete, we do have core strategies that can cut through the confusion and empower consumers with knowledge they can act on. This involves focusing on the fundamentals of effective nutrition communication – ensuring clarity, credibility, and practical application.

Beyond The Buzzwords: Communicating Clearly

Purveyors of nutrition information have a responsibility to provide clear, fact-based information that empowers consumers to make informed, healthful choices – choices that contribute to better overall dietary patterns. Start with these tips!

• Understand your audience. Know that most Americans are not following healthy eating patterns as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines. Ensure their voices are included in the dialogue, especially when discussing public health nutrition.
• Emphasize credible messengers. In the age of social media, self-proclaimed experts can easily overshadow nutrition professionals. Misinformation thrives when these voices hold more credibility and a larger platform than actual experts, such as registered dietitians.
• Encourage informed questions. Consumers should feel empowered to ask about the foods and beverages they and their families eat. To guide desired behavior change, the information must be factual – help them distinguish between health and hype. Tap into the feelings and emotions behind their questions and concerns to establish connection.
• Provide concise, actionable details. Share the evidence-based facts consumers need to know to make informed, healthy choices from all food groups. Offer practical tips that apply to real-life eating occasions.
• Avoid overgeneralization. Terms like “junk food,” “ultra-processed,” and even “seed oils” can be misleading without context and may yield unintended consequences. For example, help consumers recognize categorical biases toward packaged foods, potentially steering them away from practical choices with valuable nutrient contributions. Rather, consider how consumers may add more fruits or vegetables to those commonly consumed foods that also fit within a healthy dietary pattern to improve overall diet quality.
• Be constructive. Focus on solutions and opportunities, rather than problems. Offer clear, actionable guidance that empowers consumers to make healthy choices without confusion or fear-based messaging.

For more information, check out the IFIC Dietary Fats Toolkit and the comprehensive IFIC guide on dietary fats, Dietary Fats: Balancing Health and Flavor.