Oils That Trigger Inflammation and Oils That Fight It
Understanding Inflammation 🌱
Hi friends,
Thanks to all 500,000+ of you who are reading and learning each week.
For years I thought I was doing fine just cooking with whatever oil was cheapest at the store. Then I started learning about inflammation and realized how much those little choices were adding up. Once I swapped out seed oils for olive and avocado oil, I noticed changes I didn’t expect — better energy, less bloating, and clearer skin.
That’s why I wanted to share this issue with you. Because sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest difference.
Today we’re breaking it all down.
🌿 IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES WE’LL COVER:
Weekly Insight: Oils That Trigger Inflammation
Science Simplified: What Inflammation Really Is
3 Tips: Easy Oil Swaps You Can Start Today
Bonus Section: Top 5 Everyday Foods Loaded with Seed Oils
Fascinating Fact: The Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio Problem
Recipe of the Week: Anti-Inflammatory Salad Dressing
Reader Challenge: One Swap This Week
Weekly Insight
Oils That Trigger Inflammation
Walk through any grocery store and you’ll see the shelves stacked with “vegetable oils” — canola, soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower.
The problem? These seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids. While omega-6 isn’t “bad” on its own, the average diet today contains 10–20 times more omega-6 than omega-3. That imbalance is what drives inflammation in the body.
Studies link high omega-6 intake to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and autoimmune conditions. The oils are also often heavily refined, bleached, and deodorized — making them even harsher on the body.
And here’s the catch: these oils are cheap. That’s why food companies use them. They extend shelf life, fry foods evenly, and cut costs. Starting in the mid-20th century, governments even promoted “vegetable oils” as healthier than butter or lard, without realizing the long-term effects. That’s how seed oils quietly became the backbone of processed food.
The Better Oils:
Olive oil (extra virgin): Rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats that reduce inflammation.
Avocado oil: Stable at high heat, full of healthy fats.
Coconut oil: Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that can support metabolism and gut health.
Flaxseed oil: Great for omega-3 boost (use raw, not for cooking).
Think of oils as signals to your body. Some whisper “calm and repair,” others scream “fire and damage.”
Science Simplified
What Inflammation Really Is
Inflammation is your immune system’s defense mode. It releases chemical messengers to fight injury, toxins, or infection.
Acute inflammation (short-term) is good — it heals wounds or fights colds.
Chronic inflammation (long-term) is bad — it keeps your immune system stuck in overdrive, slowly damaging tissues and organs.
The tough part? You often don’t feel chronic inflammation right away. It builds quietly, sometimes for years, until it shows up as:
Achy joints you can’t explain.
Brain fog or constant fatigue.
Stubborn weight gain, especially around the belly.
Skin flare-ups like acne, eczema, or redness.
Your diet is one of the strongest switches. Seed oils flip inflammation on. Healthy oils flip it off.
What To Do
3 Tips for Easy Oil Swaps
Cook with avocado oil instead of canola oil.
– Avocado oil has a high smoke point and anti-inflammatory fats. It’s one of the best oils for roasting, stir-frying, and grilling.Use extra virgin olive oil daily.
– Drizzle it on salads, veggies, or even over cooked dishes for antioxidant benefits. The fresher and greener the oil, the better.Limit processed foods.
– Chips, crackers, and fast food are often fried in cheap seed oils. Cutting them out matters more than swapping cooking oil at home.
If you make these three swaps alone, you’ll drastically cut down your omega-6 load without feeling deprived.
Bonus Section
Top 5 Everyday Foods Loaded with Seed Oils
Even if you don’t cook with seed oils, they sneak in through packaged foods. Here are the biggest culprits:
Salad dressings & mayonnaise – Most use soybean or canola oil as the base.
Chips & crackers – Almost always fried or baked in seed oils.
Fast food fries & fried chicken – Deep-fried in blends of corn or soybean oil.
Packaged baked goods – Cookies, muffins, and granola bars often list “vegetable oil.”
Flavored nuts & trail mixes – Coated with seed oils to help seasonings stick.
👉 Tip: Read labels and choose brands that use olive or avocado oil instead. Some smaller, higher-quality brands are starting to make these swaps.
Did You Know
Fascinating Fact
In traditional diets, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was about 1:1. Today, in Western diets, it’s closer to 20:1.
That shift is one of the biggest reasons inflammation-related diseases — heart disease, obesity, autoimmune conditions — have skyrocketed.
Recipe of the Week
Anti-Inflammatory Lemon-Turmeric Dressing
This takes 2 minutes and beats any store-bought version.
Ingredients (makes ~6 servings):
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl or shake in a jar. Store in fridge for up to 5 days. Use on salads, grain bowls, or even as a marinade.
Article Insights
Key Takeaway
The oils you choose every day either feed inflammation or fight it. I’ve seen the difference in my own life, and I think you’ll notice it too once you make the swaps.
Seed oils (canola, corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower): Avoid or minimize.
Healthy oils (olive, avocado, coconut, flax): Embrace daily.
Our Challenge For You
Reader Challenge
This week, try one simple swap:
If you usually fry with canola, try avocado oil.
If you buy bottled dressing, make the lemon-turmeric version above.
If chips are your go-to snack, look for a brand cooked in olive oil.
Notice how you feel after just a few days. Sometimes the smallest changes create the biggest wins for your health.