The Seed Oil Scandal: Exposing the Hidden Dangers in Your Diet - with Cate Shanahan, MD | EP 189
The Empowering Neurologist PodcastShow Notes
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We are certainly all aware of the health consequences associated with consumption of ultra processed foods. And this discussion always moves to the role of the sugars and refined carbohydrates in these foods in terms of threatening our metabolic health - and rightfully so.
But there’s another threat associated with these and other foods that is equally important. And that’s the type of oils they contain. In this episode of The Empowering Neurologist, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Cate Shanahan, a groundbreaking physician and the author of the eye-opening book Dark Calories. Dr. Shanahan dives deep into a topic that is often overlooked in conversations about nutrition: the dangers of seed oils and their pervasive presence in our diets.
In Dark Calories, Dr. Shanahan reveals how seed oils—despite being marketed as healthy alternatives—can have detrimental effects on our brain and overall health. We explore the science behind these oils, explaining how they can lead to inflammation, oxidative stress, and toxicity, and how these mechanisms threaten our health. By bringing awareness to the hidden dangers of these ubiquitous ingredients, Dr. Shanahan encourages us to reconsider what we think we know about healthy eating.
What makes this episode truly valuable is not just the scientific insights Dr. Shanahan shares but also the wealth of actionable material she provides. Throughout our conversation, we discuss practical steps listeners can take to reduce seed oil consumption and make healthier food choices. From understanding food labels to selecting healthier cooking fats, Dr. Shanahan equips us with the tools we need to nourish our bodies and brains effectively.
She emphasizes the importance of whole, nutrient-dense foods, urging us to prioritize traditional fats over industrial seed oils that can contribute to chronic inflammation and cognitive decline. Whether you’re a health enthusiast or simply looking to improve your diet, this episode is packed with invaluable tips, like what to order when you go out to eat, that you can implement immediately.
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00:00 Introduction to Cate + the Dangers of Seed Oils
03:18 The 'Hateful Eight' Oils Explained
06:20 Origins of Vegetable Oils in the Food Supply
10:47 Toxicity of Refined Oils
15:03 Health Risks of Heated Oils
18:01 Medical Industry Conflicts
32:12 Strategies for Avoiding Harmful Oils
37:03 Comparison of Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats
40:35 Impact of Toxic Oils on Chronic Diseases
53:00 Summary and Closing Out
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Cate Shanahan, MD, has shaped the best parts of today’s food and health landscapes. Her books and other publications have taught a generation of health influencers what an ideal human diet looks like and the damaging effects of a collection of 8 common seed oils (“The Hateful 8”), informing the full spectrum of nutrition leaders, including keto, carnivore, functional medicine and more. Her science backed diet advice has inspired food entrepreneurs to make billions, including bone broth, live-culture ferments, and seed-oil-free business empires like the Primal Kitchen and Bulletproof brands. As a family physician, she has personally worked 1:1 with thousands of patients to improve energy metabolism and reduce fatigue, cellular inflammation, and organ dysfunction. Through her works and influence, she has helped millions escape the vicious cycle of sickness and drug dependence.
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🧠 Stay ahead with the latest in science, nutrition, and wellness by subscribing to Dr. Perlmutter’s newsletter at: www.drperlmutter.com. ✉ 🌱 Thank you to our sponsors: EVY - https://www.optoceutics.com/perlmutter and the code perlmutter26 will be auto-applied to your order to get 10% off & free shipping (90 days risk-free). 3X4 Genetics - https://3X4genetics.com/DrPerlmutter for a special offer when you sign up to decode your genetics and get personalized, science-backed health recommendations. ==== Dr. Perlmutter’s groundbreaking new book, Brain Defenders, is now available! Discover how to protect your brain and future health - grab your copy today at https:/www.braindefenders.com. ==== Why do some people feel exhausted, mentally foggy, metabolically unwell, or simply older than they should even when their routine laboratory results are considered “normal”? That question is at the heart of this episode of The Empowering Neurologist, featuring functional medicine practitioner Dr. Will Cole, coauthor with Dr. Josh Axe of Heal Your Cells: Reversing the Irreversible. Dr. Cole and Dr. Perlmutter explore the idea that long before disease becomes obvious, dysfunction may already be developing at the cellular level. This concept takes on particular importance when we consider the brain, which accounts for only about 2% of body weight but consumes roughly 20% of the body's energy at rest. The conversation examines how seemingly separate factors including metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, poor sleep, environmental exposures, physical inactivity, and prolonged psychological stress can converge on the same cellular systems and ultimately influence brain health. 00:00 — Why Your Cells May Be Aging Before You Feel It 03:44 — Meet Dr. Will Cole 04:50 — What Is Cellular Dysfunction? 09:25 — Why Healthy People Can Still Develop Disease10:32 — The Environmental Factors Affecting Cellular Health 15:47 — Why Mitochondria Are Central to Health 16:37 — How Mitochondrial Dysfunction Drives Inflammation 19:57 — How Much of Aging Can We Actually Change? 20:47 — The Connection Between Mitochondria and Insulin Resistance 25:43 — Mitochondria, Microglia, and Brain Inflammation 29:28 — Why There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Diet 32:03 — Training Your Cells to Become More Resilient 32:46 — What Are “Adversity Mimetics”? 35:51 — Why Intracellular Health Matters 36:32 — Why Conventional Medicine May Be Missing Cellular Dysfunction 37:58 — What Do We Really Know About Peptides? 40:16 — Is Ozone Therapy Worth Considering? 42:30 — Ozone and the Science of Cellular Resilience 43:41 — What Is Therapeutic Plasma Exchange? 45:38 — Who Might Benefit From Plasma Exchange? 46:45 — The Everyday Habits That Support Cellular Health 51:35 — Your Cells Are Responding to the Choices You Make Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine expert specializing in thyroid health, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain health. He is the host of The Art of Being Well podcast and a New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum, and Gut Feelings. - - - - - Connect with Dr. Will Cole Website: https://drwillcole.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drwillcole LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drwillcole Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctorwillcole Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6z1lJ5dfKNHwGGQPOFTc7E Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-being-well/id1539535133 - - - - - Connect with Dr. David Perlmutter, MD Website: https://www.drperlmutter.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidperlmutter/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidPerlmutterMD/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerlmutterMD X (Twitter): https://x.com/DavidPerlmutter - - - - - PODCAST Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and share. This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/