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INVISIBLE OVERLOAD > INFLAMMATORY OILS
INFLAMMATORY OILS
Not all oils are created equal—some provide powerful health benefits, while others can quietly contribute to inflammation and chronic disease. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and certain fish oils support heart health, brain function, and help fight inflammation. But overly processed seed oils, commonly found in packaged foods and restaurants, may do more harm than good when eaten regularly. Understanding the difference can make a big impact on your overall well-being.
Choosing the right oils can be a simple but powerful step toward supporting your long-term health.
Is Inflammation the Root Cause of Chronic Disease?
Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key driver behind many of today’s most common health conditions—including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s, and even some cancers. While it may not be the sole cause, it acts like a slow-burning fire in the body, silently damaging tissues and accelerating disease over time.
Fats: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Choose Wisely
Understanding the difference between saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats can help you make smarter choices that support energy, heart health, and inflammation balance. This section breaks it down so you can feel confident about the fats you’re eating—and avoiding.
Understanding the Role of Omega 3+6 in Inflammation
The types of oils and fats you consume can either support your body’s natural defenses or quietly fuel chronic inflammation. By understanding the delicate balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, you’ll see why choosing the right fats matters—not just for energy or brain health, but for keeping inflammation in check and disease at bay.
Bringing Your Omegas Back Into Balance
Omega-6 and omega-3 fats both play essential roles in your body—but they need to stay in balance. Most people today are getting far too many omega-6s and not enough omega-3s. Rather than counting grams, the goal is to shift your ratio—reducing excess omega-6s from processed oils, while increasing omega-3-rich foods like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Even small adjustments can make a big difference.
Here's the Big Issue
Thanks to the overwhelming presence of processed seed and vegetable oils in the typical American diet, most people are unknowingly consuming far too many omega-6s. These oils sneak into almost every processed food we consume. This dietary overload throws the balance out of sync, making it harder for our bodies to function at their best.
Processing and Packaging: What Happens Behind the Scenes
The journey from seed to bottle involves far more than simple pressing. Most industrial seed oils undergo high-heat refining, chemical solvents like hexane, and deodorization steps that strip away nutrients while introducing potential contaminants. These processes are designed for shelf life—not your health. Understanding how oils are processed and packaged reveals why many of them contribute to inflammation rather than nutrition.
SOURCES
1. Inflammation: How Chronic Inflammation is Tied to All Major Illnesses Harvard Health Publishing – Understanding acute and chronic inflammation https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-acute-and-chronic-inflammation (Explains the differences between acute and chronic inflammation and their implications for health.) Yale Medicine – How Inflammation Affects Your Health https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/how-inflammation-affects-your-health (Discusses the role of inflammation in various diseases and the importance of managing chronic inflammation.) NCBI Bookshelf – Chronic Inflammation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/ (Provides a comprehensive overview of chronic inflammation and its association with major diseases.) 2. Fats: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Choose Wisely Harvard Health Publishing – The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good Mayo Clinic – Dietary fat: Know which to choose https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550 American Heart Association – Dietary Fats https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats 3. Understanding the Role of Omega-3 and Omega-6 in Inflammation Harvard Health Publishing – No need to avoid healthy omega-6 fats https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/no-need-to-avoid-healthy-omega-6-fats Mayo Clinic – Omega-6 fatty acids: Can they cause heart disease? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/omega-6/faq-20058172 National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Health Professional Fact Sheet https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/ 4. Bringing Your Omegas Back Into Balance Healthline – How to Optimize Your Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/optimize-omega-6-omega-3-ratio InsideTracker – Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio: What Does It Mean and What's Optimal? https://www.insidetracker.com/a/articles/omega-6-to-omega-3-ratio Open Heart (BMJ Journal) – Importance of maintaining a low omega–6/omega–3 ratio for reducing inflammation https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000946 5. Here's the Big Issue (Seed Oils + Chronic Inflammation) National Institutes of Health (NIH) – The Importance of Maintaining a Low Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio for Reducing Inflammation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8504498/ PubMed – The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12442909/ Healthline – How to Optimize Your Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/optimize-omega-6-omega-3-ratio 6. Processing and Packaging: What Happens Behind the Scenes Centra Foods – Difference Between Solvent Expelled, Expeller Pressed & Cold Pressed https://www.centrafoods.com/blog/difference-between-solvent-expelled-expeller-pressed-cold-pressed Wholesale Botanics – Expeller Pressed vs Cold Pressed Oils: Everything You Need to Know https://wholesalebotanics.com/blogs/expertise/expeller-pressed-vs-cold-pressed Glass Packaging Institute – The 5 Benefits of Using Glass Packaging for Health and Wellness https://www.gpi.org/blog/5-benefits-using-glass-packaging-health-and-wellness