Simple Farmhouse Life — Episode 325

Seed Oils, Healthy Fats, and Why Nutrition Feels So Confusing
Host: Lisa Bass
Guest: Dr. Cate Shanahan
Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Lisa Bass sits down with Dr. Cate Shanahan—physician, author of “Deep Nutrition,” and “Dark Calories”—to demystify the confusion around nutrition advice, with a sharp focus on seed oils, healthy fats, and actionable tips for healthier eating. Dr. Cate brings her scientific background and passion for ancestral nutrition, tackling myths about fats, the food industry’s influence, and how small, practical choices can dramatically impact our well-being.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Modern Nutrition Advice (02:21-06:49)

• Lisa opens by stressing how overwhelming it can be to sift through contradictory nutrition messages online (social media, influencers, etc.).
• Dr. Cate acknowledges this confusion, explaining how even medical doctors are often underinformed:

  “Even doctors don’t know the full story. I had to write the story that I’ve been writing.” (06:51 B)

• Her approach: focus on the commonalities among traditional diets as studied by Weston Price, and then update this with modern science.

2. The Four Pillars of a Healthy Ancestral Diet (09:43-13:42)

Dr. Cate outlines the “Four Pillars” found in every healthy traditional diet:

• 1. Fresh Food: Minimal processing; preserving nutrients.
• 2. Fermented/Sprouted Foods: Preserves food, increases nutrition; e.g., kimchi, sauerkraut, sprouted grains.
• 3. “Meat on the Bone”: Includes bone broth—nourishes joints, skin, cartilage.
• 4. Organ Meats: Nutrient powerhouses, underappreciated in modern cooking.

“When you include those four strategies … you are following a nutrient-intense diet that helps those intelligent cells of yours do all … to make you healthy.” (13:39 B)

3. Seed Oils: Why All the Fuss? (14:47-17:43)

• Dr. Cate explains: Seed oils are “the worst of the worst” and the main culprit in modern junk food’s harm.
• Seed oils make up 20-30% of the average American’s calories—far higher than traditionally consumed.
• Junk food like corn chips may contain innocuous-sounding ingredients (corn, salt); the harm comes from the seed oils they’re fried in.

“They put the junk in junk food … It’s the seed oil driving all of that.” (17:44 B)

4. Nutrition Science Gone Astray (17:44-21:26)

• Dr. Cate accuses the nutrition establishment of being industry-driven:

  “Nutrition science is really the opposite of the truth … little more than advertising or indoctrination.” (18:05 B)

• She gives the example of infant formula fats, explaining a quiet industry backpedal on seed oils when studies showed negative health outcomes in kids compared to breast milk.

5. How Did Seed Oils Become So Dominant? (24:09-27:21)

• Lisa and Dr. Cate discuss the history:
  • Fast food and restaurants used to fry in tallow or coconut oil.
  • Through a mix of marketing and intentional misdirection by institutions like the American Heart Association, seed oils were promoted before scientific evidence.

“They said they were healthy before they had evidence. That is not disputed. … It was basically a lie.” (25:10 B)

• The narrative has stuck due to industry and scientific gatekeeping.

6. The Grassroots Shift & Seed Oil Awareness (27:22-36:27)

• A growing movement—first grassroots, now increasingly mainstream—is questioning seed oils.
• Dr. Cate describes her long advocacy, the spread of her message via podcasts, and influence on movements like Western Price, the Primal Blueprint, and even national figures.

“It took a lot of work for this change to happen. … But the biggest shift was after I was on Bill Maher in 2020 during COVID.” (34:17 B)

• The message is finally becoming a political and cultural talking point, but resistance from mainstream institutions remains rigid.

7. The “Hateful Eight”: What to Avoid (37:24-38:44)

Dr. Cate lists the eight key seed oils to memorize and eliminate:

• Three Cs: Corn, Canola, Cottonseed
• Three Ss: Soy, Sunflower, Safflower
• Others: Rice Bran, Grapeseed

“If you can memorize these eight things, it will be all you need to know as far as the worst of the worst in the food supply.” (37:52 B)

• Most processed foods, restaurant dishes, and even organic snacks contain at least one.

8. The Oils and Fats To Embrace (39:13-40:52)

• What’s good? Virgin/unrefined oils with distinct flavors: extra virgin olive oil, unrefined coconut oil, unrefined avocado oil, unrefined peanut oil, butter, lard, tallow.
• Neutral/refined non-seed oils (e.g., refined avocado): not nutritious, but not toxic; “neutral.”
• Beware: If an oil (e.g. avocado or olive) doesn’t state “unrefined” or “virgin,” it’s probably refined, so less nutritious but a lesser evil than the “Hateful Eight.”

“If it has an intense taste, it’s usually unrefined and healthy.” (39:52 B)

9. Tips for Avoiding Seed Oils in Real Life (46:13-54:10)

• Processed food avoidance is tough; seed oils are everywhere (nuts, nut butters, dried fruit, even “healthy” snacks).
• Stepwise approach:
  1. Memorize the “Hateful Eight.”
  2. Start label reading at home; don’t panic, just start somewhere.
  3. Swap for easy wins: avocado oil chips, sprouted salty seeds, nuts roasted in safe oils.
  4. Accept convenient “neutral” options if needed, but prioritize home-cooked, traditional fats.

“The world is trying to shove seed oils into your body… don’t recommend trying to do [this all] overnight. That’s just step one: don’t panic about it.” (48:41 B)

10. Addressing Common Doubts & Myths (37:13-39:13, 42:37-46:13)

• Omega 6 vs. Omega 3: The obsession with “balance” is a distraction; olive oil is fine.
• Hexane & Other Industrial Chemicals: Hexane, used in processing, is not the main issue; oxidation and loss of antioxidants during refining matters more.

“A lot of people make a lot of ado about the fat, about the other details of the processing that don’t honestly matter that much … It seems like there’s no scientist behind this conversation.” (45:03 B)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why health is not random:

  “Nothing about our health is random, and a whole heck of a lot of it relates to diet and nutrition.” (01:14 B)

• On the insidious spread of seed oils:

  “Take a look at like the ingredients in something we would call junk food, like corn chip … the main source of fat calories is the seed oils … Why isn’t that a health food? … It’s the seed oil driving all of that.” (17:24-17:44 B)

• On changing the culture:

  “It took a lot of work for this change to happen … but now it’s here to stay, even though the mainstream … are working so hard to try to make people believe there’s no science to shut me up.” (36:15 B)

• On the simplicity of action:

  “This really isn’t a super difficult swap. Now, in your own kitchen, what fat do you reach for most often?”
  “Butter. … Be proud.” (53:56-54:19 C & B)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Theme | |:---------:|------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:21–06:49 | Why nutrition feels so confusing | | 09:43–13:42 | The Four Pillars of traditional diets | | 14:47–17:44 | Seed oils as the main culprit | | 17:44–21:26 | The industry and flawed nutrition science | | 24:09–27:21 | How seed oils overtook the American diet | | 27:22–36:27 | Grassroots shift and spreading the word | | 37:24–38:44 | The “Hateful Eight” oils to avoid | | 39:13–40:52 | Good (safe and nutritious) oils and fats explained | | 46:13–54:10 | Practical avoidance strategies & getting started | | 54:10–59:58 | Butter, lard, tallow, & reframing historical eating | | 59:10–60:48 | Where to learn more—Dr. Cate’s website and resources |

Actionable Strategies & Final Thoughts

• Don’t panic or try to change everything overnight; start small.
• Memorize the “Hateful Eight” and use the label-reading trick on products.
• Swap in real, traditional fats (butter, lard, tallow, unrefined olive and coconut oil) at home.
• Home cooking is the surest way to control your fats—but “neutral” non-seed-oil processed snacks are a reasonable compromise when needed.
• Re-educate yourself about fats—our fear of butter and animal fat is largely historical propaganda.

“You are a collection of incredible, intelligent, amazing cells. … I’m rooting for every single one of them in your body.” (53:04 B)

Further Resources

• Dr. Cate’s website: drcate.com — newsletter and updates on her upcoming course
• Books: “Deep Nutrition,” “Dark Calories,” and more—guidance on choosing the right one is available on Dr. Cate’s site
• More interviews: Search “Dr. Cate Shanahan podcast” for in-depth conversations on related topics

This summary captures the core message and spirit of Lisa Bass’s conversation with Dr. Cate Shanahan—direct, evidence-based, and optimistic about the power of practical changes. Whether you’re new to the seed oil debate or a seasoned label reader, you’ll find clear steps here for building a more nourishing kitchen.