PLEASE NOTE: The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
With the emergence of the Make America Healthy Again movement, seed oil free restaurants are becoming a hot topic, and restaurants are taking notice.
Steak ‘n Shake just announced that it will cook its fries in 100% beef tallow (1). Sweetgreen, the popular chain for salads & bowls, also just announced a seed oil-free menu. True Food Kitchen also made the switch to mainly using olive or avocado oil and now boasts a menu that’s nearly 100% free from seed oils (2).
Back in the day, major restaurants such as McDonald’s used to mainly use tallow to prepare fries and other menu items. Today, the vast majority of restaurants and countless processed foods opt for cheap industrial seed oils.
While this can lower costs, seed oils are emerging as a key contributor to the insane levels of disease in the United States (and around the globe).
Whether you’re a foodie looking for local finds or a health-conscious professional who’s in and out of hotels and airports, this article shows you how to easily find seed oil free restaurants.
Seed Oils in Restaurants: What Does it Mean For Your Health?
Most restaurants in the US use one of three options for cooking and deep frying: canola oil, peanut oil, or soybean oil. Sunflower oil and sesame oil are also widely used. These options are not only cost-effective but extremely versatile. However, these seed oils can have a notable negative impact on human health.
Seed oils are a type of vegetable oil that comes from the seeds of crops and contain high levels of linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). These oils did not rise to prominence until the 1900’s and now global consumption is around 200 million tons per year as they’re found in ultra processed foods, infant formulas, and other sneaky sources (3).
Potential negative effects of seed oils include:
- Human and rodent studies have shown that high-fat, omega-6-rich diets can increase the risk of diabetes and obesity (4).
- The pro-inflammatory properties of seed oils can worsen insulin resistance, contributing to the growing epidemic of metabolic syndrome (5).
- The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 consumption by humans was around 4:1 (or less) until about 100 years ago (6). This ratio now appears to be anywhere from 15-20:1 (7, 8) or up to 50:1 (9).
- A high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio or excessive intake of omega-6 PUFAs has been shown to promote the development of cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and cancer (10, 11).
Canola and other seed oils are sometimes repeatedly used in order to reduce costs, yet foods cooked in this manner are viewed as a serious health hazard (12). Consumption of repeatedly heated cooking oil is connected to increased blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease (13).
Seed oils are a recent addition to the human diet, and they are connected to major challenges like obesity, autoimmune disease, and diabetes. Despite the dangers, they’re still used in the majority of restaurants, but the tide is turning.
The Best Ways to Find Seed Oil Free Restaurants
Many helpful tools have emerged to help you easily locate seed oil-free restaurants, as people and restaurants around the globe are moving back to saturated fats like butter. The two most popular resources are Seed Oil Scout and Local Fats.
Seed Oil Scout
One of the most popular ways to find seed oil free restaurants is through Seed Oil Scout. They offer a paid app that enables you to avoid seed oils when dining out. You can also search for restaurants based on food sensitivities, the use of grass-fed beef, or shop for seed oil-free products.
Local Fats
Local Fats provides a free database of seed oil free restaurants found primarily in the US and Europe. Their global restaurant map includes restaurants that make use of butter, tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, lard, or duck fat.
How to Turn Any Restaurant into a Seed Oil Free Location
Even if you wind up at a restaurant that isn’t seed oil free, you can politely request that they prepare your meal without seed oils. Instead, ask them to use butter, tallow, ghee, olive oil, or other cleaner alternatives.
Certain types of restaurants can also be ideal for avoiding seed oils.
With a heavy emphasis on protein, steakhouses, and barbeque (BBQ) restaurants can be great options for a seed oil-free meal. Similarly, sushi joints can be seed oil-free, given the emphasis on meat, rice, and seafood.
Local farm-to-table establishments will generally use higher-quality meat and ingredients and may even avoid seed oils. Options like Herban Market in Franklin, Tennessee, are popping up and offering a local seed oil-free experience.
If you’re looking for something lighter, many smoothies, acai bowls, or protein shakes are often prepared without seed oils.
Say Yes to Seed Oil Free Dining
Given the widespread use of seed oils, dining out can feel like a minefield for those struggling with health issues or looking to feel their best.
Although seed oils have entered every corner of the food supply, you can still find high-quality restaurants and enjoy delicious meals with friends and family.
Here are additional resources if you’d like to learn more about the dangers of seed oils and how to avoid them:
- The Truth About Seed Oils | FED A LIE | Full Documentary
- Seed Oils and Inflammation — Understanding the Science
- Are Seed Oils Bad For You? 10 Things You Need to Know
- Is Canola Oil Bad For You? Here’s What You Need to Know
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