Are seed oils bad for you?
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Seed oils are a kitchen cupboard ingredient in many homes, but lately they've been causing a stir. With growing concerns about inflammation and heart health, the debate on seed oils has never been more heated. So, are they really bad for you? Let’s dive in and take a closer look.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils, made by pressing the seeds of plants like sunflower and rapeseed, have been part of our diets for thousands of years. Their lighter colour and subtle flavour make them the go-to choice when you want your other ingredients to shine in a recipe. Whether baking a cake or whipping up a zesty salad dressing, seed oils are the versatile, neutral choice that work in all sorts of dishes.
Are seed oils bad for you?
At Rude Health, we’re not about labelling food and drinks as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Seeds oils are naturally high in omega-6 and low in omega-3. But that’s not inherently ‘bad’ for most people when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. The real issue kicks in when your total diet doesn’t balance those omega fatty acids properly, like when eating lots of fried food. This imbalance can promote inflammation and may be linked to chronic diseases. Omega-6 isn’t the problem on its own, it’s the ratio of omega-3, 6 and 9 that many modern diets don’t get quite right.
Why do we use a small amount of seed oil in some of our drinks?
At Rude Health, we’re picky about what goes into our drinks, and we believe in making them as delicious as they are healthy. Every natural ingredient we use is carefully selected for its flavour, functionality, healthiness and sustainability. For some of our milk alternatives, we use a tiny bit of organic, cold-pressed sunflower oil to give them that creamy, mouthwatering texture you love. The amount we use is so low (less than 1% of the total recipe), that it isn't a considerable source of seed oil in a typical diet.
But why seed oil and not something like coconut oil, you ask? Well, we need to use an oil that won’t affect the flavour of the drink. Coconut oil would make all our milk alternatives taste like – yep, you guessed it - coconut. Hemp or flaxseed oil might seem tempting (hello, omega-3), but they’d leave our drinks with a strong, funky flavour no one wants. Sunflower oil has a neutral taste that won’t overpower the natural ingredients in our drinks, keeping the flavour profile fresh and delicious, while still giving you that smooth, creamy experience.
Which of our drinks don't have any seed oil?
We’ve got a huge range of lip-smacking milk alternatives, so if you want to skip seed oils altogether without compromising on taste, we’ve got drinks that’ll totally delight your taste buds:
Organic Coconut Drink and Chilled Coconut Drink with Calcium: Both have enough natural fat from the coconuts, making them super creamy and luxurious without any oil.
Roasted Almond: The insider favourite at Rude Health – a roasty, toasty blend of organic Sicilian almonds with whole grain oats that give it a delectable creamy finish.
No Sugars Almond: A clean, subtly nutty flavour. We blend organic Sicilian almonds with spring water, then add a little carob seed flour to keep it smooth and creamy.
Pure Almond: For the purists. We roast organic Sicilian almonds, blend them with water, and that's it. It’s called ‘Pure’ for a reason.
Organic Soya Drink and Chilled Soya Drink with Calcium: It’s the natural fats from the soybeans that make these drinks so damn creamy. Soya is the original dairy alternative, and ours is the ultimate all-rounder.
Cashew: When your cashews are this good, you only need spring water and a dab of salt to get the full, creamy hit in your morning brew.
Tiger Nut: Introducing the wild card of dairy-free drinks. Tiger nuts (not actually nuts!) are naturally sweet, creamy and offer a luxurious, earthy nutty flavour.
Whatever your preference, we’ve got something to put a spring in your step.
