Seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat that isn’t necessarily bad for you. In fact, your body needs a little bit of them! In small amounts, they’re good for your cholesterol and help protect you from heart disease.

Some scientists raised concerns because seed oils contain linoleic acid, which can be converted to arachidonic acid (AA). AA is known to be a pro-inflammatory molecule. But it turns out that only a very small amount is converted to AA. And studies in humans have shown that it’s helpful, not harmful.

There are many potential issues with refined vegetable oils or seed oils that make them less healthy. These include their propensity to oxidize and create harmful molecules that alter cellular health, their high omega-6 content that promotes inflammatory pathways, and the immense amount of processing and refining that depletes nutrients.

Seed oils are high in omega-6 fats, which are healthy in small amounts, but when eaten in excess may contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation. If you’ve scrolled TikTok recently you may have seen an endless feed of videos claiming that seed oils—vegetable oils like sunflower oil, soy oil, and canola oil—are toxic.

Research, however, suggests that the linoleic acid and arachidonic acid in seed oils may actually have some beneficial effects. Studies, including one from 2017 and another from 2015, suggest that linoleic acid does not have a significant effect on blood markers of inflammation or inflammation as a whole.