What Will Be Result of a U.S. Seed Oil Ban?

Seed oils have been designated as “bad” for human consumption by non-scientists who will be believed by the vast majority of Americans who have little or no science background. And since soybean oil is a seed oil, it is included in this “bad” group.

First, some background on seed oils, which are derived from seeds of crops such as soybean, corn, sunflower, and canola that are commonly grown in the U.S.

•   Claims of seed oils being “bad” for human health are based on pseudoscience, and this misinformation is being purveyed by those who have little or no scientific background.

•   There is plenty of scientific evidence that proves seed oils are actually good for humans to consume because they can 1) contribute to lowered cholesterol, and 2) reduce the risk of chronic maladies such as coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

•   Seed oils–e.g. soybean oil–are high in unsaturated fatty acids.

•   Seed oils are derived from domestically-grown crops. If they are banned, they will likely be replaced by oil from crops such as palm that are grown in other countries.

•   Seed oils, like all foods, should be consumed in moderation.

•   The consumption of seed oils in the U.S. is associated with the rise in obesity as is caloric intake in general. Thus, it is likely that the “bad” is actually higher caloric intake by Americans rather than increased intake of seed oils in particular.

•   Benefits from using seed oils vs. animal fats are consistently strong.

•   Banning seed oils could help reduce caloric intake, but only if they are not replaced by other fats.

•   Using seed oils is healthier than using more saturated fats.

•   Consumer perception of seed oils shows a growing divide between scientific findings and public opinion. This is likely because the most cited sources of information about seed oils are friends, family, and social media. Thus, science communications about the healthfulness of seed oils likely needs more clarity so that scientific evidence will overcome public perception.

•   In general, those who avoid consuming seed oils feel that they are more processed, more genetically modified, and cause more weight gain than other oils.

The following points are taken from an article titled US Seed Oil Ban Scenario that focuses on the economic impact of such a ban on U.S. seed oil use.

•   A ban on use of vegetable oils produced from seeds of crops such as soybean, canola, sunflower, cotton, and corn would likely result in lower prices to producers of those crops. U.S. soybean prices would drop precipitously and a decline in soybean planted acreage would likely occur.

•   If seed oils are banned in the U.S., there would be increased reliance on imports of olive and palm oils since their domestic production is negligible.

•   There would be more soybean oil available for renewable diesel production, but this use of soybean oil would be subject to the low RFS limits established by the federal government.

•   A seed oil ban would lead to higher animal feed costs, lower meat production, and higher meat prices.

Since scientific evidence points to the healthfulness of seed oils, a ban on their use in human food and animal feed production that is based on conjecture/pseudoscience will severely curtail consumer choice in addition to negatively affecting America’s soybean producers. Neither outcome benefits U.S. society.

The soybean industry has and will always work diligently to improve the quality attributes of oil that is derived from soybean seed.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, June 2025, larryh91746@gmail.com