If you follow enough health-related accounts on Instagram or TikTok, you’re bound to be flooded with headlines like this on a daily basis.
At a glance, we all recognize the game social media plays—where attention is the currency and controversy is king.
No one walks into a restaurant, sees "World’s Best Burger" on the menu, and then storms out in outrage when it turns out to be a slight exaggeration.
Hopefully, more people are realizing that not every sensational headline should be taken as absolute truth. Social media thrives on hyperbole, and even the most well-intentioned creators have to play along to stay relevant. Like it or not, that’s the system we’ve built.
But once you move past the clickbait, you enter a much deeper conversation—one that can’t possibly be unpacked in a short-form post.
New studies emerge constantly, and if you look hard enough, you can find research to support just about any claim you want to believe.
I might piss off some people in the nutrition conspiracy crowd here, but I’ll take that risk to make a point:
The "Seed oils are bad for you" narrative has been debunked for a while now.
Every study designed to demonstrate harmful effects from seed oil consumption has, at best, shown a neutral impact—and more often than not, the results actually indicate positive health outcomes.
So why do so many people still believe seed oils are dangerous?
Here’s why:
The result? A flood of misinformation, with well-meaning but misled individuals echoing claims they don’t fully understand.
And that’s the best-case scenario. The worst? Bad-faith actors deliberately twisting science to push an agenda or sell a product.
So what’s the solution?
Develop an unwavering commitment to asking:
"What evidence would I need to see to change my mind?"
And never let a single study be the reason you overhaul your beliefs overnight.
If you want real, science-backed guidance on nutrition and fitness—without the noise of social media—work with a coach who cuts through the nonsense. At Hardbat Athletics in Newark, Delaware, we focus on what actually works, not what’s trending online.
Book a No-Sweat Intro with us. Let’s talk about your goals, your challenges, and how we can help you build a plan that makes sense for you.
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