May 27, 2025 — The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment. Among a handful of other topics, the food children are eating was named as one of the drivers of chronic diseases.
The science of nutrition is complex and our understanding of the impact of diet on our health is continually evolving. Because research often produces inconsistent findings, it is paramount that conclusions about the health effects of any given food or dietary pattern be based on the preponderance of evidence taking into consideration study type and quality.
Soybean Oil Supports Health and Provides Essential Fatty Acids
When it comes to seed oils, the weight of the evidence clearly shows that consuming soybean oil, the most commonly consumed seed oil, is associated with health benefits (1). Soybean oil is low in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated fat and is a source of both essential fatty acids (2). Health organizations and agencies call for limiting saturated fat intake to 10% of calories, a recommendation that has never been met by the U.S. population (3). When exceeding the 10% level, saturated fat should be replaced with unsaturated fat, and ideally, polyunsaturated fat (4). In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for soybean oil and heart disease prevention based on its ability to lower blood cholesterol levels when replacing saturated fat in the diet (5).
Large population studies funded by governmental bodies in which thousands of individuals have been followed for many years, and in some cases even decades, show that higher intake of polyunsaturated fat is associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease (6) and diabetes (7 8). Seed oils may lower risk of death due to cancer (9).
Seed oils tend to be high in omega-6 fatty acids whereas certain foods, especially some types of fish, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. At one point there was general agreement among nutrition scientists that the U.S. dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was too high and could result in inflammation(10). However, this ratio is no longer considered to be a measure of diet quality or predictive of health outcomes because both types of fat are considered beneficial. Contrary to older thinking, human intervention studies show that even high amounts of omega-6 fats do not cause inflammation (11 12). It is important to consume enough of each type of fat.
During the refinement of seed oils, the content of some micronutrients, such as vitamin E, can be modestly reduced (13). However, soybean oil still qualifies as a good source of vitamin E.
Nova’s Definition of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) Lacks Nuance
Seed oils are often found in ultra-processed foods, foods that tend to be high in fat, sugar, and sodium, and low in protein and fiber. However, the problem with these foods is not the oils, it is the other components common to ultra-processed foods.
The Nova classification system, referenced in the report for its definition of UPFs, falls short as a practical tool for guiding food choices. Many foods classified as ultra-processed are important sources of nutrients and their intake is associated with health benefits. Recent studies have revealed that not all UPFs carry the same health risks—some categories show no association with chronic disease risk or are even linked to decreased risk, while others are associated with increased risk (14 15). Clinical trials also show some UPFs more favorably affect chronic disease risk factors than unprocessed/minimally processed foods (16).
Additional Highlights
SNI Global is heartened by the inclusion of legumes as a food to be encouraged. Soybeans are legumes that have been widely studied for their health benefits. Soy foods provide high-quality protein, in that all nine essential amino acids are present in amounts needed by the body and many soy foods are sources of healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (such as folate and calcium).
SNI Global also welcomes additional NIH investment in nutrition research and looks forward to the opportunity to explore public-private partnerships to support these expanded efforts.
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About Soy Nutrition Institute Global
Soy Nutrition Institute Global is a global scientific voice of soy for human health and nutrition. Soy Nutrition Institute Global discovers, illuminates, and advocates for soy’s role in human health and nutrition using scientific evidence to promote consumption globally. For more information about the Soy Nutrition Institute Global, visit www.SNIGlobal.org.
United Soybean Board checkoff funding is not used to influence government action and policy.
References
1. Messina M, Shearer G, Petersen K. Soybean oil lowers circulating cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk, and has no effect on markers of inflammation and oxidation. Nutrition 2021;89:111343 doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2021.111343 [published Online First: 2021/06/26].
2. Tian M, Bai Y, Tian H, Zhao X. The chemical composition and health promoting benefits of vegetable oils-A review. Molecules 2023;28(17) doi: 10.3390/molecules28176393 [published Online First: 2023/09/09].
3. Shan Z, Rehm CD, Rogers G, et al. Trends in dietary carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake and diet quality among US adults, 1999-2016. JAMA 2019;322(12):1178-87 doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.13771 [published Online First: 2019/09/25].
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov.
5. Qualified Health Claim Petition – Soybean Oil and Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease (Docket No. FDA-2016-Q-0995). https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjBrrmAqaLsAhWVcc0KHWziCnkQFjABegQIBRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fda.gov%2Fmedia%2F106649%2Fdownload&usg=AOvVaw1OacdW5qPEJwAz-_0yxdGz.
6. Li Y, Hruby A, Bernstein AM, et al. Saturated fats compared with unsaturated fats and sources of carbohydrates in relation to risk of coronary heart disease: A prospective cohort study. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2015;66(14):1538-48 doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2015.07.055 [published Online First: 2015/10/03].
7. Imamura F, Micha R, Wu JH, et al. Effects of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate on glucose-insulin homeostasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials. PLoS Med 2016;13(7):e1002087 doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002087 [published Online First: 2016/07/21].
8. Wu JHY, Marklund M, Imamura F, et al. Omega-6 fatty acid biomarkers and incident type 2 diabetes: pooled analysis of individual-level data for 39 740 adults from 20 prospective cohort studies. The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology 2017;5(12):965-74 doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30307-8 [published Online First: 2017/10/17].
9. Zhang Y, Chadaideh KS, Li Y, et al. Butter and plant-based oils intake and mortality. JAMA internal medicine 2025 doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205 [published Online First: 2025/03/06].
10. Simopoulos AP. The importance of the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2008;233(6):674-88 doi: 10.3181/0711-MR-311 [published Online First: 2008/04/15].
11. Johnson GH, Fritsche K. Effect of dietary linoleic acid on markers of inflammation in healthy persons: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2012;112:1029-41.
12. Su H, Liu R, Chang M, Huang J, Wang X. Dietary linoleic acid intake and blood inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food & function 2017;8(9):3091-103 doi: 10.1039/c7fo00433h [published Online First: 2017/07/29].
13. Ding X, Feng H, Wang L. The effect of the deodorization process on beneficial trace components in soybean oil and rapeseed oil. Int J Food Sci Technol 2025;60(1):1-9.
14. Dicken SJ, Dahm CC, Ibsen DB, et al. Food consumption by degree of food processing and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort analysis of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The Lancet Regional Health – Europe 2024:101043 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101043.
15. Li C, Zhang Y, Zhang K, et al. Association between ultra-processed food consumption and leucocyte telomere length: A cross-sectional study of UK Biobank. J. Nutr. 2024;154(10):3060-69 doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.001 [published Online First: 2024/05/13].
16. Erlich MN, Ghidanac D, Blanco Mejia S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health. BMC Med 2024;22(1):336 doi: 10.1186/s12916-024-03524-7 [published Online First: 2024/08/22].
