Cooking oils include a wide range of products, from canola oil to olive oil to coconut oil and more. The nutritional benefits and harms of cooking oils are widely debated online, particularly whether they might increase the risk of cancer.

Research shows that healthy cooking oils like avocado and olive oil provide a range of benefits, from improving heart health to, yes, reducing Cancer risk. But seed oils in particular, like canola, corn and sunflower oil, are often vilified – although it’s worth noting that many leading health organizations and experts say they’re healthy to consume in moderation.

A new study is rekindling fears that cooking oils could cause cancer. And while the lead author – Dr. Timothy Yeatman, a professor of surgery at the University of South Florida, told TODAY.com that he has concerns about high consumption of seed oils, particularly from highly processed foods, the findings are not show that cooking oils, including seed oils, cause cancer.

The question about seed oils and cancer arose because seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which research shows can promote inflammation in the body. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between omega-6 fatty acids and sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, which are considered anti-inflammatory. According to Mount Sinai, general nutritional guidelines recommend a dietary ratio of between 2:1 and 4:1 omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids.

Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fats that have positive effects on heart health. For this reason, the American Heart Association says seed oils can be part of a healthy diet. Omega-6 fatty acids are also found in foods with other health benefits, such as nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found in fish and some seeds and nuts.

However, seed oils are also commonly used in highly processed foods, which have been repeatedly linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Here’s what you should know about the study, seed oils and cancer.

New study finds possible link between excessive seed oil consumption and colon cancer

The study, conducted in a laboratory funded by the National Cancer Institute, focused on the role of lipids, also called fats, in the microenvironment around colon cancer tumors.

In particular, they studied lipid mediators, a type of lipid that is responsible for communication between cells in the body and is largely derived from the fats that a person consumes, explains Yeatman, who is also the deputy center director for translational research and innovation at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute.

For the study, researchers analyzed the colon cancer tumors of 81 people using a so-called mass spectrometer, which was able to determine what types of lipid mediators and their exact amounts were present in the tumors.

Yeatman and his team found that most, if not all, of the lipid mediators in the tumor belonged to the “proinflammatory class” of lipids, such as: B. Omega-6 fatty acids, which means they promote inflammation and suppress the immune system around the tumor, explains Yeatman. Few, if any, lipid mediators of the “pro-resolution class,” such as omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, were present in the tumors.

It has been proven that inflammation can contribute to the development of certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, says Yeatman. So his research essentially adds to this knowledge and suggests that eating certain foods can cause lipid mediators to suppress the immune cells around the tumors and allow them to grow.

“(Consuming) excess omega-6 fatty acids leads to an excess of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators, resulting in an immunosuppressed colon cancer environment. And I think it allows it to grow and thrive and reproduce,” Yeatman explains.

Should you stop eating cooking oils? What about seed oils?

No, you should not generally avoid consuming cooking oils in response to this study. In fact, olive oil has numerous health benefits and is a central part of the Mediterranean diet, which has been consistently proven to be the healthiest diet, Yeatman points out. Avocado oil also has benefits for heart and eye health and more.

While the question about seed oils is a bit more complicated, Yeatman still says consuming seed oils in moderation is healthy. In fact, omega-6 fatty acids are necessary to maintain the body’s functionality. However, he advises against consuming far more seed oils and processed foods that contain seed oils than those that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

“I don’t demonize seed oil,” says Yeatman. “But if you eat it for breakfast, for lunch, and in salad dressing for dinner, it adds up, and that’s the problem.”

Dr. Nate Wood, director of culinary medicine in the department of internal medicine at Yale School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com that he has two cooking oils in his cupboard: extra virgin olive oil and canola oil, a seed oil.

He emphasizes that research shows that it is the seed oils in highly processed foods that contribute to inflammatory responses that promote colon and other cancers, and not just cooking with seed oils.

Dr. Suneel Kumath, a gastrointestinal oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, agrees that the study appears to show that excessive consumption of seed oils, which imbalances omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, may be involved Colon cancer is related – but adds something else Health factors can play a role if you eat too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids and vice versa. The study essentially shows a connection between an excess of omega-6 fatty acids and colon cancer, but not a causal connection.

The real problem is seed oils in highly processed foods

All three experts agreed that the main conclusion of the research is to eat fewer processed foods, which often contain seed oils.

In fact, the recent rise in colon cancer among young people has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in processed food consumption, says Yeatman.

“We need to…understand that things with a thousand ingredients are not very good for you,” he adds. “If people want advice, they should start reading labels.”

Wood reiterates that he doesn’t mind cooking with seed oils. “I am concerned about the highly processed foods that contain the seed oils. … We need to keep pushing this because people aren’t ready to hear this. They just want to blame the seed oils.”

Although the research on colon cancer and omega-6 fatty acids may be complex, this is not the case for a healthy lifestyle, says Kamath: “It is already known that the foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids exactly are right for us.” should eat.