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Try This –What I’m Reading This Week
Are seed oils healthier than butter? And more...
Dhru Purohit
March 21, 2025
Today’s newsletter includes a list of 3 studies that I’m digging into this week.
One is all about seed oils: are they actually healthier than butter, like the media claimed this week?
Another is on the power of exercise (even just a little) on cognitive health.
And finally, one takes an alarming look at the role of toxins in cancer.
Let’s jump in!
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JAMA published an article with “evidence” to support the idea that seed oils are ultimately better for our health than butter. But as Dr. Vinay Prasad (who I’m a huge fan of) wonders, is this just an attack on the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement and families that prefer to avoid seed oils?
This prospective population study used data from three major studies to see if there was a correlation between butter and mortality. What they found was those with the highest butter intake had a 15 percent higher risk of total mortality compared to those with the lowest intake.
But…
There are some limitations here that Dr. Prasad points out. For example, they did not differentiate how the butter was used (e.g., in home-cooked dishes versus on a bagel or in processed food).
Another major issue was they also grouped all oils together: olive oil was grouped with soybean and canola oil! We know there are huge differences between olive oil and other vegetable oils.
They also didn’t consider the fact that those who tend to eat more butter—and this was especially true 30 years ago—are more likely to have habits that could be considered unhealthy.
There are major problems with this study, and I feel the truth is nuanced.
Do I personally think we should be eating loads of butter and tallow? Maybe not everyone, and especially for people like me, who have a tougher time digesting saturated fat and who are genetically high producers or absorbers of cholesterol. But do I think that seed oils are healthier than butter across the board? No.
The problem is that it’s very rare for someone to use seed oils alone. They are often consumed as part of ultra-processed and fried foods, both of which are very detrimental to our health. So, do I think people should avoid seed oils the way they are mostly consumed these days? That’s a definite yes.
This next study shows us that even a little of something can be better than nothing. In this study, which included 89,667 participants, researchers found massive reductions in the risk of dementia with exercise, especially for folks who were previously inactive.
What was really cool was the first 35 minutes a week of MVPA (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) was correlated to a 41 percent risk reduction—by far the steepest risk reduction. (That’s just five minutes a day of exercise!)
But I’m not recommending just five minutes because there are so many more benefits that come with upping the amount of physical activity in your life.
The average weekly amount of physical activity in this group was 126 minutes, and any additional 30 minutes of exercise a week led to a 4 percent reduction in the risk of dementia. Exercise is truly a miracle when it comes to reducing our risk of major chronic diseases. If you know someone in your life who doesn’t prioritize physical movement, send this to them!
PFAS, aka "forever chemicals," are lurking in everything from nonstick pans to fast-food wrappers, and they are doing more than just sticking around in the environment—they might be raising our cancer risk.
This new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology analyzed drinking water data across the US and found a concerning link: counties with PFAS-contaminated water had significantly higher rates of certain cancers, including thyroid, kidney, bladder, and even some rare soft-tissue cancers. The researchers estimated that thousands of cancer cases per year may be attributable to PFAS exposure in drinking water. And while previous research focused on just two common PFAS compounds, this study looked at a broader range, revealing that even the less infamous members of this chemical family could also be wreaking havoc on our health.
This study is a wake-up call: PFAS exposure isn’t just an abstract chemical threat—it’s actively fueling disease. The EPA is already moving to regulate PFAS in drinking water, but this research suggests we need even stricter limits to truly protect public health.
If you live in an area with known PFAS contamination, filtering your water with a high-quality system (like reverse osmosis) is one of the best steps you can take. And on a bigger scale? It’s time to push for more aggressive cleanup and regulation—because no one should have to wonder if their tap water is silently increasing their cancer risk.
I’ve shared this sage advice before that someone shared with me: “Either you get a filter, or you become the filter.”
That’s all for this week.
Here’s to your health and staying vigilant,
Dhru Purohit