7 Seed-Oil Free Swaps For Your Favorite Snacks

We’re only now recognizing how much our food choices have affected our well-being. The ubiquity of junk food has raised concerns about the sinister ingredients lurking in our guilty pleasures. In the past couple of years, many of us have learned that we're consuming a myriad of synthetic ingredients such as additives, artificial flavoring or coloring, and, of course, seed oils. Soybean, sunflower, palm oil, and more are in everything these days, and we should watch out for them. 

They may sound harmless at first. They’re just crushed seeds, right? Wrong! These oils are extracted via an intensive industrial process that requires heavy-duty equipment and toxic solvents, turning them into a long-lasting, cheap, and potentially toxic product that’s found in our favorite snacks. 

Seed oils are also incredibly high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including linoleic acid. Studies in mice have shown how linoleic acid can lead to increased food consumption, larger fat cells, and disrupted hormone levels. It's also been linked to obesity and diabetes. Human studies have hinted at similar trends in the past, with linoleic acid substitutions potentially worsening cholesterol levels and weight. These studies only scratch the surface, and the seed oil rabbit hole is not for the weak.

So let’s keep it simple. If you're trying to avoid industrial oils and upgrade your snacks, here are better-for-you swaps that don’t taste like cardboard and actually support your health!

MASA Chips — instead of generic tortilla chips or Doritos

MASA Ingredients: Organic Corn, Grass-Fed Beef Tallow, Sea Salt
Typical Tortilla Chip Ingredients (like Tostitos): Corn, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, and/or Sunflower Oil), and Salt.

It's handmade, nixtamalized, and fried in beef tallow. A real chip you don't have to feel guilty eating. If you're sick of Doritos, try Masa's Cobanero, which uses Cobanero chili for spice and flavor. If you want to try it out, use the code EVIE here. You receive 25% off your first order.

LesserEvil Organic Popcorn — instead of ACT II Butter Lovers

LesserEvil Ingredients: Organic Popcorn, Organic Coconut Oil, Himalayan Salt
ACT II Ingredients: Popcorn, Palm Oil, Artificial Butter Flavor, TBHQ

No fake butter or preservatives!

Parmesan Crisps — Instead of Cheez-Its

Parmesan Crisps Ingredients: Aged Parmesan Cheese (Milk, Salt, Enzymes)
Cheez-It Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Vitamin B1 [Thiamin Mononitrate], Vitamin B2 [Riboflavin], Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (High Oleic Soybean, Soybean, Palm, and/or Canola Oil with TBHQ for Freshness), Cheese Made with Skim Milk (Skim Milk, Whey Protein, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Enzymes, Annatto Extract Color). Contains 2% or Less of Salt, Paprika, Yeast, Paprika Extract Color, Soy Lecithin.

Crunchy, cheesy, salty, and minimal ingredients.

Taza Organic Chocolate — instead of Hershey’s

Taza Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter
Hershey’s Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Milk, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Milk Fat, Lecithin (Soy), PGPR, Natural Flavor).

It's real chocolate. What more could you ask for?

Cava Traditional Hummus — instead of Sabra

Cava Ingredients: Chickpeas, Tahini, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Olive Oil, Salt
Sabra Ingredients: Chickpeas, Water, Tahini (Sesame), Soybean Oil, Salt, Garlic, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

Just a simple, reliable hummus.

Straus Organic Organic Coffee Ice Cream — instead of Ben & Jerry's

Straus Ingredients: Organic Cream, Organic Milk, Organic Sugar, Organic Egg Yolks, Organic Coffee
Ben & Jerry's Ingredients: Cream, Skim Milk, Liquid Sugar (Sugar, Water), Water, Sugar, Coconut Oil, Coffee Extract, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Egg Yolks, Coffee, Guar Gum, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract, Natural Flavor, Carrageenan.

Same indulgence, but with simpler (and better) ingredients.

Emmy’s Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies — instead of Chips Ahoy

Emmy’s Ingredients: Coconut, Almond Flour, Coconut Oil, Coconut Sugar, Vanilla
Chips Ahoy Ingredients: Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Semisweet Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Milk, Soy Lecithin), Sugar, Soybean and/or Canola Oil, Palm Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leavening (Baking Soda, Ammonium Phosphate), Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color.

Soft-baked, not seed-oil fried, and made of real food.