Not all of them. The phrase seed oils is used online as if every oil from a seed is the same. It is not. The seed oils people worry about are usually solvent-extracted, refined, bleached and deodorised, used for deep-frying or ultra-processed food, or stored for a long time in heat and light. Those steps can damage polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. Cold-pressed, organic, unrefined seed oils are a different product and can be a useful source of parent omega-6 and parent omega-3.

Essential Fatty Acids: 16 Clear Seed Oil Answers

Q: What is the difference between omega-3 vs omega-6?

Omega-3 vs omega-6 is a family difference, not a good fat versus bad fat split. The omega-6 parent is linoleic acid, found in many seeds, nuts and seed oils. The omega-3 parent is alpha-linolenic acid, found in flax, chia, walnuts and some other plants. Both families are essential fatty acids. Problems usually come from eating a lot of refined omega-6 cooking oil and very little intact omega-3.

Q: Why do people say seed oils are unhealthy?

People say seed oils are unhealthy for three reasons: processing, dose and balance. High heat and chemical refining can oxidise linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Modern diets often pour refined seed oil into packaged food. Many diets are high in processed omega-6 and low in parent omega-3. Those points are about how the oil is made and how much damaged oil is eaten, not about every oil that comes from a seed.

Q: Are all seed oils bad for you?

No. Cheap supermarket frying oils, oils in biscuits, chips and takeaway food, and oils reheated again and again are more of a problem. More useful sources of essential fatty acids include organic cold-pressed flax oil, pumpkin seed oil, evening primrose oil and high-linoleic sunflower oil used as a supplement oil rather than a fryer oil. Yes Ultimate PEOs EFAs use that second group.

Q: Which seed oils contain essential fatty acids?

Flaxseed oil is rich in ALA, the parent omega-3. High-linoleic sunflower or safflower oil is rich in LA, the parent omega-6. Pumpkin seed oil supplies parent omega-6 plus other seed fats. Evening primrose oil supplies parent omega-6, including a small amount of GLA. Walnuts, hemp and chia are whole-food sources of mixed EFAs. A blend is often more useful than flax alone because the body needs both parent families.

Essential fatty acids are fats your body cannot make. You must get them from food or a carefully made supplement.

The two parent essential fatty acids are linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). They help build cell membranes, support normal hormone pathways, and keep skin and tissues working as they should.

This FAQ answers the searches people actually type: are seed oils bad, omega-3 vs omega-6, fish vs plant oils, and how parent essential oils fit in.

Time to learn why essential fatty acids are important?

What are essential fatty acids?

Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats the human body cannot synthesise. The two true parent essential fatty acids are:

Linoleic acid (LA), the parent omega-6
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the parent omega-3

Longer-chain fats such as EPA, DHA and arachidonic acid are related, but they are derivatives. Your body can make small amounts of those derivatives from the parent oils. It cannot make the parent oils themselves.That is why food quality matters. If the parent essential fatty acids in an oil are heated, bleached or oxidised, you are not getting the same nutrient.

Why are essential fatty acids important for the body?

Essential fatty acids sit in the outer membrane of every cell. Those membranes need a mix of fats so they stay flexible and able to move nutrients and oxygen.They also act as starting material for signalling compounds that help the body manage inflammation, blood flow, skin barrier function and hormone production.You do not need huge doses. You need intact parent oils, in a sensible omega-6 to omega-3 balance, every day.

What is the difference between omega-3 vs omega-6?

Omega-3 vs omega-6 is a family difference, not a “good fat versus bad fat” split.

Omega-6 parent: linoleic acid, found in many seeds, nuts and seed oils
Omega-3 parent: alpha-linolenic acid, found in flax, chia, walnuts and some other plants

Both families are essential fatty acids. Problems usually come from eating a lot of refined omega-6 cooking oil and very little intact omega-3, not from the existence of omega-6.A practical goal is enough parent omega-3 to balance the omega-6 you already eat, using oils that have not been damaged by factory processing.

Are seed oils bad?

Are seed oils bad? Not all of them.

The phrase “seed oils” is used online as if every oil from a seed is the same. It is not.The seed oils people worry about are usually:

solvent-extracted
refined, bleached and deodorised
used for deep-frying or ultra-processed food
stored for a long time in clear plastic, in heat and light

Those steps can damage polyunsaturated essential fatty acids.Cold-pressed, organic, unrefined seed oils are a different product. They are one of the main natural sources of parent omega-6 and parent omega-3. So the honest answer to “are seed oils bad” is: factory-processed cooking oils can be a poor source of EFAs. Carefully pressed seed oils can be a useful source.

Why do people say seed oils are unhealthy?

People say seed oils are unhealthy for three reasons.

Processing. High heat and chemical refining can oxidise linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid.
Dose. Modern diets often pour refined seed oil into almost every packaged food.
Balance. Many diets are high in processed omega-6 and low in parent omega-3.

Those points are about how the oil is made and how much damaged oil is eaten, not about every oil that happens to come from a seed. Flax, pumpkin seed, evening primrose and high-linoleic sunflower can supply essential fatty acids when they are cold-pressed and protected from heat and air.

Are all seed oils bad for you?

No. All seed oils are not bad for you.

Use this simple split:

More of a problem

cheap supermarket frying oils
oils in biscuits, chips and takeaway food
oils reheated again and again

More useful for essential fatty acids

organic cold-pressed flax oil
organic pumpkin seed oil
organic evening primrose oil
organic high-linoleic sunflower oil, used as a supplement oil rather than a fryer oil

Yes Ultimate PEOs EFAs use that second group: organically produced, cold-pressed seed oils that supply parent omega-6 and parent omega-3.

What is the difference between refined seed oils and cold-pressed seed oils?

Refined seed oils are made for shelf life, flavour neutrality and high-heat cooking. The oil is typically extracted at scale, then treated to remove colour, odour and free fatty acids.Cold-pressed seed oils are mechanically pressed at low temperature. They keep more of the original parent essential fatty acids, but they are more fragile. They should be stored cool, dark and sealed.If your goal is nutrition, processing is the difference that matters most.

Which seed oils contain essential fatty acids?

These plant oils are common sources of parent essential fatty acids:

Flaxseed oil: rich in ALA, the parent omega-3
High-linoleic sunflower or safflower oil: rich in LA, the parent omega-6
Pumpkin seed oil: parent omega-6 plus other seed fats
Evening primrose oil: parent omega-6, including a small amount of GLA
Walnuts, hemp and chia: whole-food sources of mixed EFAs

A blend is often more useful than flax alone, because the body needs both parent families, not only omega-3.

Fish vs plant oils: which should you use for EFAs?

Fish vs plant oils is one of the most searched comparisons in this category.

Fish oil supplies long-chain omega-3 derivatives, mainly EPA and DHA. It does not supply the parent essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Learn more

Plant seed oils can supply those parent oils. Your body then makes a small amount of EPA and DHA as needed.

Yes Supplements follows the Parent Essential Oils approach: give the body unadulterated parent omega-6 and parent omega-3 from organic seed oils, instead of relying on fish-oil derivatives as if they were the only “essential” fats.

Can the body make EPA and DHA from plant oils?

Yes, in small amounts.

Alpha-linolenic acid can be converted to EPA and then to DHA. Conversion is limited. That is normal. Most parent oil is meant to stay in parent form inside cell membranes. Only a fraction becomes derivatives.

This is why flooding the diet with fish-oil derivatives is not the same strategy as restoring parent essential fatty acids.

What is the best omega-6 to omega-3 ratio?

There is no single official ratio that fits every person. What is clear is that many modern diets are heavy in refined omega-6 and light in intact omega-3.

Parent Essential Oils blends used by Yes Supplements are formulated around about 2:1 parent omega-6 to parent omega-3. That is a supplement ratio, not a medical prescription.

The aim is simple: enough undamaged parent omega-6 for cell structure, plus enough parent omega-3 to keep the two families in a workable balance.

What are parent essential oils?

Parent essential oils, or PEOs, is the name used for the unadulterated parent forms of the two essential fatty acids:

parent omega-6 (linoleic acid)
parent omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid)

The term exists because many products labelled “EFA” or “omega” are actually derivative oils or refined cooking oils.

PEOs are not lavender, tea tree or other aromatherapy oils. They are nutritional seed oils.

What is the difference between PEOs and standard EFA supplements?

Standard EFA products often contain:

fish oil or krill oil (EPA and DHA)
highly refined vegetable oil
unbalanced flax oil on its own
oils exposed to heat, oxygen or long warehouse storage

Parent essential oils are the parent 18-carbon essential fatty acids from organic, cold-pressed seed oils, blended so you get both families.

YES Ultimate PEOs EFAs Liquid is Yes Supplements Australia’s version of that blend.

Shop YES Ultimate PEOs EFAs Liquid

Are PEOs the same as aromatherapy essential oils?

No.

Aromatherapy essential oils are fragrant steam-distilled plant extracts. Parent essential oils are edible fatty acids from seeds. Do not confuse the two searches, and do not ingest aromatherapy oils as an EFA source.

How should I take Yes PEOs?

Take the liquid daily, with or without food, using the measuring spoon supplied. Follow the label serving for your body weight, and speak with a licensed health professional before changing your supplement routine.

YES Ultimate PEOs EFAs Liquid is sold in 118 ml bottles and a 3-bottle pack.

Do Yes PEOs need refrigeration?

Unopened, the oils are packed in a stable form and do not have to live in the fridge.Once opened, keep the bottle in the refrigerator, away from heat and light, and replace the cap firmly after each use. That protects the essential fatty acids from oxidation.

Do you have the PEO Capsules?

No, we are only able to supply the Parent Essentials Oils in the Liquid form that comes with an easy measuring spoon for correct daily use.

Does the product have to be kept in the refrigerator?

No, the oils in YES Peos are in a stable form. However once opened we recommend to keep the oil in your refrigerator.

Where can I buy parent essential oils in Australia?

Yes Supplements Australia is the local supplier of YES Ultimate PEOs EFAs. Orders ship Australia-wide, with express shipping available at checkout.

If you want the parent form of essential fatty acids rather than another fish-oil capsule, start with the liquid PEO blend and the questions above.

Do you offer discounts on Bulk Purchases?

Yes. We have a bulk buy special on the purchase of three (3) bottles of YES Peos. Click here to buy

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Essential Fatty Acids FAQs