Should Gurdwaras be prevented from using Seed Oils in Langar?

Recently we have seen posts dealing with health issues impacting the Sikh panth. Physical fitness is not really prioritized much and frankly the diets most Sikhs consume are nutritionally deficient. Particularly in regards to diet I have noticed over my lifetime that Gurdwaras generally serve the generic daals and other sabzis. But these are loaded with various types of unhealthy seed oils (ex: canola, safflower, soybean and peanut). I was doing seva in my local Gurdwara not too long ago and saw the high quantity of these various seed oils being used when preparing the langar.

For those that don't know seed oils are types of vegetable oils derived specifically from the seeds of plants. Majority of these oils are high in PUFAS (Polyunsaturated Fats). This makes the oils molecularly unstable and prone to rancidity. In addition to being high in PUFAS these oils have elevated levels of Omega-6 fats. Now our bodies need both Omega-3 and Omega-6, but high levels of the latter are known to cause extreme inflammation, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Several Sikhs are struggling with heart disease and diabetes.

Most current mainstream medicine tries to shrug away the criticisms against seed oils. And many in our Sangat may agree with that sentiment. My personal opinion is that Sikhs should be using Ghee (Clarified Butter), Coconut Oil or maybe Virgin Olive Oil when preparing Langar. While seed oils generally tend to be cheaper across most supermarkets I still think purchasing them would be penny wise dollar foolish as the medical consequences they cause in the long-run cost much more.

Some in the Sangat with more medical knowledge can offer their input on my suggestion.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh