NOPA, ASA & USCA Applaud the American Heart Association’s 2026 Dietary Guidance

The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA), the American Soybean Association (ASA), and the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) welcome the American Heart Association's (AHA) new 2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health, which explicitly names soybean and canola oils as components of heart-healthy dietary patterns and recommends them as preferred sources of unsaturated fat for lowering coronary heart disease risk.

"Soybean and canola oils are among the most well-studied, heart-healthy oils available to American consumers," said NOPA, ASA, and USCA in a joint statement. "They are affordable, widely accessible, and backed by decades of peer-reviewed research and consistent with guidance from leading health authorities. This guidance from the American Heart Association makes clear that the scientific consensus on these oils has not changed - and consumers and health professionals should feel confident about including them in a heart-healthy dietary pattern."

The AHA statement draws on a substantial body of evidence linking the replacement of saturated fat with polyunsaturated vegetable oil to meaningful reductions in cardiovascular disease risk. Soybean and canola oils are both rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and both provide essential fatty acids - linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA (a plant-based omega-3) - that the human body cannot produce on its own.

NOPA, ASA, and USCA remain committed to ensuring that Americans have access to clear, accurate, and evidence-based information about the nutritional value of vegetable oils - and will continue to advocate for science-based nutrition policy that reflects the full body of peer-reviewed evidence.

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Organized in 1930, NOPA represents the U.S. soybean, canola, flaxseed, safflower seed, and sunflower seed-crushing industries. NOPA's membership processes oilseeds for meal and oil used in the manufacture of food, feed, renewable fuels, and industrial products. NOPA's 20-member companies operate over 70 soybean and softseed extraction plants across 20 states, crushing over 99% of all soybeans processed in the United States, the equivalent of more than 2.5 billion bushels annually. More information at www.NOPA.org.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and nearly 500,000 soybean farmers. More information at www.SOYGROWERS.org.

The U.S. Canola Association (USCA) is a non-profit commodity organization whose mission is to increase domestic canola production to meet growing demand for healthy oil, meal and protein by promoting policies and conditions favorable to growing, marketing, processing and using U.S. canola. More information at www.USCANOLA.com.