Is Canola Oil safe?

[Zeno Swijtink]

Thank you, thank you!

What has not been mentioned yet is how Canola oil is in almost All prepared foods at Whole paycheck.

Canola Oil - Health Hazard

I think this article contains some misinformation.

Canola was originally naturally bred from rapeseed in the 1970s, before the development of GE.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Canola, "Genetically modified canola which is tolerant to herbicide was first introduced to Canada in 1995. Today 80% of the acres sown are genetically modified canola."

Organic canola oil is not GE and has health benefits relative to some other kinds of oil, like corn oil, because of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the latter.

[oliviathunderkitty]

I beg to differ about the health benefits of canola oil. I have researched the topic for nearly two decades. Rapeseed--i.e., canola oil--must be refined to be comestible, which puts it in a different category than those oils that can be extracted mechanically. Furthermore, it contains toxins, albeit in small amounts because of the refining process.

To paraphrase Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, who is an expert on many food topics, "Canola oil is a fraud perpetuated on the American public. It should not be sold; it should not be used."

I think this article contains some misinformation.

Canola was originally naturally bred from rapeseed in the 1970s, before the development of GE.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Canola, "Genetically modified canola which is tolerant to herbicide was first introduced to Canada in 1995. Today 80% of the acres sown are genetically modified canola."

Organic canola oil is not GE and has health benefits relative to some other kinds of oil, like corn oil, because of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the latter.

[Barry]

[I split this discussion of Canola oil into its own thread - Barry]

I beg to differ about the health benefits of canola oil. I have researched the topic for nearly two decades. Rapeseed--i.e., canola oil--must be refined to be comestible, which puts it in a different category than those oils that can be extracted mechanically. Furthermore, it contains toxins, albeit in small amounts because of the refining process.

To paraphrase Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, who is an expert on many food topics, "Canola oil is a fraud perpetuated on the American public. It should not be sold; it should not be used."

This is huge! For those of you who don't know, oliviathunderkitty's real name is Michele Anna Jordan, a published food writer that we are honored to have in our midst. So I don't take her comments lightly.

I note that the wikipedia entry on canola oil seems to think Canola oil is fine.

Michele, would you care to share more with us? As always, anybody else is welcome to join in respectfully with your comments, questions and concerns.

Barry

[oliviathunderkitty]

You outed me!!! I want to be just another West County girl, you know?

I have a lot of research notes in the files for my second book, The Good Cook's Book of Oil & Vinegar. I'll try to locate them. I interviewed Darrell Corti extensively when I was writing the book and I also relied on a number of other resources. From what i can tell, there are absolutely no health benefits whatsoever to canola oil. It does not add flavor to foods, as olive oil does. It is all about marketing. In addition, refined oils release toxins into the environment. This is one of the reasons cold-pressed, naturally extracted oils are preferable; they are extracted mechanically, without chemicals.

I'll add more about canola when I have a chance to go through my research notes. I wouldn't take Wikipedia's word for it.

[I split this discussion of Canola oil into its own thread - Barry]



This is huge! For those of you who don't know, oliviathunderkitty's real name is Michele Anna Jordan, a published food writer that we are honored to have in our midst. So I don't take her comments lightly.

I note that the wikipedia entry on canola oil seems to think Canola oil is fine.

Michele, would you care to share more with us? As always, anybody else is welcome to join in respectfully with your comments, questions and concerns.

Barry

[someguy]

Here is a great article about the history of canola oil and how it got to be in all of our processed foods.

The Great Con-ola

Canola oil is actually mostly monounsaturated, which is normally good. However, the particular kind of monounsaturated oils found in canola are toxic. Here's a quote from that article explaining this:

"Rapeseed oil was a monounsaturated oil that had been used extensively in many parts of the world, notably in China, Japan and India. It contains almost 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids (compared to about 70 percent in olive oil). Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the mono-unsaturated fatty acids in rapeseed oil are erucic acid, a 22-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that had been associated with Keshan's disease, characterized by fibrotic lesions of the heart. In the late 1970s, using a technique of genetic manipulation involving seed splitting,2 Canadian plant breeders came up with a variety of rapeseed that produced a monounsaturated oil low in 22-carbon erucic acid and high in 18-carbon oleic acid."

[someguy]

Organic canola oil is not GE and has health benefits relative to some other kinds of oil, like corn oil, because of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the latter.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, like corn oil, are not healthy. I avoid them like the plague. Here's a great article about fats in general, but it has a table of contents so you can skip down to the part on polyunsaturates if you so desire.

https://www.westonaprice.org/The-Skinny-on-Fats.html

[Oriental Rose]

Gee I've learned a lot reading about this, thanks, intuitively I've never liked canola oil, thought it tasted badly and always went with olive oil. Interesting how the health propaganda was (is?) always touting that it's so good for you. Consumers beware.

I beg to differ about the health benefits of canola oil. I have researched the topic for nearly two decades. Rapeseed--i.e., canola oil--must be refined to be comestible, which puts it in a different category than those oils that can be extracted mechanically. Furthermore, it contains toxins, albeit in small amounts because of the refining process.

To paraphrase Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, who is an expert on many food topics, "Canola oil is a fraud perpetuated on the American public. It should not be sold; it should not be used."

[oliviathunderkitty]

Yes, that's it, erucic acid, the toxin in both canola oil and mustard seed oil. But are there high levels in canola oil? No, there are not.

However, is there a reason to choose canola oil over another oil? I think the evidence shows that no, there is no reason.

Culinary oils have three functions, they lubricate, they transfer heat and they contribute flavor and nutrients. Any oil will lubricate and transfer heat but only a limited number contribute significant flavor, primarily olive oil, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, toasted sesame oil and pumpkinseed oil.

This is a huge topic, with lots of avenues that warrant study. But I think it is safe to conclude that there are no health or culinary benefits to canola oil and there are additional environmental considerations that make it a poor choice.

[Barry]

Your comments below don't seem consistent with the quote you offered earlier:

To paraphrase Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, who is an expert on many food topics, "Canola oil is a fraud perpetuated on the American public. It should not be sold; it should not be used."

So what I hear you saying, is that it doesn't add flavor, and it's refined and

refined oils release toxins into the environment. This is one of the reasons cold-pressed, naturally extracted oils are preferable; they are extracted mechanically, without chemicals.

However, Spectrum Natural's Organic Canola is extracted mechanically. See:

Spectrum Cooking Oils

Also, according to the page above, Canola oil has a a "high monounsaturated fat content similar to olive oil" making more of a monosaturated oil rather than a polyunsaturated oil, as mentioned below by someguy.

Yes, that's it, erucic acid, the toxin in both canola oil and mustard seed oil. But are there high levels in canola oil? No, there are not.

However, is there a reason to choose canola oil over another oil? I think the evidence shows that no, there is no reason.

Culinary oils have three functions, they lubricate, they transfer heat and they contribute flavor and nutrients. Any oil will lubricate and transfer heat but only a limited number contribute significant flavor, primarily olive oil, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, toasted sesame oil and pumpkinseed oil.

This is a huge topic, with lots of avenues that warrant study. But I think it is safe to conclude that there are no health or culinary benefits to canola oil and there are additional environmental considerations that make it a poor choice.

[oliviathunderkitty]

Damn it. I just wrote a lengthy detailed response and accidentally deleted the whole thing.

For now, I'll just say, simply, that I see no contraction or inconsistency. But it takes a bit of time to elaborate on this and for now I must get back to the deadlines that are at hand.

I'll try to reconstruct what I wrote a bit later.

Your comments below don't seem consistent with the quote you offered earlier:

So what I hear you saying, is that it doesn't add flavor, and it's refined and However, Spectrum Natural's Organic Canola is extracted mechanically. See:

Spectrum Cooking Oils

Also, according to the page above, Canola oil has a a "high monounsaturated fat content similar to olive oil" making more of a monosaturated oil rather than a polyunsaturated oil, as mentioned below by someguy.

[Claire]

One thing I've noticed about Canola oil is that it turns terribly rancid in a shorter time than other oils. I never buy it to use but there are times, especially when on the road, that I'll need a quick protein fix and nuts are the only possibility. Although I prefer raw nuts and seeds to roasted, I have tried the roasted, salted sunflower seeds available. These have so often been rancid, that I thought they were just slow sellers. Well, one time out of curiosity or hunger I rinsed the seeds off under plenty of water and lo and behold, the sunnies were fine! The oil they were cooked with was putrid already. Usually it says canola on the label, but I suspect it often may just say vegetable oil.
I worry that so many people don't seem to be aware of when nut or seed butters have turned rancid that they would not recognize this trait in other food products either, where it is even less obvious.
Canola is crap, in my opinion.