Allergic Reaction to Canola Oil

Canola oil is widely used as an inexpensive alternative to healthy cooking oils like olive, flax-seed or sunflower seed oils. Canola oil became available to consumers in the early 1980s, touted as containing large amounts of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Some consumers, however, have come forward in recent years with complaints of allergic reactions to canola oil. This has left most doctors scratching their heads.

History

• Canola oil is made from the rapeseed plant. Rapeseed oil originated in Europe thousands of years ago and was used mostly as an industrial oil because its high erucic acid content made it dangerous to consume. Scientists in Canada found a way to lower the erucic acid level to make the oil digestible. This new oil was named Lear oil. Advertisers wanted the exported Lear oil to have a more commercial name so it was changed to canola for Canada oil.

Allergy Symptoms

• Canola oil allergies are difficult to pinpoint because they are not considered true allergies. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system comes in contact with a protein that it recognizes as "not-self" thus triggering a histamine reaction. Canola oil contains no proteins to react to. However, some people have reported strong reactions to foods cooked with canola oil. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, skin irritation and sneezing. In some cases, the reactions can be more severe. An allergy to canola oil may be labeled as an intolerance or sensitivity.

Misconceptions

• An allergic reaction to canola oil may not be an allergy. Canola oil goes through intense processing before being bottled and sold. The oil often is processed in factories that also process nuts, wheat, soy, etc. The byproducts of the nuts, wheat or other food products may sometimes end up making their way into the oil product. Nut and wheat allergies are common and severe in some cases.

Theories/Speculation

• Some studies have concluded that the intense heat canola oil is exposed to during processing makes the omega-3s present rancid, thereby nullifying the oil’s healthy effects. Other studies done on animals have suggested that continuous use of the oil may have negative side effects on the heart; rapeseed oil in its pure form has been shown to can cause heart lesions

Prevention/Solution

• It can be difficult to avoid canola oil, especially if you like an occasional evening out at a restaurant. The best way to steer clear of the oil is to ask the server or chef not to use it; the residues of the oil may be on cooking equipment, so proceed with caution. Read all labels when purchasing processed foods. Canola oil often is used as an added ingredient.