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Problems With Canola Oil

While canola oil generally is approved as safe for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, its origins, production process, composition and the lack of long-term studies in humans present cause for concern. Canola oil is low in saturated fats, high in monounsaturated fats and has beneficial omega-3 fatty acid. Unlike many other oils, canola oil is tasteless and odorless, which makes the oil ideal for baked goods and sweets.

  1. Origins

    • Canola oil is a hybrid plant that was developed in Canada in the 1970s. It was genetically engineered by Canadian plant breeders from the rapeseed plant to lower its content in erucic acid, which is highly toxic. While it was originally named LEAR or Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed oil, for marketing purposes, the term canola was coined to refer to the new plant and the oil produced from its seeds. Additional genetic modifications of the canola plant increased its content of oleic acid and its resistance to Roundup pesticide have been introduced over the years.

    Production Process

    • For some, the way canola oil is produced is troubling. Unless labeled as cold-pressed, the process for making canola oil is far from natural. It involves high-temperature mechanical pressing with a solvent extract, most commonly hexane. Hexane is made from crude oil and has been linked to nerve disorders. Additionally, canola oil is bleached, degummed, deodorized and refined at high temperatures that can alter its omega-3 content and increase trans fats.

    Composition

    • The canola plant was created through genetic modification of the rapeseed plant. Rapeseed oil contains high levels of erucic acid that are highly toxic to humans and have been shown to cause heart lesions, as well as cause problems in the growth and development of various organs. While levels of erucic acid and other long-chain fatty acids have been reduced in canola oil, these fatty acids are still present. Also, because of the way canola oil is processed, it contains undesirable chemical ingredients such as thioglycosides and thiocyanates in low concentrations.

    Lack of Human Studies

    • One of the biggest problems with canola oil for many people is that no long-term studies have been done on humans. The assumption is made that canola oil is healthy based on its composition and scientific understanding about the value of different types of fatty acids. While there are no long term studies of humans, the results from animal studies are mixed. Some studies with rats have shown canola oil to shorten life span in rats bred to have high blood pressure and high susceptibility to strokes. Canola oil has also been linked to vitamin E deficiency and growth retardation, which is why it is prohibited from use in baby formula by the FDA.

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