Canola is not heart healthy

Canola - a seed oil to avoid

The negative reputation surrounding canola oil (it is comes from the rapeseed plant) stems from several factors related to its production, composition, and potential health effects.

Canola oil is considered problematic, and should be avoided if at all possible: \

• Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: The majority of canola crops grown worldwide are genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides, allowing for increased crop yields and easier weed control. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been shown to change human DNA and many health risks are associated with GM crops and the pesticides used on them.
• Processing Methods: Canola oil is typically extracted using high heat and chemical solvents like hexane, which may leave residues in the final product. Hexane is a solvent widely used as an industrial cleaner and degreaser and is an ingredient in many consumer products. Easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin, hexane has been recognized for more than 40 years to cause long-lasting and even permanent nerve damage in feet, legs, hands, and arms. Additionally, the refining process involves bleaching and deodorizing to remove impurities and neutralize the oil's natural taste and odor. These processing methods can degrade oil's nutritional quality and lead to the formation of harmful compounds.
• Highly Processed: Canola oil is highly refined, meaning it undergoes extensive processing to extract the oil from the seeds and refine it for consumption. This process strips away many of the oil's natural nutrients and antioxidants, leaving behind a product that lacks the beneficial compounds found in less processed oils.
• High Omega-6 Content: While canola oil is often marketed as a source of healthy fats, it is high in omega-6 fatty acids and relatively low in omega-3 fatty acids. An excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids, particularly when not balanced with omega-3s, can promote inflammation in the body and contribute to chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Inflammation in the body leads to all types of illnesses and ailments
• Potential Health Concerns: Some studies suggest that consuming canola oil may be associated with negative health effects, including impaired metabolic function, increased oxidative stress, and inflammation. 
• Allergic Reactions: Canola belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which includes other plants like mustard and rapeseed. Individuals with sensitivities or allergies to these plants may experience allergic reactions or intolerance to canola oil. While others have reported allergic reactions such as difficulty breathing and excessive mucus formation (an inflammatory response) to name a few. 
• Plaque Formation: Studies have shown that canola oil is never eliminated from the body and causes plaque formation in the brain as is seen in alzheimers patients “Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) associates the consumption of canola oil in the diet with worsened memory, worsened learning ability and weight gain in mice which model Alzheimer’s disease. The study is the first to suggest that canola oil is more harmful than healthful for the brain.”
• History: Rapeseed is a part of the mustard family and, canola oil was created in Canada in 1974 by genetically modifying rapeseed oil.
• Engine Lubricant: Rapeseed oil was originally used during the industrial revolution, as a lubricant for ships and steam engines, because it would adhered to wet metal. This made it especially useful for lubricating engines. During World War II, with the mass of ships needed for the war, the demand for rapeseed oil increased exponentially. During this time, the Canadian rapeseed industry boomed; however, soon after the war, it fell dramatically. This left Canada with a way to make this oil available and acceptable to the public. With a mass marketing effort to engage the medical establishment, canola oil started being heralded as a healthy oil.

Though it is widely used in the food industry the above shows the inherent risks to the human body and intake of canola, as well as all seed oils should be limited as much as possible, with the goal being to eliminate these from the diet altogether. 

We encourage you to use the information presented here as a basis to research and dive deeper to ensure your health. 

Live local, live well,

Goodniss