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Canola Oil
Canola Oil
Canola Oil
What is it:
Canola is an oilseed crop that was created in Canada. Over 90% of Canola oilseed crops in the United States are GMO. Canola is one of the most common oils found in food and is also used in animal feed, as an alternative fuel to diesel, and in the production of plasticizers like tires. The canola crop goes through an extensive production process that includes bleaching, deodorizing, and the use of a harsh chemical called hexane. Canola is a highly refined, highly processed oil.
Rating:
Canola oil is usually GMO-derived and is highly processed. It has been shown to increase inflammation, raise bad cholesterol, damage memory and brain function, and increase weight in animal models. There are a few industry-funded studies showing it increases heart health, these studies were done with less refined and unheated canola oil which is not used in the cooking industry. Those studies are also disputed by an independent study that showed that canola oil did not improve heart health. Furthermore, the refining of canola oil can cause the formation of trans fats, which are harmful to the human body. The World Health Organization called for a ban of toxic industrial trans fats by 2023.
Resources:
- Prevalence of GMO canola in USA
- How Canola is processed
- Canola oil reduces antioxidant status and increases cholesterol in rats (animal study)
- Canola oil causes impaired memory and increase weight in rats (animal study)
- Healthline on canola oil
- Canola oil did not statistically improve parameters of cardiovascular health (randomized, controlled, parallel-arm, clinical trial)
- The refining process of canola oil produces trans fats
- WHO calls for ban of trans fats
- Cold-consumed canola oil reduces android fat mass in patients at risk for metabolic syndrome (randomized, crossover, controlled feeding study)
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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