Canola what???

Very recently I received some emails warning of the dangers of canola oil and how pervasive the use of this oil has become in our society. For any of you who aren’t familiar with this particular oil, it is described by the Canola Council of Canada, which is where this oil comes from, as “…one of the healthiest and most versatile cooking oils available to home cooks and professional chefs alike. It is light, clear and mild, making it ideal for cooking, fondues, stir-frying, baking, salads and marinades. For great-tasting, healthy recipes, canola oil is the only oil you really need!” Hmmm, not so fast Canada. Let’s take a closer look.

According to the sources I read, and as described by the Weston A. Price Foundation, “the oil is removed by from the rapeseed, (no such thing as canola seed), by a combination of high temperature mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. Traces of the solvent (usually hexane) remain in the oil, even after considerable refining. Like all modern vegetable oils, canola oil goes through the process of caustic refining, bleaching and degumming--all of which involve high temperatures or chemicals of questionable safety. And because canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which easily become rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures, it must be deodorized. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fatty acids. Although the Canadian government lists the trans content of canola at a minimal 0.2 percent, research at the University of Florida at Gainesville, found trans levels as high as 4.6 percent in commercial liquid oil. The consumer has no clue about the presence of trans fatty acids in canola oil because they are not listed on the label…” www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/conola.html

Wow, sounds great. Just what every chef should use to cook with.

Based upon what I have learned, I would never eat anything containing this oil. You will have to decide for yourself but do your own investigating before you make a decision. After all, The Canola Council of Canada went to so much trouble promoting this stuff, the least we can do is read about it before we stop using it.

By the way, Tast Eatery doesn’t use canola oil but I guess you already knew that…

Peace and health
Dave