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Canola oil is a good cooking oil choice. But is this oil really healthier for the body? Check out the answer here.
Canola oil at a glance
Canola oil is a type of vegetable oil that is derived from the seeds of the Canola plant (Rapeseed). The name canola itself is actually an abbreviation of Canada Oil, as the main producing country.
Canola or canola oil contains 63% monounsaturated fat and alpha-linoleic acid, a derivative of omega-3. Both of these compounds have long been associated with their benefits for improving heart health. This Canadian oil has also been shown to be low in erucic acid, a fatty acid that causes heart damage.
Even so, canola oil does not contain as many antioxidants as its one-class “friend”, olive oil, because it has gone through various complex refining techniques. Because of this refining process, canola oil contains very few essential nutrients. What remains is a small amount of fat-soluble vitamin E and vitamin K.
Is canola oil good for health?
Although it contains many compounds that can benefit heart health, this oil is not ideal for cooking at high temperatures. For example, frying or burning.
Vegetable oils that contain monounsaturated fats such as canola oil can minimize the risk of various heart diseases. On the other hand, canola oil is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid derivative which when consumed in excessive amounts can increase the risk of various health problems.
When heated, this oil will undergo oxidation and react with oxygen to form free radicals and harmful compounds. Omega-6 will produce eicosanoids compounds that trigger inflammation.
Inflammation can increase risk factors for some serious diseases, such as heart disease, arthritis, depression, and even cancer. The inflammation caused by omega-6s may also damage the DNA structure. Linoleic acid can accumulate in body fat cells, cell membranes, until it is absorbed into breast milk. Increases in omega-6 in breast milk have been linked to asthma and eczema in children.
In addition, about 80 percent of canola oil is produced from genetically modified (GMO) canola plants. Canola oil is also often processed from canola seeds using a chemical solvent, usually hexane, which of course can be bad for health. The oil refining process also generally adds a little trans fat. One study found that canola oil contains about 0.56-4.2% trans fat.
Choose canola oil wisely for cooking
Overall, canola oil isn't nearly as bad as other vegetable oils, but it's far from healthy. Even so, so far there have been no studies linking canola oil to the risk of certain diseases.
Use organic canola oil which does not contain high amounts of trans fats, so it may be better for consumption. We recommend that you consume olive oil or coconut oil which is healthier.
But if you want to reduce the health risks of trans fats, cutting back on packaged and junk foods isn't enough. You also need to reduce all fried foods and also use vegetable oils for cooking, even just as a splash of salads.
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