http://www.grassfedgirl.com/12-reasons-to-cut-the-canola/
1. No long term studies have ever been done on the safety of consuming genetically modified canola oil which makes up 80% of the rapeseed crop in the US and Canada.
2. It is rumored that the Canadian government paid the FDA $50 million dollars for canola oil to be granted the GRAS (generally regarded as safe) rating in 1985. Canola oil is not approved by the FDA for use in baby formula.
3. Canola oil is very prone to oxidation during manufacturing and storage causing free radical damage to our DNA which, over time, can lead to various cancers. This means that when canola oil is on the store shelf in bottles or in processed foods like cookies and chips, it is already rancid.
4. Canola oil has been shown to cause heart lesions in animal studies and atherogenic plaques in human arterial walls.
5. Canola oil depletes the antioxidant vitamin E that is needed for cell communication which is helpful in preventing diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Vitamin E is found in greens vegetables, olives, nuts/seeds, coconut oil and avocados.
6. Hydrogenation of canola oil during high heat processing creates a dangerous trans-fat devoid of beneficial Omega-3′s.
7. Eating canola oil accelerates skin aging including wrinkles and liver spots.
8. According to Dr. Mary Enig canola oil can increase risk for insulin resistance which over time leads to diabetes. Processed omega-6 oils like canola oil can stimulate appetite confusing satiety signals.
Just Say No
10. Thyroid function is impaired by eating unsaturated fats like canola oil because our digestive enzymes are compromised so we become unable to break down protein vital for thyroid hormone production. When our metabolism is lowered from poor thyroid hormone production obesity is likely to follow.
11. The oil found in the rapeseed (canola) neutralizes stomach acid preventing the seed from being digested by animals. Low stomach acid prevents the absorption of vitamins and minerals, increasing cravings for sweet and salty junk foods.
12. During the high heat processing, Canola seeds are washed with the toxic chemical solvent hexane (also used in gasoline) for over an hour to extract the oil.
Polyunsaturated fats like canola, soybean and corn oils are commonly used in restaurant cooking because they are very cheap and the public is brainwashed into fearing saturated fat. Another place to watch out for canola oil is in margarine that is marketed as heart healthy such as, Earth Balance or Pam. Corn, cottonseed, soybean, and sunflower oil all have similar deleterious effects on health as canola oil. Ask for your food to be cooked in butter at restaurants and make your own salad dressings at home. Use safe healthy fats like grass fed butter, organic coconut oil, ghee, or cold pressed olive oil from a reputable source. Saturated fats like egg yolks and grass fed beef/lamb can protect against small amounts of canola oil exposure in restaurants, but canola oil is not a oil safe for everyday use. A good guide for which fats to eat can be found here.
