Before avocado, coconut, and walnut oils hit the grocery store shelves, there was canola oil.
But now, with the myriad of edible oil options, there is a movement on TikTok to claim that vegetable oils are toxic. The hashtag #canolaoil he has been viewed over 47 million times. Some influencers claim the oil can cause inflammation. Others have compared it to cooking with it and consuming motor oil.
Does canola oil deserve this denial? TODAY.com spoke with two registered dietitians to get to the bottom of this TikTok health trend.
What is canola oil?
Canola oil is intended to be a neutral oil, Frances Largeman-Roth, Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, “Eat with Color: Tasty and Healthy Recipes for You and Your FamilyIn this way, it is different from olive oil, which has a unique taste and is not versatile.
“When[canola oil]was developed, people were looking for an edible oil that could be used for baking, stir-frying, and frying,” Largeman-Roth tells TODAY.com.
Canola oil is made from rapeseed. This bright yellow-flowered plant species is part of the cabbage and mustard family, she says.
It is true that oilseed rape is very high in erucic acid, which is toxic when consumed in large amounts. They called it “canola”. It’s a pun on Canadian oil.
Canola oil, which has very low levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates (which are not harmful, but taste bitter), was developed to have a smoother, healthier taste than other oils available at the time, Largeman said.・Ross explains.
It undergoes processing similar to other oils commonly found in the American diet, such as corn, soybeans, and sunflowers. They are all processed at high temperatures and solvents are used to extract the oil from the seeds, she adds.
Canola oil in particular uses the chemical hexane as a solvent.However, trace amounts of hexane Not dangerous levels, according to Largeman-Roth.
2018 report A paper published by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health confirms this.
Canola oil is refined, bleached and deodorized. That’s because consumers expect cooking oils to be tasteless and brightly colored, says Largeman-Roth. , palm and corn oils – all go through this same process.
“They are highly processed oils,” she says. “But again, it’s also about making them shelf-stable and providing that neutral flavor.”
Canola oil is even at the core of the Nordic diet, which Largman-Roth says is characterized by plant-based seasonal foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. It can lower blood sugar and cholesterol.
“Americans aren’t the only ones eating canola oil,” she says. “It’s used all over the world.”
Is canola oil bad for you?
It may not be time to cut canola oil out of your diet completely.
There are healthier alternatives such as olive oil and avocado oil, but canola oil is not toxic.Read Before You Eat: From Label to Table‘, he told TODAY.com.
Canola oil contains a small amount of trans fat (even if the nutrition label says “0 grams”). “It’s found in almost all vegetable oils.”However, canola oil is actually American Heart AssociationIt is a healthy cooking oil because it is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Some canola oil commentators point to the presence of erucic acid, and studies have found that erucic acid is associated with heart disease. is low, explains Taub-Dix.
What’s more, the only studies that support the claim that erucic acid causes heart damage are in laboratory animals, says Largeman-Roth.
“They haven’t found these lesions in humans, and these high levels of[erucic acid]are in rapeseed, not canola oil,” she emphasizes. “Although technically the same plant, canola oil is a type of rapeseed.”
“If you’re a farmer and you plant rapeseed for oil, you’ll get rapeseed that’s low in erucic acid. You don’t want to buy rapeseed to plant,” she adds.
According to Largeman-Roth, canola oil also contains a fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid.
Eat lots of foods with an imbalanced ratio of omega-6 fatty acids (which are good for the heart when eaten in moderation instead of saturated fat). Per Mayo Clinic) conversion to omega-3s can cause inflammation in the body, says Taub-Dix.
Inflammation is associated with heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and more. According to the National Institutes of HealthHowever, Taub-Dix emphasizes that the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in canola oil is 2 to 1, so the risk of inflammation isn’t as high.
“The average American diet is 15 to 1 (Omega 6 to Omega 3)“I think it’s about putting things in perspective, not blowing things out of proportion,” she says.
What You Need to Know to Safely Consume Canola Oil
According to nutritionists, moderation is the key to consuming canola oil.
Instead of grabbing just canola oil from your kitchen cabinets, Largeman-Roth recommends adding a few other oils to your rotation.
“Diversity not only helps us get the most nutrients, but it also helps us find a variety when there are things in our food supply that may contain trace elements that we shouldn’t be consuming. You have less exposure when you have something in your diet,” she explains.
Taub-Dix recommends paying attention to portion sizes, especially with oils. Many people don’t realize that one cup of oil of any kind, even nutritious, has about 2,000 calories, she says.
Bottom Line: No, canola oil is not toxic, but whether it’s bad for you as an individual depends on many factors, including your current health and what else you’re eating.
“You can’t just say this is toxic and take it out of context without knowing anything else in the diet,” she adds.
