Canola oil is a vegetable-based oil found in countless foods. Many people have cut canola oil out of their diet due to concerns over its health effects and production methods.
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an oilseed crop that was created in Canada through crossbreeding of the rapeseed plant. The name “canola” comes from “Canada” and “ola,” denoting oil.
Ever since the canola plant was created, plant breeders have developed many varieties that improved seed quality and led to a boom in canola oil manufacturing.
Most canola crops are genetically modified (GMO) to improve oil quality and increase plant tolerance to herbicides (1, 2).
In fact, over 90% of the canola crops grown in the United States are genetically modified for herbicide resistance, according to an older 2011 study (3).
Canola crops are used to create canola oil and canola meal, which is commonly used as animal feed.
Canola oil can also be used as a fuel alternative to diesel and a component of items made with plasticizers, such as tires.
Major source of omega-6 fats
Like omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats are essential to health and perform important functions in your body.
However, modern diets tend to be extremely high in omega-6s — found in many refined foods — and low in omega-3s from whole foods, causing an imbalance that leads to increased inflammation.
While the most healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat intake is 1:1, the typical Western diet is estimated to be around 20:1 (14).
This imbalance is linked to a number of chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and heart disease (15, 16, 17, 18).
The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of canola oil is 2:1, which may not seem particularly disproportionate (10).
Yet, because canola oil is found in so many foods and is higher in omega-6s than omega-3s, it’s thought to be a major source of dietary omega-6 (19).
In order to create a more balanced ratio, you should replace processed foods rich in canola with natural, whole-food sources of omega-3, such as fatty fish.
GMO foods have had their genetic material engineered to introduce or eliminate certain qualities (20).
For example, high-demand crops, such as corn and canola, have been genetically engineered to be more resistant to herbicides and pests.
Although many regulators deem GMO foods safe, concerns abound over their potential impact on the environment, public health, crop contamination, property rights, and food safety (21).
Over 90% of canola crops in the United States and Canada are genetically engineered (3).
While GMO foods have been approved for human consumption for decades, and there has not been any direct safety hazards reported from GMO use, the topic remains controversial, and therefore including GMO foods in the diet is up to individual preference (20, 21, 22).
Canola oil production involves high heat and exposure to chemicals.
Considered a chemically refined oil, canola goes through stages — such as bleaching and deodorizing — that involve chemical treatment (23).
In fact, refined oils — including canola, soy, corn, and palm oils — are known as refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) oils.
Refining markedly decreases nutrients in oils, such as essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins (24, 25, 26).
All industrial plant oils are processed this way, unless an oil says cold pressed, expeller pressed, or extra virgin. This includes olive oil and coconut oil.
If you are worried about GMO or the processing, it’s extremely easy to find organic cold pressed versions of all these oils including canola oil. However, these versions of the oil are not suitable for high-heat cooking as they typically have lower smoke points.
Although canola oil is one of the most widely used oils in the food industry, comparatively few long-term studies exist on its health impacts.
This is not true of all studies, however. An independent 2021 study found that canola oil improved the lipid profile and insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS (27).
The high unsaturated fat content in canola oil may protect against inflammation, microbial infection, or cancer, as well as other benefits (28).
Other studies have found evidence that canola oil may:
- reduce cardiometabolic risk factors (29)
- delay heart disease progression (30)
- promote a modest reduction in body weight (31)
That said, some evidence suggests that canola oil may negatively impact health.
Several animal studies link canola oil to increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Though animal studies alone are not strong enough to make a case for negative health implications for humans, these are still worth noting.
Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between harmful free radicals — which can cause inflammation — and antioxidants, which prevent or slow free radical damage.
A recent rat study demonstrated that compounds formed during the heating of canola oil increased certain inflammatory markers (32).
Plus, in another rat study, the canola oil diet significantly decreased lifespan and led to sizable increases in blood pressure, when compared to a soybean oil diet (33).
Animal studies also indicate that canola oil may negatively impact memory.
A study in mice found that chronic exposure to a canola-rich diet resulted in significant harm to memory and substantial increases in body weight (34).
In a yearlong human study, 180 older adults were randomly assigned to either a control diet rich in refined oils — including canola — or a diet which replaced all refined oils with 20–30 ml of extra virgin olive oil per day.
Notably, those in the olive oil group experienced improved brain function (35).
Canola belongs to the Brassica plant family as does mustard, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Besides the United States, canola is grown in Canada and Australia as well as in Europe and China (but the crop is called “double low rapeseed,” referring to its low levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates, in the latter two countries). In America, the ratio of supply versus demand of canola oil is about 1:4, which presents a huge opportunity for U.S. producers to grow more canola. The healthy oil from this crop is consumed all over the world and number three by volume among edible oils.
Although they look similar, canola and rapeseed plants and oils are very different. Canadian scientists used traditional plant breeding in the 1960s to practically eliminate two undesirable components of rapeseed — erucic acid from oil and glucosinolates from meal — to create “canola,” a contraction of “Canadian” and “ola.” Canola oil is prized for its heart-healthy properties with the least saturated fat of all common culinary oils.
Canola: What the Heck Is It?
FAQ
What exactly is canola oil made from?
What plant does canola come from?
Are canola and mustard the same thing?
What is canola called in USA?
What is canola oil?
Canola oil is a vegetable oil derived from the canola plant. Canola seed processing involves synthetic chemicals that help extract the oil. Canola is a good source of vitamins E and K. One tablespoon (15 ml) of canola oil delivers ( 8 ): Aside from vitamins E and K, canola oil is devoid of vitamins and minerals.
Why is canola called canola?
The name “canola” comes from “Canada” and “ola,” denoting oil. Ever since the canola plant was created, plant breeders have developed many varieties that improved seed quality and led to a boom in canola oil manufacturing. Most canola crops are genetically modified (GMO) to improve oil quality and increase plant tolerance to herbicides ( 1, 2 ).
What is a canola seed?
Canola is a crop with plants from three to five feet tall that produce pods from which seeds are harvested and crushed to create canola oil and meal. These plants also produce small, yellow flowers, which beautify the environment. Canola seeds contain about 45 percent oil.
Where does canola come from?
We know that it comes from a beautiful yellow flower. (Well, maybe you didn’t know that.) Fields of this flowering plant makes for an impressive sight. Just look: A field of canola plants in bloom. But that’s where our knowledge generally drifts off. We had questions ― what is canola oil? Is it rapeseed oil? Is it actually a healthy choice?