We’re all trying to eat and live a little healthier – but in a digital world overflowing with self-proclaimed experts, sometimes it’s difficult to know what information to trust and take forward. If you’ve ever scrolled upon a social media post or video calling canola oil unhealthy, toxic or inflammatory, it’s time to set the record straight.
To demystify the misconceptions around canola oil and its health and nutritional qualities, we spoke with Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian (RD) and founder of Abbey’s Kitchen, who’s become one of the most trusted Canadian voices in food and nutrition.
As a registered dietitian, why do you think canola oil has received a negative reputation in certain corners of the Internet?
I’ve never quite understood how canola oil lost the “health halo” lottery, because when you look at all the facts, it’s one of the healthiest cooking oils we have. Canola oil has a very favourable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, which is ultimately one of the things we should look for when choosing our fats, plus it has a solid amount of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
It’s also an unsaturated fat, which has been consistently shown to be advantageous to heart health, especially as a replacement for saturated fats.
I think what it comes down to is the appeal to nature’s fallacy, where people assume something is better when it occurs in nature. Since canola oil is refined and processed, it’s somehow “bad” even though we have plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Is there any truth to the statement “canola oil causes inflammation?”
The short answer is “no”, but this one certainly requires some explanation. Canola oil contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fats are found in all vegetable and seed oils from crops like canola, corn and soybeans, and they have been demonized to a degree because they contain pro-inflammatory molecules called eicosanoids.
This is where the myth takes hold and can scare those who aren’t aware of the science behind it all. However, an overwhelming body of high-quality evidence suggests that consuming omega-6 fats does not have a significant effect on inflammation in the body. In the research, we actually see the opposite, where omega-6 fats either have a neutral effect on inflammation or are anti-inflammatory.
The word “inflammation” also tends to be widely overused in wellness and diet culture. While chronic inflammation can increase the risk of chronic health diseases like diabetes and heart disease, it’s important to understand that humans need some form of inflammation in the body. Without pro-inflammatory molecules, our immune system isn’t able to defend from pathogens, damaged cells or environmental irritants.
Can canola oil be a healthy choice if it contains omega-6 fats?
Absolutely. Most research suggests a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in one’s diet to be 4-to-1 or less, while the typical Western diet has a ratio of around 15-to-1.
Canola oil’s omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 2-to-1 is one of the best of all the different fats you can eat. Canola oil is also low in saturated fat, free of trans fat, high in monounsaturated fats and offers the greatest source of plant-based omega-3 fats among all common cooking oils1. All these things make it a great option to incorporate into your diet.
Should consumers be concerned that canola crops are genetically modified?
To me, this is a non-issue. The concern over genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
is again driven by the appeal to nature fallacy, where people conveniently forget all the things in nature that can kill us, such as asbestos, mercury or lead, or even a berry in the forest.
Countless studies show GMOs are safe and that there is no nutritional difference between GMO and non-GMO foods. Furthermore, genetic modification helps crops become more resilient to disease, insects and weeds, helping increase yields and feed the world.
Will you continue to recommend canola oil as a healthy choice?
100%! Canola oil is a safe, accessible, heart-healthy alternative to heavily saturated animal fats. It’s Canadian, readily available, affordable and versatile. Whether you’re making a salad dressing, cooking or baking, it’s easy to incorporate it into a wide variety of foods. Canola oil should absolutely be an essential staple in Canadians’ diets.
Sources
- Canola Council of Canada.What is Canola Oil? www.canolacouncil.org
- PubMed Central. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed. Dietary linoleic acid intake and blood inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed. Habitual dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in relation to inflammatory markers among US men and women. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
