Canola Oil Health Dangers

What is Canola Oil?

Canola Oil is a moot point among nutritionists and food industrialists for it being bad for the health. The controversy revolving around canola oil started somewhere back in the 1950s. The FDA banned the oil because of its proven harmful effects on the liver, kidney, and heart. Understanding whether canola oil is good or bad for your health, it’s essential to recognize the composition and how the oil reacts with your health.

Canola oil is a vegetable oil extracted from a range of rapeseed that is low in erucic acid. The oil was once the healthiest on the market. Now it’s also known to be extremely harmful. Its properties potentially damage the overall well-being of a person and especially on the brain.

Why is Canola Oil Bad for Health?

GMOs and Pesticides:

Canola oil had health benefits, which lead to an increase in its demand with growers planting more crops to support the production of canola oil. The rapid rise in the plantation led to an immediate requirement to protect the crops from pests and weed. To deal with the massive problem of weeds, farmers started using a herbicide dubbed glyphosate. It was introduced for liberal use to kill the weeds without affecting the crops. Later studies found that increased consumption of glyphosate has led to the severe ailment in such as hormone disruption, celiac disease, and lethal cancer.

Chemical Solvents:

Producing the commercially available canola oil is done by extraction through a process known as hexane solvent. The extraction method is the most cost-effective way off extracting the oil. In the process, the seed is crushed to form a paste. Hexane is used to obtain the oil which is later heated up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then bleached to achieve a lighter-colored final product. The manufacturing process leaves the product damaged and creates a high level of Trans fat and oxidants.

Trans Fat:

Consumption of Tran’s fat has shown to cause coronary artery ailment by increasing the level of low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol in the body and lowering the high-density lipoprotein. During a study, canola oil was found to contain Trans fat between 0.56% and 4.2% of total fatty acid.

What are the Risks of Canola Oil?

Heart Disease:

The high level of Trans fat in the canola oil makes it harmful for the health of the heart. Trans fat is notoriously known for raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol. The presence of Trans fat in canola oil makes it cause inflammation and calcification of arterial cells. All these factors are well known for producing heart disease.

Inflammation:

The properties of canola oil look no different than that of vegetable-based oil. The oil has omega-3 acids in a good ratio. However, the omega-3 found in the plant-based oil has a source that comes in the structure of short-chain or alpha-linolenic acid or ALA. The human body should convert the short string ALA to extended chain eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA as well as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA before using it. The conversion rate, however, is prolonged. Since canola oil is rapeseed-based oil, it doesn’t have the same properties of plant-based oil. Not having these properties allows canola oil to cause inflammation as EPA and DHA chains are necessary for the excellent health of the heart.

Cellulite:

Cellulite is a condition in which the skin has a lumpy appearance. The condition mostly affects areas of buttocks and thighs. It often occurs when fat deposits of the connected tissues push beneath the skin. Consuming too much canola oil can cause cellulite, which can further affect the excellent health of the body.

Stroke:

A study on hypertensive mice has concluded the consumption of canola oil lowers the antioxidant level in the body as well as the production of glutathione, which is necessary for flushing the toxins from the body. Besides, the oil also increases the level of plasma lipid. All these things contribute to the cardiovascular disorder. The worse combination for anyone’s health could be pairing the oil with salt. The combo can cause cell damage as a result of the activation of lipid peroxidation, a process that removes electrons.

Alzheimer’s Disease:

Canola oil has found to impair the brain, causing Alzheimer’s and memory loss drastically. A study has found that excessive intake of the oil can reduce the postsynaptic density protein-95. This reduction means that the neurons’ communication network begins to break down. This breakdown can ultimately lead to Alzheimer’s disease, memory degradation, and neuron damage.

Asthma and Lung Inflammation:

Canola oil is a rich source of gamma-tocopherol (GT), a form of Vitamin E. A recent study has found that the consumption of GT can cause lung inflammation. According to the outcomes of the study, GT causes a 10% reduction in the functioning of the lung, which causes asthma in people. In short, people consuming it are at high risk of developing asthma sooner or later in their life.

Hypertension and Stroke:

Previous studies have shown that the consumption of canola oil lowers the life expectancy of a person by increasing the chances of hypertension and stroke. People consuming it often are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure. Also, the consumption of canola oil is dangerous for the proper function of the red blood cells.
Too much consumption of anything is always bad for health. But, with canola oil, the case is, in fact, worse as there is not even a single study that supports the use of canola oil on daily consumption. The adverse effect of canola oil on the overall well-being of a human is one main reason behind the restricted circulation of the oil.

Are There Substitutes for Canola Oil?

Canola oil has its alternatives that are far better for the health of the consumer.

Its options include:

• coconut oil
• olive oil
• ghee or gamma-tocopherol
• red palm oil

Including these options in the daily diet can prove beneficial for the overall health.