What is Canola Oil?

Canola oil is made from rapeseed. However, canola oil isn’t exactly the same as rapeseed oil. Pure rapeseed oil contains erucic acid and glucosinolates, which are both harmful to humans. As a result, the FDA banned the oil in 1956.

In the 1960s, Canadian farmers were able to breed a new form of rapeseed with lower amounts of erucic acid and glucosinolates. They called it lear oil, which stood for “low erucic acid rapeseed.” Later they changed the name to canola, which stands for “Canadian oil, low acid.” (So the acronym is a bit of a stretch, but the name is much more catchy and marketable.) The FDA eventually approved canola oil for human consumption.

Modern Canola Oil

The canola oil we use today is processed using a technique called hydrogenation, which causes Omega 9 fats to be converted to trans fats.

About 90% of canola oil in the US is genetically modified. This genetic modification makes the plant resistant to the chemical glyphosate, which is found in Roundup. As a result, farmers can spray Roundup directly onto the crops you eat.

Oil Trivia

During WWII, rapeseed oil was used as motor oil for industrial equipment.

Canola oil and rapeseed oil are both very effective at killing bugs.