This is an article we came across in the Healthy Ways Newsletter written by Dr. Bruce Fife.  It is a well-written and well-referenced article explaining canola oil and why it is not the healthy oil we previously thought.  If you use canola oil or eat foods containing canola oil, you might want to read the full article to learn more about this oil you are consuming.

Here are the most important points from the article:

• Canola oil comes from the rape-seed plant that normally produces erucic acid, a toxin that is not fit for human consumption.  It is so toxic bugs will not eat it.
• Rape-seed plants are genetically modified (a GMO) so they produce less than 2 percent eurcic acid.
• Animal studies have shown that even as little as 2 percent of eurcic acid can cause fatty deposits in the heart and cardiac fibrosis.  Cardiac fibrosis is an abnormal thickening and loss of flexibility of the heart valves, which can lead to valve dysfunction and heart failure.
• Canola oil causes blood cells to become excessively ridged. When blood cells lose their flexibility they cannot fold and squeeze through the many miles of tiny capillaries dispersed throughout our bodies. Consequently, circulation is hindered and blood pressure rises.
• Canola oil is not allowed as an ingredient in baby food. 
• Canola oil is also not recommended for breastfeeding mothers because erucic acid is deposited in the mother’s milk.
• Lab animals fed canola oil develop an increase in blood pressure, insulin resistance, risk of stroke, kidney lesions, and a shortened life span.
• Rape-seeds are also genetically modified to withstand heavy spraying of glyphosate (Roundup), a toxic herbicide (weed killer) that has recently been showed to be absorbed by the plants and their residues are found in the blood of people who eat them.  
• Glyphosate and other “inert” ingredients in Roundup have been associated with destruction of healthy gut bacteria,  DNA damage, birth defects, genetic mutations, miscarriages, behavioral disorders, reproductive damage, immune disease, allergic reactions, thyroid damage, growth abnormalities, fertility problems, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and other cancer.

The link to the full article is HERE.  You will need to scroll halfway down the page.