Ask Ersilia About Olive Oil: Isn't Canola Oil Better?

Olive Oil vs. Canola Oil

Do not fall into the hype out there that promotes Canola oil as superior to Olive oil due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids.

Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola is NOT the name of a natural plant but rather is a genetically engineered plant developed in Canada from the Rapeseed plant, which is part of the mustard family of plants. Hence Canola is nothing but a made-up word, from the words "Canada" and "oil".

Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops used to produce it were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called eruric acid. Eruric acid  has many of the same uses as mineral oils but with the advantage that it is more readily bio-degradable. Its high tolerance to temperature makes it suitable for transmission oil. Its ability to polymerize and dry means it can be - and is - used as a binder for oil paints.

Does it make sense to ingest an oil, long used to produce oils for industrial purposes just because chemists and botanical engineers have figured out how to reduce its toxicity levels low enough for human consumption? The fact is, Canola oil is very inexpensive to produce and any trip to the supermarket will demonstrate that there are huge profits to be made.

Don't buy into the big business marketing strategies that are trying to convince you that Canola oil is good for you. Stick with Olive oil, your body will thank you! Next time I'll discuss the myths about heating olive oil. Olive Oil to Your Health! Ersilia