The Facts About Canola

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THE FACTS ABOUT CANOLA

Source: County Life Natural Foods/website

 

Unfounded and erroneous assertions about Canola Oil with no scientific basis

continue to proliferate, particularly on the Internet. Below are the facts.

 

Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. uses only naturally selected edible canola

seed stock, derived via traditional pedigree hybrid propagation (natural

seed selection), in each of our products that contains Canola oil. Because

an estimated two-thirds of Canola seeds are currently genetically

engineered, Spectrum has initiated a third party certification process to

guarantee that our seed stock and oil are non-GMO.

 

Myth I: " Canola is genetically engineered. "

 

Canola was not originally developed using genetic engineering methods.

Rather, it was developed from the seed of brassica napus or mustard rape

(commonly known as rapeseed), a plant in the mustard family, through plant

hybridization-a widespread, natural practice that has been utilized for well

over a century.

 

Canola was pedigree bred through traditional plant breeding methods, which

involves selecting desired traits followed by crossing and back crossing

these traits into existing varieties until the progeny exhibit the desired

characteristics.

 

Canola's development preceded technology for genetic engineering by two

decades.

 

Implemented beginning in the 1990s, genetic modification involves

penetrating cell nuclei and inserting foreign genetic material into host

plant cells. The procedure is not related to hybridization and not used in

Spectrum products.

 

To avoid GMO Canola look for the Spectrum non-GMO seal or buy organic

Canola.

 

Myth 2: " Canola has been shown to harm animals and no studies on humans were

made before the U.S. government approved it. "

 

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration granted GRAS (generally recognized as

safe) status for canola oil in 1985 following the submission of a lengthy

petition detailing years of research on the health effects of canola oil in

human and animal diets.

 

Myth 3: " Canola appears out or nowhere. "

 

Oil seed from mustard rape was the preeminent culinary fat in India, Western

Asia and China for over 3,000 years and has been cultivated in Western

Europe since the 131h century.

 

Myth 4: " Rapeseed is the most toxic of all food plants. "

 

Consumption of canola feed or oil Presents no known or suspected toxicity in

either crude or refined states.

 

Erucic acid, the substance that gives mustard its tangy bite, at one time

was mistakenly thought to be unhealthy. Recent laboratory research on canola

and many other oils has demonstrated that earlier findings were flawed, but

unfortunately the earlier flawed studies continue to be cited in error.

 

Canola oil available today is quite low in erucic acid, less than one half

of one percent. (In contrast, mustards contain up to 66% erucic acid.)

 

Erucic acid was bred out of canola to create a more neutral flavor, not

because of health considerations. .Canola oil's neutral flavor makes it

highly versatile-suitable for use in many kinds of recipes.

 

 

 

Myth 5: " Rapeseed is so toxic, insects will not eat it. "

 

Insects are not fond of erucic acid, but canola seed plants, bred to

significantly lower the level of erucic acid, are susceptible to flea

beetles, aphids, cabbage seedpod weevils and all types of foliar feeding

 

insects, which thrive in temperate climates.

 

Because canola is susceptible to numerous pests that thrive in temperate

climate zones, it is grown only in regions that experience extended periods

of freezing. Spectrum's canola seed is grown in Canada and the northern U.S.

 

Myth 6: " Rapeseed or canola is a penetrating industrial oil not fit for

human consumption. "

 

Canola is not industrial oil. It is and has been history's most investigated

fat and feed source for humans

 

and animals.

 

Any organic hydrocarbon (including all vegetable oils) can be processed and

denatured to make industrial chemicals. As an example, flax oil, the richest

vegetarian source available of omega-3 essential fatty acid, can be

denatured to make paint, ink, cosmetics and linseed oil.

 

Canola oil's fatty acid profile consists primarily of the medium 18 carbon

unsaturated fatty acids, including 60% oleic acid, 24% linoleic acid

(omega-6) and 10% alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Omega-3 and omega-6 are

es.5entialfatl)' acids (EFAs) that the body must have to function properly

but cannot produce itself-

 

..Nutritional research is confirming that the fatty acid profile of canola

oil appears to be beneficial in pre- venting and treating coronary heart

disease risk factors including high blood cholesterol and lipid levels as

well as thrombosis.

 

Myth 7: " Rapeseed causes Mad Cow Disease. "

 

There is no proven or even suspected connection between canola or mustard

rape and Mad Cow disease. .The disease occurs when the rendered animal

tissue from sheep and other animals is fed to cattle.

 

..In England, which is where outbreaks of Mad Cow disease occurred, cattle

are not typically fed canola as part of their diet.

 

Myth 8: " Canola oil causes glaucoma. "

 

..No scientific study links glaucoma to any lipid toxicity or diet.

 

Platelet aggregation is a possible cause of glaucoma. In this event, canola

oil may help mitigate the disease because the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty

acids present tend to assist in reduction of platelet aggregation.

 

Myth 9: " Rapeseed " isothiocyatcs " cyanidc-containing compounds

cyano-glycosidcs and glycosidcs in canola intcrfcrc with the biochcmistry of

humans and animals. "

 

Most seeds of any type have small amounts of cyanogetic glycosides. For

instance, when consumed in large quantities, common apple seeds could be

lethal due to the organic cyanide compounds each seed contains. However,

super high concentrations of these toxins are not found in seed oils or

anywhere else in nature.

 

As seeds are expeller pressed and heated above 120°F, isothiocyates and

other compounds are destroyed.

 

Myth 10: " Canola oil may be toxic when used in cooking. "

 

No oil should be allowed to exceed its recommended smoke point! This is true

for all culinary oils including canola. Besides performing poorly, oils

allowed to smoke release carcinogenic free radicals.

 

Spectrum Canola Oil and Organic Canola Oil can be subjected to medium high

heat and are appropriate for use in baking and other oven cooking, crisp

sauteing and medium stir-frying.

 

Spectrum Naturals Super Canola@ has a high monounsaturated fat content

making it suitable for higher heat applications. With a smoke point of

520°F, Super Canola is appropriate for all types of high heat frying as well

as for lower-heat cooking.

 

To request additional information about our GMO policy or scientific

references, visit www.spectrumnaturals.com

or write to us at 1304 Southpoint Blvd., Petaluma, CA 94954