Canola Oil Benefits Your Health

Canola Oil has endured various rumours regarding its association with the rape plant and in turn has been seen as the by-product from rapeseed. To clear all uncertainty Canola Oil is made from rapeseed, but the variety of rapeseed used to produce the oil is not identical to the common rapeseed plant.

In the early 1970’s, Canola was developed using traditional plant breeding techniques (cross-breeding), to reduce the unwanted levels of erucic acid and glycosylates that were found in the parent rapeseed plant. Canola is completely healthy and safe, according to FSANZ (Food safety, Australia and New Zealand) the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration), Health Canada, the OECD (The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Canola has the lowest saturated fat content, high in cholesterol-lowering mono-unsaturated fats and the best source of omega-3 fats of all oils.

Canola oil is of such a superior nature that CANSA has recognised the product as a ‘Smart Choice’ because it contains up to 12% omega-3 fatty acids, an excellent omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of 2 to 1 and can reduce the production of molecules and substances linked to inflammation.” According to EPA, canola oil’s ‘toxicological profiles are similar to those of other vegetable oils that are used in food’.

Canola has a high smoking point; this is the temperature where the oil starts to break down. Oils with a high smoking point allow you to cook or fry at higher temperatures without your oil smoking and eventually adding unwanted flavours to your food. Canola is non-allergenic; food allergens are proteins that cause the body’s immune system to react to susceptible individuals. Traditional refined canola does not contain proteins, and will rarely, if ever, cause any allergic reaction.

“Finally, contrary to Pratico’s claim that “very few studies have examined the claim that canola oil is healthy,” there is substantial evidence based on human clinical trials attesting to this fact, especially canola oil’s ability to help reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, clinical studies have been going on for decades involving thousands of human volunteers to examine canola oil and its effects on the body.

B-well Canola Oil is the only cooking oil that carries both the Heart Mark from the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa and an endorsement from CANSA for its health benefits. A beneficial and high in omega 3 food such as canola oil with a superior fatty acid composition cannot be labelled toxic, based on flimsy, non-peer-reviewed and non-replicated evidence from research conducted 20 years ago in the US. CANSA will continue to recognise and support local canola oil with the CANSA’s ‘Smart Choice’ Seal’ – as it has done for many years.

The B-well brand believes that supporting local farmers in delivering a nutritious, high-quality product can contribute to positive change in the well-being of all South Africans to lead to healthier choices. Canola Oil benefits your health.