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Evidence of the health benefits

of canola oil

By Lin Lin, Hanja Allemekinders, Angela Dansby, Lisa Campbell,
Shaunda Durance-Tod, Alvin Berger, and Peter JH Jones

anola oil-based diets have family includes three different species: LEAR oil in Europe. Other types of canola
been shown to reduce plasma Brassica napus, B. rapa, and B. juncea. oil or LEAR are specifically noted.
cholesterol levels in comparison Originally from the Mediterranean Over the past 40 years, canola has
with diets containing higher area and Northern Europe, B. napus become one of the most important oilseed
C levels of saturated fatty is commonly known as rapeseed. crops worldwide. Today, canola oil is the
acids. Consumption of canola oil also Rapeseed was identified in 2000 BC third largest vegetable oil by volume after
influences biological functions that affect as a high-erucic acid crop, containing palm and soya bean oil. The worldwide
various other biomarkers of disease risk. > 40% erucic acid in the oil. production of canola oil in 2010/11 was 38
Previous reviews have focused on the Due to concerns over erucic acid million metric tons, with Europe accounting
health effects of individual components of content that stemmed from animal for 63% and Canada accounting for 31%
canola oil. Here, the objective is to address studies, high-erucic acid rapeseed oil globally. In the United States (US), canola
the health effects of intact canola oil, as this used to be produced in North America oil is one of the most widely consumed
has immediate practical implications for solely in small quantities for industrial, oils, second only to soya bean oil.
consumers, nutritionists, and others deciding non-food use. In 1976, however, Canadian
which oil to consume or recommend. scientists were able to improve the Assessing canola’s health benefits
A literature search was conducted quality of previous cultivars of rapeseed Canola oil is characterised by the
to examine the effects of canola oil through traditional plant breeding, which following: low level (7%) of saturated
consumption on coronary heart disease, led to a conversion to commercially fatty acids (SFAs); substantial amounts
insulin sensitivity, lipid peroxidation, consumable canola cultivars. of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)
inflammation, energy metabolism, and In 1979, Canada registered the word and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs),
cancer cell growth. Data reveals substantial ‘canola’ to describe a new seed found to be including 61% oleic acid, 21% linoleic acid,
reductions in total cholesterol and oil, which was low in erucic acid and low in and 11% alpha-linolenic acid; plant sterols
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as glucosinolates. Canola has specific cut-off (0,53 to 0,97%); and tocopherols (700 to 1
well as other positive actions, including levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates 200 ppm), all of which have data indicating
increased tocopherol levels and improved for both human and animal consumption. they are cardioprotective substances.
insulin sensitivity, compared with In 1977, the low-erucic acid rapeseed With regard to the high MUFA content
consumption of other dietary fat sources. oil containing < 5% erucic acid and low of canola oil, evidence has been provided
In summary, growing scientific glucosinolates was introduced as an edible supporting positive effects of MUFAs
evidence supports the use of canola oil in Europe. In 1985, the Unites States compared with SFAs on cardiovascular
oil, beyond its beneficial actions on Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) health through the regulation of plasma
circulating lipid levels, as a health- granted canola oil generally recognised as lipids and lipoproteins, susceptibility of
promoting component of the diet. safe (GRAS) status as a dietary component. low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, and
Throughout this review, the term insulin sensitivity. Also, for the treatment
Introduction ‘canola oil’ is used to generically refer to the of existing cardiovascular disease, canola
Canola is a bright, yellow-flowering plant presently available conventional canola oil has been recommended for achieving
belonging to the Brassicaceae family. This oil in North America and conventional daily n-3 FA requirements of 1g/day.

42 June 2020