A short piece from Acres USA, March 2001 acts as an introduction to the report. We've all been told at some time or another that canola is one of the healthiest oils on the market. And on the practical side of things, canola isn't that good either. Because of its high sulphur content, it goes rancid easily, and baked goods used with the oil develop molds rather quickly. It has been very much in vogue in healthfood circles to praise canola oil as very healthy oil-high in polyunsaturates, while condemning tropical oils such as coconut or palm oil as being saturated and unhealthy.
Rapeseed oil contains toxic erucic acid.
Canola has much less erucic acid in it. Healthfood store operators parrot the hype without checking any facts. Consumers search out various products with canola oil in them because they believe this is somehow much healthier than other oils. All foodgrade canola, including the varieties sold in healthfood stores, are deodorized from its natural terrible stink with 300 degree F. high-temperature refining. You cannot cook a vegetable oil at that temperature and leave behind anything much edible.