Vegetable and seed oils are popular cooking oils, so why is canola oil banned in Europe?
While canola oil isn’t outright banned in the European Union (EU), consumer safety regulatory bodies have called for stricter regulations due to potential health risks and contamination issues.
Learn why you should avoid canola oil and discover five nutritious alternatives to harmful seed oils.
What is canola oil?
Canola oil, also known as rapeseed oil or Canadian oil, is a popular cooking oil extracted from the crushed seeds of the canola plant.
This vegetable oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, and can be used for a range of high-heat cooking methods such as frying, baking, roasting, and sautéing.
Because of its versatility, canola oil is widely utilized by the food industry in products such as margarine, salad dressings, baked goods, snack foods, and processed meals.
Because of its relatively low saturated fat content, canola oil has been marketed as heart-healthy to appeal to consumers’ preferences for cooking oils that support cardiovascular wellness.
However, canola oil is typically highly refined, stripped of beneficial nutrients, contains inflammatory fatty acids, and may be contaminated with chemical residues, making it a less health-conscious choice than many think.
Watch the video below to learn why you shouldn’t cook with vegetables.
Is canola oil banned in Europe?
Although canola oil isn’t banned in Europe, it’s subject to significantly stricter regulations, quality standards, and labeling requirements than canola products sold in other parts of the world.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has raised concerns about the widespread use of canola oil, mainly due to its erucic acid content.
Erucic acid is an omega-9 fatty acid that can promote inflammation and has been linked to fat deposition within heart tissues, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Furthermore, EFSA issued a statement highlighting the potential health risks of erucic acid intake in young children through the consumption of infant formula.
Although most canola oil products don’t have a high erucic acid content, the EFSA implemented strict erucic acid limits, especially in oils likely to be consumed by children.
Infant formula is limited to a maximum of 0.5 percent erucic acid of total fat content, while canola and rapeseed oils for general use shouldn’t exceed 2 percent.
In addition, most canola crops have been engineered through genetic modification (GMO), which increases contamination risks and presents various negative environmental implications.
As a result, non-GMO canola oil or organic canola oil is generally available in Europe, and any GMO canola oil must be explicitly labeled to ensure transparency to consumers.
4 reasons to avoid seed oils
In addition to canola oil, other popular cooking oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, cottonseed, and sunflower oil are also highly processed and low-quality options linked to various health risks.
Here are four reasons to avoid seed oils whenever possible.
1. Imbalanced fatty acid profile
Seed oils are a significant source of omega-6 fatty acids, a group of polyunsaturated fats.
Omega-6 fats play a vital role in maintaining cell structure and hormone production. However, excessive intake can disrupt the body’s fatty acid balance, particularly if dietary omega-3 fat intake is low, which is common in a Western dietary pattern.
An imbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can promote inflammation and increase the risk of various chronic diseases, including obesity, insulin resistance, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders.
In addition, research published in Open Heart found that vegetable oils contain linoleic acid, which has been linked to coronary artery disease development when consumed regularly and in excess.
2. Contamination concerns
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), over 90 percent of all seed oil products are derived from genetically modified (GM) crops.
GM crops are bioengineered to withstand chemical treatment with the herbicide glyphosate, which can lead to higher pesticide residues in the final oil product.
Evidence published in the International Journal of Molecular Science highlights potential health risks associated with long-term glyphosate exposure, including hormonal disruptions, liver problems, and an increased cancer risk.
The authors further suggest, “Glyphosate also seems to exert a significant toxic effect on neurotransmission and to induce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.”
3. Highly processed
Vegetable and seed oils are typically highly refined, involving significant industrial processing, including bleaching, deodorizing, and chemical solvents.
“While hexane is a common solvent used in oil extraction, it isn’t safe for human consumption,” explains Dr. Berg. “Hexane residues can promote chronic inflammation, irritate the respiratory system, and contribute to reproductive issues.”
The industrial production process of seed oils removes naturally occurring nutrients, such as vitamin E and antioxidants, significantly reducing the oil’s health benefits.
High-heat processing can also create small amounts of trans fats, a group of oxidized fatty acids linked to heart disease, atherosclerosis, and inflammation.
4. Environmental impact
In addition to negative health implications, using plant seeds for cooking oil production has a significant carbon footprint due to large-scale monoculture farming and energy-intensive processing.
This has sparked a global debate about sustainability and the environmental consequences of harvesting large quantities of GMO seed oil crops.
Healthy alternatives to seed oils
Because of the potential risks associated with seed and vegetable oils, many consumers choose minimally processed, nutrient-rich alternatives to support overall wellness and achieve their health goals.
Here are five healthy alternatives to seed oils.
1. Grass-fed beef tallow
Beef tallow, especially from grass-fed cattle, is an excellent cooking oil as it provides health-promoting fatty acids and is a notable source of fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.
According to research published in Maturitas, fat-soluble vitamins play a crucial role in maintaining brain health, memory function, and overall cognitive performance in older adults.
In addition, beef tallow has a high smoke point of around 420 degrees F (215 degrees C), making it ideal for frying and roasting without producing harmful compounds.
2. Ghee
Ghee is made by slowly heating butter to remove water and milk solids, creating a pure fat rich in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
It’s also a source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been associated with better metabolic health, improved weight management, and more balanced inflammatory responses.
In addition to its exceptionally high smoke point of around 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), ghee is lactose and casein-free and an excellent choice for those with lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy.
3. Avocado oil
Avocado oil is another excellent alternative to processed vegetable oils as it offers heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin E.
Because of its nutritional profile, regular avocado oil consumption can help support skin health, promote central nervous system integrity, maintain cardiovascular wellness, and offer anti-inflammatory benefits.
Avocado oil has a mild, buttery flavor, which makes it an ideal option for recipes such as Thai Coconut Milk Soup or Keto Baked Chicken with Cheese and Bacon.
4. Coconut oil
Coconut oil, extracted from the fat-rich meat of mature coconuts, has a smooth, creamy consistency and a mild, naturally sweet coconut flavor.
Virgin coconut oil is made by cold pressing, a chemical-free process that preserves its natural flavor and nutrients, making it a highly nutritious and wholesome cooking oil.
It’s also one of the few dietary sources of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a group of fatty acids that are easy to digest and provide a quick energy source for the body and brain.
5. Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins E and K, and antioxidants.
It has a distinct, fruity flavor but a relatively low smoke point, and it’s best used for dressings, drizzling, or light sautéing rather than high-heat cooking.
Olive oil has long been valued for its exceptional health benefits, which are primarily linked to its high concentrations of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. These polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that help protect cells, reduce inflammation, and support heart health.
Evidence published in Frontiers in Nutrition highlights that olive oil-derived polyphenols exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, cardioprotective, antiatherogenic, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anticancer activity.
Key takeaways
Seed oils are among the most widely used cooking oils, so why is canola oil banned in Europe?
Although canola oil is still permitted in Europe, consumer safety authorities have implemented tighter regulations due to concerns over pesticide contamination and health risks, including heart disease and chronic inflammation.
To avoid the negative health implications of processed seed oils, it’s best to opt for nutritious alternatives such as grass-fed beef tallow, ghee, avocado oil, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil.
FAQ
1. Why is canola oil banned in Europe?
While canola oil isn’t banned in Europe, it must meet more stringent regulations, higher quality standards, and detailed labeling rules than canola products sold in other regions.
This is due to health concerns associated with canola oil, including a potential increased risk of heart disease, inflammation, and exposure to chemical residues from processing.
2. What is worse for you, canola oil or vegetable oil?
Canola oil, although technically a seed oil, is also classified as a vegetable oil. Both canola oil and other highly processed vegetable oils may carry health risks because of their high omega-6 fatty acid content, extensive chemical processing, and potential for contamination.
3. What are the dangers of canola oil?
Canola oil poses potential dangers due to its high omega-6 fat content, which may contribute to inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic disease when consumed excessively.
Additionally, chemical solvent extraction used in canola oil processing can introduce potentially harmful compounds and reduce the nutritional value of the oil.
4. Why is canola oil considered inflammatory?
Canola oil is a rich source of omega-6 fatty acids. When consumed in excess, omega-6 fatty acids promote chronic inflammation as they’re converted into pro-inflammatory compounds, which may increase the risk of heart disease, joint problems, and other inflammatory conditions.
5. What is the best alternative to canola oil?
Some of the best alternatives to canola oil include grass-fed beef tallow, ghee, coconut oil, and avocado oil.
Sources
- https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/161109
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6196963/
- https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9101768/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512216300196
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9386289/
