Is Canola Oil Paleo? A Deep Look at Canola and the Caveman Diet

Understanding the Paleo Diet and Its Rules on Oils

The paleo diet, also known as the caveman diet, is a popular diet that advocates eating real, unprocessed foods that our early hunter-gatherer ancestors would have consumed. This includes meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Processed foods, sugar, salt, legumes and dairy are excluded from the paleo diet. When it comes to fat and oils, the rules are a bit more complex.

What Types of Fats Are Allowed on the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet encourages using natural fats and oils that come from plants and animals. These types of fats have sustained human health for thousands of years. Recommended fats on paleo include:

• Lard and tallow from grass-fed animals
• Duck fat and goose fat
• Coconut oil, palm oil and red palm oil
• Olive oil, avocado oil and walnut oil
• Fish oil and cod liver oil

The key is that these fats come from whole, minimally processed sources and contain a healthy balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Why Processed Seed and Vegetable Oils Are Restricted

Modern vegetable oils like canola, soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed and grapeseed oils are highly processed oils that did not exist in hunter-gatherer times. They are extracted with chemical solvents, deodorized and altered with high heat. This processing negatively affects the natural fatty acid composition of the oils.

These seed oils tend to be very high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, without counterbalancing omega-3s. Overconsumption of these oils has been linked to chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Examining Canola Oil and the Paleo Diet

So when it comes to the question is canola oil paleo the answer really depends on your interpretation of the paleo diet rules. Lets take a deeper look at canola oil.

What is Canola Oil?

Canola oil comes from rapeseed plants that have been bred to have lower levels of erucic acid and reduced glucosinolates. Through selective breeding, scientists developed a rapeseed cultivar that produced an oil safe for human consumption in the 1970s. This was the birth of canola oil.

While canola oil contains less erucic acid and glucosinolates than traditional rapeseed oil, it is still a highly processed food. After crushing and extracting the oil from rapeseeds, canola oil goes through bleaching, degumming, neutralization and deodorization.

Nutrition Profile of Canola Oil

Here is how one tablespoon (14 grams) of canola oil breaks down nutritionally:

• 124 calories
• 14 grams fat
• 1.6 grams saturated fat
• 8 grams monounsaturated fat
• 3.1 grams polyunsaturated fat
• 1,926 IU of vitamin E

As you can see, canola oil is very high in unsaturated fats. It also contains vitamin E and does not contain any cholesterol. Advocates promote canola oil as heart healthy.

Common Concerns About Consuming Canola Oil

However, there are some common concerns about canola oil, including:

• Highly processed using solvent extraction, heat and pressure
• GMO crops are used to produce most canola oil
• Trace amounts of trans fats due to processing
• Heavily subsidized genetically engineered crop in the U.S.
• Crops are often treated with pesticides and herbicides
• Hexane residue may exist in trace amounts

Additionally, some nutrition experts believe canola oil consumption may lead to vitamin E deficiency over time due to oxidative stability issues. The structure of the fatty acids in canola oil makes it susceptible to oxidation, especially when used for cooking.

Is Canola Oil Paleo: The Verdict

While opinions may vary among different interpretations of the paleo diet, most followers would agree that canola oil should be avoided. The reasons why canola oil is not paleo-friendly include:

• Highly processed modern oil that does not occur naturally
• Contains high omega-6 without balancing omega-3 fatty acids
• GMO crops are used in production
• Hexane solvent extraction used to produce oil
• Susceptible to oxidation at high heat due to fat structure

For those following a strict paleo diet without any modern foods, using canola oil would violate these standards. Even though canola oil contains heart healthy fats, the risks of oxidization and processing methods outweigh potential benefits.

Healthier Paleo-Friendly Oils

Instead of using canola oil, try using these good paleo oil alternatives:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Coconut oil
• Walnut oil
• Macadamia nut oil
• Red palm oil
• Lard or tallow from grass-fed animals

In conclusion, most paleo diet experts would advise avoiding canola oil due to processing methods. While canola oil does contain heart healthy fats, risks of oxidation and hexane solvent extraction make it incompatible with the core principles of the paleo diet.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.