Canola Oil

First, yuck. But real talk; if I’m going to have canola oil, I want it to be in something that’s so deep fried and delicious I already know the havoc it’s going to cause and I’m okay with it for the 6 minutes of pleasure that will come from eating it.  

 

NOT MY ALT-MILK. 

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you- that box of creamy oat milk you love so much, it has canola oil in it. Most likely as the 2nd ingredient. It may say rapeseed- even worse, or claim to have a “healthier” oil like sunflower oil (it’s not healthier) but either way processed vegetable oil makes up a big part of boxed oat milks and it’s nasty. 

Canola oil is a GMO derived from rapeseed oil (what you’ll find in Oatly brand oat milks). Back in the 70’s, scientists realized the erucic acid in rapeseed oil was too dangerous for human consumption so they set out to create a less dangerous version - canola oil. Unfortunately for us, some erucic acid was still allowed in this new oil, even though it was clear that it could cause inflammation, heart issues, and more. 

 

But erucic acid isn’t the only issue with canola oil. 

 

Canola oil plants are heavily sprayed with glyphosate (remember we told you about this nasty pesticide last week?), a contaminant known to cause major health risks in humans including digestive issues, hormone disruption, and cancer. 

The way canola oil is manufactured is also incredibly dangerous. Canola oil, as well as other vegetable oils (hello sunflower oil) go through a process called hexane solvent extraction. Manufacturers grind the seeds and then use hexane (a dangerous chemical) to extract the oil. Once extracted the oil is heated and bleached- aka deodorized. This manufacturing process destroys healthy Omega-3s, creating higher levels of oxidation and trans fat content. The bad fats.  

One last step to make sure the oil is definitely not fit for human consumption: synthetic antioxidants are added in order to preserve the oil.  These synthetic antioxidants are proven carcinogens and toxins linked to liver issues and more.  

 

I know, that's a lot of info. So here’s a clear list of how canola oil, and other vegetable oils, can negatively impact your health: 

 

 -May increase risk of autoimmunity by raising the body’s imbalance of omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio and by increasing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation

-A high omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio increases risk of depression, cognitive decline, and dementia

-Decrease HDL (good) cholesterol

-Cause endothelial dysfunction (bad functioning of the lining of your blood vessels)

-Lower insulin sensitivity

-Increase the risk of coronary heart disease and strokes

-Induce body fat accumulation

 

So why do food/oat milk companies add canola and vegetable oils to their products?  IT’S CHEAP. It’s cheap, makes our palates happy, and adds viscosity so they can skimp on the real food ingredients. And because they don’t GAF about you, the consumer. When we say “canola oil doesn’t belong in alt-milk,” - WE MEAN IT!! This stuff is nasty and it’s not just about it causing weight gain- you are literally starting your day off with something that is detrimental to your health and the health of your family. 

 

We worked really hard to create a better oat milk with our Super Oat. We wanted that creaminess but weren’t willing to use oils to get it. We spent over a year in R&D to come up with a recipe that was truly nutrient dense, clean ingredient, and tasted delicious. You’ll never find oils in our oat mylk or any other product we create. Only real food ingredients, made with integrity and love. Because YOU’RE worth the hard work!