canola vs olive oil

55in13
55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I get canola for a few things where olive oil's taste is not so desirable (like waffles, which I don't eat but my kids do and complain when they taste olive oil). It is significantly cheaper and looking at the label, it seems pretty darn healthy also. So I started digging around. This is a good read:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/canola-oil

Be sure to read the part about the myths. I had heard the rapeseed one. I was really surprised about the saturated fat being so much better than olive oil. The label on a store brand I picked up also indicates no trans fats. So why is olive oil considered to be so much better?

Replies

  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    Maybe reputation? I've heard of the benefits of canola oil, and keep both in my house for the same reason you do (sometimes I like the taste that olive oil imparts, and sometimes I don't). Some cooks, like the ever perky Rachel Ray, really push EVOO as the oil of choice, and that kind of statement has more influence than we think it does sometimes.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I imagine it is due to it's prominence in the Mediterranean Diet.

    ETA: it also oxidizes less easy than veg oils higher in polyunsaturated fat.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    it also oxidizes less easy than veg oils higher in polyunsaturated fat.
    "it" referring to olive oil. Does oxidation cause a problem? I know some oils get rancid easier than others, but I haven't had any type around long enough for that to happen.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    It's a modified crop from rape seed to lower Erucic Acid to make it safe for human consumption. The product is highly refined and also contains trans fats.......personally I stay away from refined vegetable oils, but canola I won't touch.

    Your links first paragraph lost my interest.
  • ngyoung
    ngyoung Posts: 311 Member
    It's a modified crop from rape seed to lower Erucic Acid to make it safe for human consumption. The product is highly refined and also contains trans fats.......personally I stay away from refined vegetable oils, but canola I won't touch.

    Your links first paragraph lost my interest.

    This^^^

    Highly processes and refined. Oxidation in the body causes inflammation of arteries and in turn plaque. That's why anti-oxidents are good for you they help prevent oxidation.

    Canola has been touted as heart healthy but as more research has been done results show it is the exact opposite of healthy same with all refined PUFA.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    it also oxidizes less easy than veg oils higher in polyunsaturated fat.
    "it" referring to olive oil. Does oxidation cause a problem? I know some oils get rancid easier than others, but I haven't had any type around long enough for that to happen.
    Yes oxidation is not good and all refined oils have been oxidized from the get go. Not to worry though, they bleach the oil first to make it clear, then add the color they think adds value, then deodorize it so the smell is neutralized. Processed oils are a wonderful thing. :noway:
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I get canola for a few things where olive oil's taste is not so desirable (like waffles, which I don't eat but my kids do and complain when they taste olive oil). It is significantly cheaper and looking at the label, it seems pretty darn healthy also. So I started digging around. This is a good read:

    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/canola-oil

    Be sure to read the part about the myths. I had heard the rapeseed one. I was really surprised about the saturated fat being so much better than olive oil. The label on a store brand I picked up also indicates no trans fats. So why is olive oil considered to be so much better?

    Most vegetable oils (corn, canola, etc) are already rancid by the time they hit the grocery store shelves and the light bottles contribute further to randcidity.

    I steer clear of any vegetables oils............coconut oil, olive oil, grass fed butter and animal fats are my fats / oils of choice.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Peanut oil... high smoke point, low flavor...
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    I enjoy a variety of oils they all have a purpose in cooking. I think canola is great. I live in a very rural poor area, so access to seafood is not possible, but I can tell clients that a bottle of canola oil is cheap, has great fat ratio, and can handle high heat. I love olive oil in salads and Italian cooking. When I'm cooking Mexican I think lard makes it taste so authentic. Butter for baking. Heart Smart blend for things like toast and potatoes. Variety.

    PS if you can't tell I'm obsessed with fat, LOL!
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
    Saturated fat isn't harmful in moderate amounts. Canola oil only has one gram less than olive oil per serving, so the difference in minimal. Olive oil also contains other benefits such as antioxidants and is linked to improved cognition and improved cardiovascular outcomes.

    I don't use olive oil exclusively, because it's not always appropriate. I substitute with safflower oil, which contains vitamin E. All are healthy, the problem is that canola oil can be processed in many different ways that are very harmful, so you have to pay close attention to the label.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    I'd try an expeller-pressed coconut oil for a neutral taste for waffles. It also isn't likely to go rancid, as it is much more shelf-stable than canola.

    Edit: I'd also suggest macadamia nut oil for cooking at high heat.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    There is enough evidence of canola oil's heart benefits that the FDA allows canola oil manufacturers to label their products with this qualified health claim:

    "Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve this possible benefit, canola oil is to [sic] replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of this product contains [x] grams of canola oil."

    They forget to mention that when replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat that cholesterol levels can go down because HDL is reduced, not to mention particle density of both HDL and LDL lipoproteins.

    And why can't calories be increased if their not saturated fat..........Pretty slick marketing is what it is.
  • CometMeebru
    CometMeebru Posts: 122
    they're both garbage.

    use organic coconut oil
  • janimei
    janimei Posts: 105 Member
    My Fred Meyer (Kroger) stocks an olive oil labeled "light and fruity." I have used it in baking, and the food did not taste like olive oil to me--just provided the fat needed for the baking process.
  • justwanderful
    justwanderful Posts: 142 Member
    I enjoy a variety of oils they all have a purpose in cooking. I think canola is great. I live in a very rural poor area, so access to seafood is not possible, but I can tell clients that a bottle of canola oil is cheap, has great fat ratio, and can handle high heat. I love olive oil in salads and Italian cooking. When I'm cooking Mexican I think lard makes it taste so authentic. Butter for baking. Heart Smart blend for things like toast and potatoes. Variety.


    This!
    I couldn't have said it better myself. Every oil has it's purpose.
    Wine sites have their wine snobs. Beer sites have their craft beer snobs. MFP has oil snobs.
    Any oil used in moderation is OK.

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