Canola oil: Does it contain toxins?

I read an article on the Internet that said canola oil contains toxins that are harmful to humans. Is this true?

- Majid / No state given

Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Health concerns about canola oil that are being circulated on the Internet are unfounded.

Misinformation about the safety of canola oil may stem from the fact that, years ago, oil was produced from the rapeseed plant. Rapeseed oil contains very high levels — 30 percent to 60 percent — of erucic acid, a compound that in large amounts can be toxic to humans. The canola plant was developed by natural cross-breeding from the rapeseed plant in the early 1970s. Canola oil is produced from canola plants, not rapeseed plants.

Canola plants have very low levels of erucic acid. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), canola oil contains erucic acid levels in the range of 0.3 percent to 1.2 percent. This is well below the 2 percent limit set by the FDA.

Canola oil is very low in saturated fat and has a very high proportion of monounsaturated fat. So, it's a healthy and safe choice when it comes to oils.