Re: The Great "Mediterranean Diet" Fraud.

adam_becker_sr_at_yahoo.com
Date: 03/25/05 

Date: 25 Mar 2005 15:36:18 -0800

 :: Umm, you sure about the canola? I suspect you mean soy oil

> The Okinawan researchers write: "We found that the most common fat in
> the Okinawan diet is also monounsaturated fat, mostly from the canola
> oil that they use for stir-fry cooking."

OK, I stand corrected. But that must be a relatively new development.
Canola's only been on the market for about 25 years. Certainly the
Okinawin elders weren't using it in their formative years.

> But the fact that Okinawan centenarians use canola oil (or a
> combination of rapeseed oil and soy oil) even in frying is an
indication
> that it is a reasonably safe and healthy choice.

Oh, canola's healthy, all right. Rapeseed oil? From
http://www.wholefoods.com/healthinfo/canola.html

How was Canola Oil developed?
In the late 1970s, canola was bred from rapeseed to contain low amounts
of erucic acid, a long chain fatty acid that had been associated with
detrimental health effects in animal studies [It's thought to be
atherogenic - Adam.] The new oil was referred to as LEAR oil (Low
Erucic Acid Rapeseed) or Canola oil (from Canadian oil low acid, since
most canola oil was grown in Canada).

What is Erucic Acid?
Erucic acid is a 22-carbon fatty acid that is present in all members of
the Brassica family in trace amounts. Erucic acid constitutes 40%-50%
of the fatty acid content in rapeseed, however canola has been bred to
typically contain less than 2% erucic acid. Because of this, canola oil
is thought to have a more neutral taste and to be healthier for human
consumption. Note that erucic acid is not all bad: for individuals with
the wasting disease adrenoleukodystrophy, erucic acid is actually
helpful with treatment and was the lifesaving ingredient of Lorenzo's
oil.

Adam Becker

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Canola oil does not increase lipid peroxidation
    ... The whole idea of canola was to get the erucic acid out of the oil, ... in unsaturated fatty acids (due to the lack of antioxidants). ...
    (sci.med.nutrition)
  • Re: Canola oil does not increase lipid peroxidation
    ... The whole idea of canola was to get the erucic acid out of the oil, ... > in unsaturated fatty acids (due to the lack of antioxidants). ...
    (sci.med.nutrition)
  • Re: is Canada poisoning the world?
    ... RAPE IN A DIFFERENT GUISE ... Recently I bought a cooking oil that's new to our supermarkets, Canola Oil. ... with the blessings of Canadian and US government watchdog agencies. ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Re: is Canada poisoning the world?
    ... RAPE IN A DIFFERENT GUISE ... Canola Oil. ... However, when I had used half the bottle, I concluded that the label ... canola oil come from? ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Re: Plexiglas fabrication ... was: toggle switches
    ... The canola scare is 100% nonsense. ... > _very_ familiar with canola oil, and the oil growers and processors ... > "Cooking at high temperatures with unrefined rapeseed oil now appears ... ALL oils which burn and vaporize at high temperatures produce carcinogens. ...
    (rec.models.railroad)