Not all oils are created equal, especially if you are on a specialized diet like the keto diet.
The keto diet can include many oils and is high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates, but not all are good for you.
Canola is one of the more common vegetable oils, so is canola oil keto, and can you cook with it if you’re on a keto diet?
These oils, which include vegetable, soybean, safflower, canola, and corn, are highly processed oils that undergo intensive refining processes to extract their fat.
The process can severely impact your health and has been linked to weight gain and chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, cancers, and heart disease.
In addition, processed oils like canola oil are unstable and will break down quickly when exposed to heat.
Once broken down, it can release extremely harmful compounds like acrylamide, an industrial chemical linked to cancer.
Canola oil is also high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fats that can cause inflammation if there are insufficient omega-3 fats to balance it out.
An imbalance of omega-3 and 6 in your body has been linked to chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, obesity, hypertension, and heart disease.
Many people have cut canola oil out of their diets due to its health effects and concerns over the production methods, especially for low-grade, mass-produced canola.
Is Canola Oil High In Carbs?
No, canola oil contains zero carbohydrates, similar to almost all other oils.
This makes it an excellent choice for those looking to limit their carb intake without sacrificing taste or texture.
In addition, canola oil has a high smoke point, so you can use it in ways that require higher temperatures without breaking down or causing any off flavors.
Is Canola Oil A Healthy Fat?
Refined canola oil is one of the most unhealthy fats available today, mainly due to the manufacturing process and the fact that over 90% of all commercially-available canola is genetically modified to be more pest-resistant.
In 2011, one study found that canola oil increases inflammation and oxidative stress, the excess of free radicals that can cause serious conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and cancers.
The study found that animals fed canola oil had increased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, and a significantly decreased lifespan compared to that fed soybean oil.
Another study in 2020 involved human participants that were fed either olive oil or canola oil for a period of six weeks.
After six weeks, those in the olive oil group showed significantly lower levels of interleukine-6, which causes health inflammation and increases the risk of heart disease.
Low-quality refined canola oil is also linked to decreased memory and brain function.
This human study of 180 people randomly assigned half of the group to a diet with olive oil and the other half to that of refined vegetable oils like canola and corn.
After a year, the olive oil group showed significant memory and brain function improvement, while that of the refined oil group showed a noticeable decline.
However, not all canola oil can be bad for your health, but this might be difficult and pricey to obtain.
Unrefined cold-pressed canola oil is much healthier because it’s higher in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and contains no trans fats.
Cold-pressed canola oil also maintains more of its original nutrients due to minimal heat exposure during extraction, which limits its oxidation process.
Because of the difficulty of obtaining quality canola oils, many have chosen to switch to other oils that have hard-backed, scientific evidence of their health benefits, like coconut, olive, and avocado oils.
Why Is Vegetable Oil Not Keto?
Although vegetable oil contains zero carbs, it is considered a no-no in the ketogenic diet because it is highly processed and contains high omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-6 fatty acids are necessary for a balanced diet, but they are pro-inflammatory in nature and can cause inflammation leading to unwanted health conditions.
Since vegetable oil was introduced into the Western diet, there has been a corresponding rise in obesity and other chronic diseases.
Furthermore, vegetable oils are often made with genetically modified crops like canola and corn, which may further increase inflammation.
This can lead to an imbalance in insulin levels, leading to an increased risk for diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Vegetable oil does not provide any dietary fiber or beneficial nutrients like extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oils do, making it an unwise choice for individuals on a keto diet.
For those looking to cook healthier dishes without sacrificing flavor, plenty of vegetable oil alternatives preserve nutrition and taste.
From olive oil and coconut oil as standbys to nut oils for more exotic tastes, switching from less healthy vegetable oils can be a simple and tasty way to add a bit of extra healthiness to your meal plan.
Is Peanut Butter Allowed In Keto?
Peanut butter is one of the most beloved types of butter out there and has been part of people’s dietary habits for many years.
High in protein and fats but low in carbohydrates, peanut butter is an excellent addition if you are on a keto diet.
However, be sure to choose brands that don’t contain any added sugar or sweeteners.
Sugar will significantly add to your daily carb count, and you might risk kicking your body out of ketosis.
One tablespoon of unsweetened peanut butter contains approximately 3 grams of carbs, which is well below the 50 grams maximum allowed by most ketogenic diets.
While you should always practice portion control and moderation with your peanut butter consumption, rest assured that incorporating peanut butter into your daily menu as a fat source will not kick you out of ketosis.
Does Canola Oil Spike Blood Sugar?
When you consume sugars and refined carbs, your body quickly breaks them down into glucose, distributed throughout your bloodstream.
As a result, your blood sugars spike rapidly.
Regularly consuming high-sugar foods and drinks can lead to dangerous health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes.
Instead, opt for nutrient-dense snacks like nuts, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins to keep your blood sugars balanced and healthy.
By including more protein and fiber with each meal or snack, you can achieve healthy blood sugar levels that stay stable over time.
What Is Unhealthy About Canola Oil?
Canola oil is highly refined and almost pure fat and contains few nutrients, making it far from healthy.
The primary health concern associated with canola oil is its heavy reliance on heavily processed refining processes that use solvents, hexane, and high temperatures, which can damage and alter fatty acids in the oil.
This means that much of what remains in canola oil after production contains trans fats, free radicals, and other harmful byproducts.
In short, consuming large amounts of Canola oil can be hazardous to your health due to its lack of natural nutrition and questionable refining processes.
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.