Does Canola Oil Belong in a Gout Diet?
In this article, we’re going to give you the straight goods on Canola oil –the good, bad, and the ugly.
Canola oil is a genetically modified oil, produced and marketed by manufacturers as one of the “healthiest” cooking oils to use. However, that is not the case at all –one needs to wonder how the scientific community fails us so on a regular basis with half-baked studies and so-called research.
We did our own research and learned that canola oil is not only bad for your health but for your gout as well. It’s not hard to figure out exactly why Canola is bad for you, there are clues from soil to plate.
Where Does Canola Oil Come From? And How is It Produced?
Before we learn about the dangerous effects of canola oil, let’s take a look at the origins of canola oil. Named after its place of origin (“Can” for Canadian and “ola” for oil), canola oil comes from rapeseeds that were modified to have low levels of erucic acid making it “safe” for human consumption.
It uses a toxic solvent called hexane to extract oil from rapeseed plant. It’s then degummed, neutralized, bleached, winterized, and deodorized. These methods rid the oil of healthy plant compounds, lipid, and waxes. As a result of this highly unnatural processing method, you are left with lots of artificial trans fats which have zero benefit and are extremely harmful.
Since canola oil oxidizes very easily, manufacturers have to add synthetic antioxidants to increase its shelf life. They add antioxidants such as BHT, BHA, TBHQ, which are known to be very dangerous for your health. If consumed for long periods, these preservatives can have toxic effects to the body. Sure, low doses are fine according to the FDA but people are predisposed to consuming more than what they’re allowed.
Also, the fact that canola oil is so highly processed unlike other healthy oils like butter or olive oil should be enough to turn you away from it.
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Why Canola Oil is Shady
Take note that canola oil is the same type of oil used to produce candles, lipsticks, lubricants, soap, biofuels, and insecticides. Ever since manufacturers learned how to genetically modify rapeseed oil, they began to market canola oil not just as an edible food product but a healthy one at that! Their claim for this is because canola oil is high in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and low in saturated fats.
It is a common belief that saturated fats are bad while unsaturated fats are good. But recent studies have shown that saturated fat has nothing to do with heart disease. Therefore, its claim as a health food for being low in saturated fat is completely irrelevant.
Another health claim of canola oil is that it’s supposed to lower cholesterol. While it is true that vegetable oils like canola oil decrease cholesterol short-term, studies have shown that they can actually increase your risk for heart problems over the long term.
It’s also very unlikely that the omega-3s found in canola oil are beneficial for you. It mainly contains alpha linolenic acid which is a form of omega-3 that’s not efficiently converted by the body into EPA or DHA. In short, it’s useless!
Omega-3 fatty acids get rancid very easily and by the time it has gone through high heat and questionable chemicals, it’s already converted into trans fats. You just don’t smell it because it’s deodorized. You’re better off eating fish or taking fish oil supplement if you really want to get those beneficial omega-3s.
Negative Side Effects of Canola Oil on Gout & Other Risks
There are no viable studies on genetically modified canola oil yet but there have been many reports of its negative effects on the kidney, liver, and heart. In a study done by the Environmental Sciences Europe, they found female and male mammal’s kidneys and livers to be disrupted as a result of consuming GMO soybeans and corn.
If you have gout, you know all too well how essential liver and kidney function is to manage your condition. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to process uric acid properly and as a result, you experience gout attacks or worse, you develop a condition called tophi wherein deposits of uric acid crystals form into lumps that build up in your joints, skin, and cartilage.
The disproportionate ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, 2:1, in canola oil also worsens your inflammation. A healthier ratio would be 1:1. However, achieving that ideal ratio would be next to impossible considering that canola oil is found in so many processed foods today.
Canola oil has also been found to lead to heart problems due to its high erucic acid content. This type of fatty acid is strongly associated with heart problems, particularly Keshan disease. It increases your risk for coronary heart disease since it causes inflammation and calcification in the arteries.
If your family has a history of hypertension and stroke, avoid canola oil completely. It shortens blood coagulation time and increases the red blood cell membrane’s fragility.
Canola Oil Alternatives
As much as possible, avoid canola oil. Don’t ever use it for cooking or consume it by itself, EVER. There are much more healthier alternatives out there such as olive oil which I prefer. Extra virgin olive oil is a strong anti-inflammatory that helps with up to 100 inflammation causing genes. In one study, it shows having similar potencies as Ibuprofen when it comes to inhibiting pro-inflammatory enzymes and dampening pain sensitivity.
You can use olive oil as dressing for salads, vegetables, and even cooking. Yes, you CAN cook with olive oil. Contrary to popular belief, cooking with extra virgin olive oil is not harmful. Unlike other cooking oils, it does not oxidize as much and remains stable even when under high heat for long periods of time.
Be sure to check the label when purchasing extra virgin olive oil especially if you’re in the US. Most manufacturers use the term “extra virgin” loosely unlike in Europe where regulations for labels are very strict. Look for the labels “COOC” (California Olive Oil Council),”D.O.P”/”D.P.O” (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta) , “D.O” (Denominacion de Origen), or “A.O.C.” (Appellation D’origine Controlée) on the label.
In Conclusion
To help manage your gout effectively, get rid of canola oil completely from your diet and replace with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil. Check your pantry and throw any canola oil in the trash! Also, check food labels carefully and avoid eating processed foods whenever you can. Unfortunately, many processed foods have canola oil as a leading ingredient. Having gout attacks is already bad enough as it is. Why screw up your body chemistry when you can have healthier alternatives that are just as accessible as canola oil?
25 replies to "Gout and Canola Oil"
ER last night… since Sunday could not take the toe pain any more. I’m only 61… (26 in my mind). Dr said it was gout… how depressing. After reading just a little of your blog I am thoroughly impressed and know there’s more to learn and change to feel better. Please tell me about this medication they prescribed, indomethacin 50 mg?
Hi Heidi!
Indomethacin should be fine to get rid of the pain and inflammation.
I’m sure they will recommend you do bloodwork to determine your uric acid level.
Then your doctor will decide what next steps to take.
Good luck!
Dear Spiro,
for Asian foods cooking olive oil won’t be suitable or any substitute for it.
Thanks!
Regards.
Kairon
True!
But you shouldn’t be eating Asian foods that are deep fried or stir fried in a gout diet.
It will elevate uric acid as well as your cholesterol.
Spiro
Canola oil is so heavily processed in extreme unnatural conditions and such a recent invention of modern industry – What true ethnic food requires canola oil? Absolutely none LOL.
Canola oil is absolutely not good for human consumption and is dangerous for high heat. It is high in polyUNsaturated fats. These molecules are unstable. they are UNsaturated fats. They have to pump canola oil full of preservatives or else in woudl go rancid within days. It is inflamatory on the body and high in omega 6 and 9. it can never be a useful source of omega 3 because the ratio of 3,6, 9 it delivers is so unhealthy and inflammatory. Canola oil is a source of trans fats. If you reuse canola oil in a pan, reheat cold foods previously cooked with canola oil youre creating trans fats. These are not the natural trans fat that come from ruminant meat, these are modern day, industrial trans fats and atrocious for your heatlh with no safe limit. Now just imagine all the canola oil used at restaurants nowadays using the same cooking surface all day long. Avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee are proper cooking fats – These are mostly saturated fats. not Unstable, inflammatory.
Thank you for sharing this. I was diagnosed with gouty arthritis when I was 23 and I didn’t even know that one of the main cause the the oil I used in cooking. Thank you so much for sharing I’ll be changing my cooking oil to olive oil.
I have gout, pls can I eat rice, beans and drink orange juice?
Hi Romeo!
Yes eat 100% whole grain brown rice, beans are great and try to limit drinking orange juice. Remember I advise you consume no more than 26 grams of sugar daily. So if a glass of orange juice has say 25 grams of sugar, you are basically at your limit for the day and won’t be able to eat any more sugar.
Spiro..Thanks just found you and I believe my health will improve as days go by..Knowledge is so important…
How about coconut oil?
Coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol as much or more compared to animal fats! For the health of your heart, lowering your LDL cholesterol is the single most important thing to do. The fat in coconut oil is 92% saturated fat.Do not cook with it! I love applying it topically though for many skin related treatments. Works wonders for rashes, pimples etc…
What about sunflower oil ?
Nope! Only cold pressed olive oil. Go visit your doctor afterwards and he/she will tell you that you have the best cholesterol numbers they’ve seen.
Thank you so much for the valuable information…
I would put soybean oil into the same category as canola oil (maybe even worse because of its potential non-calorie based ties with obesity). While elimination is not necessary except for allergies (my mom is allergic to canola), limiting them as much as possible is best. Most of my fats now come from extra virgin olive oil on salads (majority), dairy in moderation (butter, cheese, and milk), and small few ounce portions of lean meats and oily fish. Dramatically reducing the refined sugars and soybean oil with my gout diet has resulted in 25 pounds of weight loss (some indications tying soybean oil consumption to obesity through its effects on hormones).
Another discovery in my goal to rid myself of gout attacks is the critically important potassium to sodium intake ratio. It is EXTREMELY important that your diet have TWICE as much potassium as sodium. And as the recommended maximum daily intake of potassium is 4700 mg, you should ABSOLUTELY NOT get more than 2350 mg of sodium a day from your diet. And for many people, even this is too much. Following this ratio religiously, I have noticed several health benefits. My joint pain (gout and other types) and swelling is essentially GONE. I reduced my blood pressure from 140 over 95 down to 110 over 70. Also, my heart rate has been significantly reduced (from 85 beats/minute down to 65 beats/per minute at rest). All of this was done without strenuous exercise.
Thanks for the comment Mark!
Hi Spiro!
I am now worried, canola oil? I thought that canola is safe like olive oil. I’ve using it for a while not knowing its’ destructiveness. I am worried.
Simply switch to extra virgin olive oil. Canola oil is simply not good for anybody.
Hi again Spiro!
I have just recently read that indapamide, used to treat hypertension, should not be used by anyone who has a flair up of gout.
You probably already know that but just in case you hadn’t heard. We have to watch out for everything don’t we?
Thank you for this life saving information. I always prefer canola oil to other oils. Now I am gonna stop it.
I would like to order the ‘Gout and You’ cookbook but I am from Papua New Guinea, a small island country North of Australia. My country is not included in the Drop-Down list on the order form.
Therefore,how can I order?
Need you help.
Thank you
Julieth
I really need this book. Please can you send it to m
Hi Julieth!
You can order from Amazon and from our store.
Here is the link:
https://shop.goutandyou.com/collections/order-bump/products/gout-and-you-the-ultimate-gout-diet-and-cookbook
Dear Spiro Thank you so much for the valuable information about canola oil , I have been using olive, sesame and sunflower seed oil .I don’t know why but for no reason I have stopped consuming canola oil long time ago. God bless you .
Thanks for the update!
Billy
Hi All I’m noob here. Good post! Thx! Thx!
Dear Spiro. Thank you for your update on “healthy” canola oil. I have avoided it wherever possible for a number of years. One note that struck a cord was the calcification of the arteries it may cause. Only this week I had a stent fitted to one of the main arteries in my heart.It was heavily calcified. Fortunately, the stent has opened the artery to its proper size. Why is it that governments are so blind when studies prove the danger of canola and allow it to be so freely available? It flabbergasts me. Thank you again
Regards
Graham Feeney