5 Essential Facts about Organic Canola Oil in Melt® Organic Products
A few individuals have approached me with concerns about the use of canola oil in Melt® Organic and Honey Melt®. The main concerns include the following, which I am happy to address:
1. Canola oil is produced using solvents (hexane) and leaves behind residues of toxic chemicals (hexane) in the oil.
Response: Our organic, non-GMO canola oil is produced through an expeller-pressed method so solvents and hexane are not used or present. PLUS, manufacturers of organically certified canola oil, and ALL organic oils, are by law banned from using solvents for extraction.
2. Canola oil is made from GMO seed – even organic canola oil in North America is at risk of containing GMOs due to cross contamination.
Response: We agree that organic canola oil sourced in North America may be contaminated with GMO Seed (unless verified with genetic testing), which is why we source organic canola oil from the Netherlands. Each batch of our organic canola oil is genetically tested to ensure no GMO contamination is present. The Non-GMO Project provides excellent vetting of organic canola sources and requires genetic testing. That is why we are currently in the process of obtaining our non-GMO certification with the Non-GMO Project.
3. Canola oil is often rancid on arrival.
Response: It is possible that conventional canola oils may be rancid on the shelf. However, Melt Organic sources organic canola oil that is tested for rancidity prior to production.
4. Canola oil is high in Omega 6s and Americans already consume too much Omega 6s in their diets.
Response: Our organic canola oil is about 60% monounsaturated fat, 23% Omega 6s, and 10% Omega 3s (with minor amounts of other fatty acids) depending on the batch. As a non-dominant ingredient, the organic canola oil is used to its maximum benefit by boosting the Omega 3s per serving to 425 mg, while maintaining an Omega 6:Omega 3 ratio of 2:1 – an exceptionally low, healthful ratio, especially for a butter replacement. We agree that Omega 6s are consumed in quantities that are far too high to be of nutritional benefit, which is why we are vigilant about keeping the Omega 6:Omega 3 ratio as low as possible in our products. Oils like soy, corn and safflower that are very high in Omega 6s should be avoided for cooking purposes (including potato and corn chips) due to their high polyunsaturated content, which are prone to oxidation, polymerization, and cross-bonding.
5. Canola oil is an invention of the food industry.
Response: Canola oil is the generic brand name for rapeseed oil. The “canola” name is indeed a recent invention of the food industry for marketing purposes since the word “rapeseed” is not as catchy or appealing to the general public. However, rapeseed oil has been around for thousands of years in China, India, and Japan as a food source that was always eaten with saturated fat for proper absorption. The primary difference between today’s canola oil and more ancient rapeseed oil is that the monounsaturated fat in canola oil is primarily oleic acid (which is also found in olive and hi-oleic sunflower oils) instead of erucic acid. It also tends to be refined in today’s use as opposed to unrefined in its ancient use.
–Cygnia F. Rapp, Founder and Chief Science Officer of Prosperity Organic Foods
Posted in: Blog
