Not too long ago, I reviewed African Royale Hot Six Oil.  As always, I pay attention to the ingredient list and this time I saw canola oil.  I had been experiencing some skin issues and this oil seemed to calm it all down.  This experience caused me to ponder the ingredients. The top five ingredients were - olive oil, canola oil, wheat germ oil, sweet almond oil and safflower oil respectively.

Having researched and heard of the benefits of some of the others, I was curious about canola oil.  I cook with it from time to time, have read some conflicting opinions about it in the past and now I'm finding it as the second ingredient in a product that seemed to work well for me. So, let's break this down!

What is canola?

If you're anything like me, you probably thought is was corn oil.  Well, it isn't.  Canola is a genetically modified organism (GMO).  What this means is that a group of scientists came together, pulled molecules from different sources and put them together to create a new species of plant.  There is no such thing as a canola plant created by the Creator.

Derived primarily from molecules of the rapeseed plant (of the mustard family), canola is in fact Canadian fuel.  In other words, it is Canadian oil. A combination of the words Canada and oil is where the word canola derives.  So, the plant was created and so was the word.

How is canola used?

Canola is used as a fuel, food additive and skin emollient.  Dherbs.com suggests that oils like canola aid in solidifying toxic matter in the body resulting in gall stones and kidney stones.

I sit here in awe remembering when the advice was given to substitute canola oil for other oils because of the low amount of saturated fat. We later discover the truth.  Apparently, the FDA has approved it as a source to lower the chances of coronary disease.  Perhaps that approval is where the craze began.

Canola as a skin emollient

As I mentioned earlier, it appears to work for my skin.  Why and how?  Apparently the oil supposedly contains vitamin E and a bit of protein.  In my opinion, the true reason why it is used is simple - it is cheap and it works. (I'm thinking of mineral oil again.) Manufacturers and formulators could have easily used ancient recipes that include materials from the earth (not genetically modified), but that approach is of course more expensive.  For example, sweet almond oil has been used for centuries in beauty treatments and essential oil blends.

If canola oil is so toxic, how can I purchase it at the grocery store and find it in my personal care products?  Again, it all comes back to the mighty dollar.  Certainly, approval by the FDA will make it possible.

Please know that after this product is finished, I will avoid purchasing products containing canola and try to avoid canola in my family's food items (that will be more difficult because it is present in so many foods).  This whole GMO craze is just scary to me!

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist, biologist or chemist.  I am simply a curious woman making moves towards a healthier lifestyle full of whole foods for health, hair and beauty.  If you have any information to share/dispute about this oil, please share them by commenting below.