PLANTIVA HEALTH BRIEFS

Canola Oil: Angel or Devil?

There's been a lot of discussion about canola oil recently, with competing claims as to whether it's good for you or bad for you.

We're not in a position to settle that debate one way or the other, but we've seen canola oil have some very interesting effects on people's health.

Most importantly, we've found that canola oil causes significant sleep problems in some people. We aren't sure why, but eating canola can interfere with their sleep for days afterwards, and the effect is quite repeatable and reliable. Needless to say, these individuals have chosen to eliminate canola oil from their diet completely.

At the other end of the spectrum, some people experience no noticeable ill effects other than that they consistently "don't feel quite right" after eating food prepared with canola oil, or they "have to force themself to eat" food containing canola oil. While these effects are subtle enough to be ignored, we recommend always listening to your body (rather than your tastebuds) when it tells you what you should or shouldn't eat.

Your body is unique, not like anyone else's, and if you listen it will tell you what is good for it and what isn't.

So if you're battling insomnia or other health issues, you might try eliminating canola oil from your diet for a week or two and see if it makes any difference. (You'll need to read the labels on any prepared foods carefully to see if canola oil is included.)

It's perhaps unlikely that you're one of the people who has a significant negative reaction to canola, but it costs nothing to give it a try!

We've found that food intolerances are at the root of many health issues. You can learn more here.