I Didn’t Know That. . .

Q: Reports on the Internet say that canola oil is dangerous or even toxic. Is that true?

A: Absolutely not, according to all experts contacted by The Times. There is no evidence whatsoever that canola oil has any adverse effects. Canola is simply a special form of rapeseed oil, which has been consumed by humans and animals for centuries. Canola is a word coined from Canada and oil because it was first produced there in large quantities. Wild rapeseed contains erucic acid, a fatty acid that has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease in mice, but domesticated varieties do not contain it. In fact, they have a relatively high level of alpha-linoleic acid, which reduces the risk of heart disease, and canola oil has many beneficial effects.