Will Canola Oil Kick Me Out of Ketosis?

If you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle, you’ve probably considered using canola oil for cooking because it has a low saturated fat content.

News flash, canola oil isn’t good for your health. It can increase inflammation and affect your heart, among other health risks.

For those on keto you might think that any fat is good for your diet. But what about canola oil’s effect on the keto diet? 

Will canola oil kick me out of ketosis?

Find out if canola oil is keto-friendly and learn the best oils to use when on the keto diet.

What is Canola Oil?

Canola oil is a type of oil that comes from a modified rapeseed plant.

To make the product safe for consumption this seed was modified with cross-breeding in the 1960s. 

The result of this cross-breeding is the canola plant. Many companies say it is non-GMO, but canola oil comes from a genetically modified plant.

This could be because 80% of canola plants in Canada can withstand the treatment of herbicides.

Raw rapeseed oil used to be toxic and damaging to the heart, liver, and kidneys because it was high in erucic acid. Cross-breeding was the manufacturers’ solution to make their product safe.

The erucic acid levels dropped from 2% to 0.5-1%.  

Canola used to be a trademarked name of the Rapeseed Association of Canada. “Can” came from Canada, while “Ola” means oil. 

Is Canola Oil Safe?

Yes. The FDA declared canola oil as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) in 1985.

Before it was declared GRAS, canola oil manufacturers had to go through a lot. First, the FDA banned rapeseed oil because it had too much erucic acid.

Researchers were hired in Canada to develop a new type of rapeseed with low erucic acid and glucosinolates. 

The name “canola” was used in 1978 to trademark the variety, but the Canola Council of Canada took over it in 1980.

Because of these changes, the global consumption of canola oil increased by 1175% from 1961 to 1991. 

Canola Oil Nutritional Information

Canola oil is the third most-produced oil in the world. But is it healthy?

One tablespoon of canola oil has the following

• 124 calories (all from fat)
• 9 grams of monounsaturated fat
• 4 grams of polyunsaturated fat
  • 1279 milligrams of omega-3
  • 2610 milligrams of omega-6
• 1 gram of saturated fat.

Monounsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated fat is known to improve blood cholesterol levels, decreasing your risk of heart disease.

The amount of monounsaturated fat in canola oil is one of the reasons why nutritionists prefer it over other types of oil.

Polyunsaturated Fat

This type of fat is usually found in plant-based foods and oils. Like monounsaturated fats, it improves your blood cholesterol levels.

The total fatty acids in oil have a 2:1 ratio between omega-6 and omega-3, which isn’t ideal compared to the recommended 1:1 ratio.

In fact, the typical Western diet has an estimated ratio of 15:1. 

While omega-6 fats are essential to health, modern diets have been so high in this type of fat that it could cause inflammation.

The imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 is also linked with Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and heart disease.

Animal studies show that canola oil may impact memory. Mice’s chronic exposure to this diet resulted in harm to their memory.

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat comes from animal sources. They raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol levels.

This type of fat can increase your risk of heart disease.

In a study done in 2018, 2071 adults reported how they used specific types of oil for cooking.

Among overweight respondents, those who used canola oil were more likely to have metabolic syndrome than those who rarely or never used it.

It is also worth noting that studies that consider canola oil as good for the heart uses less refined canola oil, not the typical refined oil used for high-heat cooking.

Is Canola Oil Keto-Friendly?

This depends on what you mean by keto-friendly.

If your goal is simply to get in ketosis, then canola oil may be a great help to produce ketones in your body to burn fats for fuel.

However, a high-fat diet like keto does not necessarily mean you can consume all types of fat.

It is still important to differentiate between good fats and bad fats.

The idea that it is acceptable to eat all types of fat on the keto diet also the reason why non-keto dieters demonize the diet.

Besides, if other types of oil guarantee improved cognitive function, heart health, and more, then why opt for canola oil?

You want a keto oil that makes you look and feel good. However, canola oil can have an adverse effect on your body.

Collagen structures may break down with high consumption of canola oil, leading to cellulite.

Canola oil even messes with insulin sensitivity. When you lose insulin sensitivity, you become insulin resistant. 

One study has shown that in four weeks, a group of participants who consumed canola oil developed high insulin levels.

This video explains the health risks of canola oil.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-aIDWMXzPQ&w=560&h=315]

Other Oils to Avoid on Keto

Aside from canola oil, you should also try to avoid the following varieties of oil on keto:

• sesame oil
• vegetable oil
• corn oil
• grapeseed oil
• peanut oil
• safflower oil
• soybean oil
• sunflower oil
• margarine.

The Best Oil to Use on Keto

While canola oil is not the worst type of oil, it still lacks the health benefits of other oils.

If you’re on the keto diet, your goal isn’t just to lose weight but to live a healthier and better quality of life. So, why settle for less?

The most popular oil on the keto diet is MCT oil. You’ll see it on every keto food list and shopping list.

MCT is a good source of fat that is instantly absorbed and converted into ketones. 

It provides rapid energy and the ability to get into ketosis quickly. 

Although it is not recommended for cooking that requires high heat, it has a smoke point of 320°F that is great for cooking most meals.

Bulletproof Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil is one of the first and the best MCT oils. 

This MCT oil is perfect for your baked goods, drinks, fried meals, and more because it is made of 100% caprylic acid triglycerides from coconut oil. 

This MCT produces ketones more efficiently than other forms!

Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil is flavorless, so feel free to blend it into your coffee, tea, smoothies, and salads!

FAQs Fats and Ketosis

How Do I Get into Ketosis?

The principal way to get into ketosis is by minimizing carb consumption and increasing high-quality fat intake. 

Eating low-carb meals and high-fat meals reduces glucose levels in the body while increasing the level of ketones.

Find out more about how you can get in ketosis!

What Kinds of Fat Should I Eat on Keto?

The best quality fat sources for ketosis should be saturated, monounsaturated, and natural trans fats.

Natural polyunsaturated fats are also acceptable on keto.

These kinds of fats can improve your heart health, brain function, and more.

Avoid processed trans fats that can increase inflammation and your risk of getting heart disease.

We have a guide to good fats and fats on keto for you to check out!

Does MCT Oil Also Cause Inflammation?

Canola oil may cause inflammation, but MCT oil doesn’t. 

MCT oil has anti-inflammatory properties due to the capric acid. It’s a 10-carbon chain MCT that has anti-inflammatory effects for quick energy.

Because of this, MCT oil does not increase the risk of heart, liver, and other types of diseases.

Learn more about MCT oil’s anti-inflammatory properties now!

How Can I Use MCT Oil on Keto?

MCT oil can be used for medium-heat cooking, salad dressings, baking, making drinks, and more!

MCT oil is heat-stable up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use this for slow-roasting or gentle cooking.

In fact, MCT oil can come in the form of oil or powder.

Find out more about using MCT oil in recipes!  

Cut Out Canola Oil Now!

Multiple studies have already proven that canola oil is not good for your health. It can increase the risk of heart disease and memory loss.

Instead of using canola oil for your keto meals, use MCT oil for more health benefits and a boost to your ketosis.

Learn about the advantages of MCT oil on the keto diet now!