Most books I have read recently on the microbiome stress the importance of eating good fats including olive oil, butter and coconut oil and avoiding the rest including most seed oils which tend to be high in polyunsaturates. However, rapeseed oil is different in that it has a healthy profile and is high in omega-3. The American writers advise us to avoid rapeseed (which they call canola) on the grounds that sources are genetically engineered and may therefore be subjected to higher levels of pesticides, and production methods use solvents which are to be avoided. However, am I correct in thinking that any rapeseed grown in the UK and the EU is not genetically modified, and if the oil is cold-pressed and produced without the use of solvents, surely these issues do not apply? I find the flavour preferable to olive oil although I appreciate that rapeseed does not carry the heart-protective oleic acid found in olive oil.
Can anybody please enlighten me?

I always use organic rapeseed oil which I get in Tesco. I heard several years ago that Lindane, which has been linked to cancer, is used on rapeseed. I don’t know if it is used today but apparently rapeseed has a wide range of insect pests so non organic oil will probably contain insecticide residues.

Depends how much you are consuming how problematic rapeseed oil is. I would not describe most processed fats as healthy, more healthier.

Whilst rapeseed oil contains far more *short chain* omega-3s than most other vegetable oils, it is still high in (inflammatory) omega-6s. Furthermore conversion of short chain to the beneficial long chain format can be as low as 10%.

Extra virgin olive oil is a good source of polyphenol antioxidants as well as the oleic acid. There are other fats rich in oleic acid, including butter and avocado oil.

Having said that, I use cold pressed rapeseed oil for Asian marinades because coconut oil is solid when refrigerated.

I use unrefined coconut oil in stir fries and curries, olive oil for Middle Eastern dishes and salad dressings, so the proportion of rapeseed oil in my diet is small.

I was about to ask this question and, luckily, searched first.

I’ve been buying Rapeseed oil in a bit of a push to support farmers (rural community so probably a bit deluded). Anyhoo, I brought some “Mr. Hugh’s” from Tesco and thought I’d see if I could find any details on their website about pesticides and such. The bottle says “Harvesting in tune with nature” which seems…vague.

I have found some UK + Organic Rapeseed Oils available and was wondering if these would neatly sidestep at least two of the points raised though I appreciate I’ll need to stock up on Olive Oil if I’m going to get those sweet polyphenol antioxidants.