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Why We No Longer Use Canola Oil in Our Spa and Bath Products

Alternatives to canola oil for skin care:

Exotic Earth Mango Body Butter $27.00

Coconut Cream Natural Soap $7.50

Exotic Earth Aloe Body Butter $37.00

Canola oil is a form of rapeseed containing a low saturated fat content, Vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids. It also contains a low erucic acid content that gives it its name: Canadian Oil Low Acid. Its main use is as a cooking oil, but some spa and bath companies also use it as a skin care ingredient due largely to its oily nature. We at Castle Baths, however, do not. Here's why:

Canola Oil, Monsanto, and Genetic Modifications:

The rapeseeds responsible for the production of canola oil have fallen under the purview of the agricultural engineering corporation Monsanto, along with corn and soy. Monsanto genetically modifies these crops to be insect-proof by building the chemical formula for their Round-Up pesticide into seeds' cellular structures. These seeds are then patented and sold to farmers. While this process does effectively render the resulting plants distasteful to insects, it also causes these plants to "naturally" produce toxic, pesticidal chemical compounds. As a result, when you cook with canola oil that was created from genetically modified rapeseeds, or rub it into your skin, you are infusing your body with pesticides as well.

At present, there is no law in the United States requiring seed makers to disclose whether the seeds they sell are natural or genetically modified. As a result, it is near impossible to tell whether a batch of canola oil was made from natural or genetically modified rapeseeds. Because Castle Baths is devoted to bringing you only natural spa and bath products made from only the finest and safest ingredients that God gave us, we choose to err on the side of caution when it comes to canola oil. To save us and you time, money, and worry, we prefer to avoid canola oil altogether.

What About Certified Organic Canola Oil? Is That Safe?

The short answer is, "no." The United States Department of Agriculture does require that all farmers seeking organic certification do not use genetically modified crops. However, because there is no law requiring seed distributors to disclose whether their seeds have been genetically modified, there is also no way for the USDA to determine whether a rapeseed crop was grown from genetically modified seeds during the certification process.

Even if a rapeseed crop was planted and grown using entirely safe and organic methods, because of this uncertainty regarding the seeds' origins, there would still be the possibility of pesticides being present in the resulting oil. It is also possible for cross contamination between farms if one grows genetically modified seeds and another does not. A strong wind or other weather anomaly can easily cause the two seed sources to intermix, resulting in crops containing both organic and genetically modified rapeseed plants at harvest time without the farmer or USDA being aware of the contamination.

Canola Oil Alternatives for Cooking and Skin Care:

Coconut oil is an excellent alternative to canola oil for both cooking and skin care. At present, it remains free of Monsanto's grasp, and possesses many similar skin care benefits to canola oil, to include large quantities of antioxidants. Antioxidants destroy substances known as free radicals, which are produced by overexposure to UV rays and environmental pollutants, and can accelerate the aging process, resulting in premature age spots and wrinkles. Using coconut oil for skin care purposes will help you stave off these and many other signs of aging well into your advanced years (and it makes for a great cooking oil too.) For skin care purposes, mango butter is also an excellent, and even superior alternative to canola oil, helping you develop and preserve silky smooth, youthful skin while giving it a tropical scent.

Here is a link to an article published in The Daily Mail (United Kingdom) recently that explains more on the controversy of genetically modified crops: