What is canola oil, anyway? Canola oil is derived from the crushed seeds of the canola plant, which is a crossbreed of the rapeseed plant, but with much lower levels of potentially dangerous erucic acid, which has been linked to heart problems in rats, says J. Lynne Brown, PhD, RD, a professor emeritus of food science at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Canola oil, which has 2% erucic acid, is considered more fit for human consumption than straight rapeseed oil, with 43% erucic acid. The FDA has recognized canola oil as safe since 1985. Why the bad reputation? About 80% of canola oil is produced from genetically modified plants. It’s also frequently extracted from canola seeds using a chemical solvent, usually hexane, according to Allison Enke, RD, a nutritionist for Whole Foods Market. During the refining process, it can also be “deodorized,” a process that uses hot steam to remove compounds that could give the oil an unpleasant odor or taste, but may also add small amounts of trans fats. So far, though, no reputable studies have linked conventional canola oil to disease. MORE: 3 Simple Ways To Avoid GMOs Should I still use canola oil? You can avoid the cons of canola above by buying a product that’s both free of GMOs (labeled certified organic or non-GMO project verified) and produced without the use of chemical solvents (labeled expeller-pressed or cold-pressed). Expeller pressed oil may still be deodorized, however, producing small amounts of trans fats. Both Enke and Brown agree, though, that these levels are negligible—not even high enough to be put on the label. “It’s useless to worry about,” says Brown. “Especially when we know that natural dairy also contains small amounts of trans fats. Consume a variety of oils, and your intake will be very small.” Harder-to-find cold-pressed oils, however, are likely trans-fat free, as they’re temperature-controlled and not deodorized. Is canola oil healthy? Quality canola oil is on par with some of the healthiest oils out there. Canola oil is higher in anti-inflammatory omega-3s than most vegetable oils, which may help reduce your risk of inflammatory illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Like olive oil, canola oil also contains a boatload of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. In the kitchen, canola has a mild flavor and relatively high smoke point, making it a versatile cooking oil and safe at high heats. Since cold-pressed oils can spoil more quickly than others, they should be stored in dark bottles and refrigerated to ensure freshness, suggests Enke. Bottom Line: Some conventional canola oils are questionable, but you can avoid the dangers and reap the heart-healthy benefits by choosing a quality expeller-pressed or cold-pressed oil that’s also organic or non-GMO. MORE: The Best (And Worst) Oils To Use For Every Cooking Method