Allergy To Canola/Rapeseed

Canola/Rapeseed Allergy by Jane Thurnell-Read

While travelling on my bike in the USA in 2004 I saw extensive fields of canola oil. In the UK the same oil is called rapeseed oil. Many people are allergic to the flowers of this crop, producing hay fever like symptoms.

When I asked some of the other riders about canola oil allergy problems, they looked at me in astonishment. So, is it true that this flower (Latin name brassica napus) causes a problem for people in the UK but not in the US? What about other countries? One possibility is that it is something to do with the different strains that are grown, or it could be that they are processed in a different way. Another possibility is that people are just not aware that this is what is causing their symptoms, that for some reason this is better known in the UK.

If you're a kinesiologist or EAV practitioner you can find a sample of rapeseed suitable for allergy testung in our Pollens 2 test kit.