October 26, 2007

Canola Council to serve trans-free breakfast for politicians - About 100 Members of Parliament, bureaucrats and media are expected to attend the Canola Council of Canada's trans fat-free breakfast on Parliament Hill October 30 in Ottawa, ON.

Health Minister Tony Clement will speak about the health benefits of canola and replacing trans fat without increasing saturated fat. After preparing the meal using CanolaInfo recipes, executive chef Judson Simpson will also address attendees. The Canola Council plans to make an announcement about a new research fund to support studies linking canola oil and good health.

All the recipes to be used at the trans fat-free breakfast can be found on the CanolaInfo website at: http://www.canolainfo.org/cgi-bin/recipe/search.cgi

Fairmont Hotel chain switches to canola oil - The Canola Council has confirmed that Fairmont Hotels and Resorts head office has requested that all its hotels remove artificial trans fat from their food. The chain uses a canola/olive blend, as well as 100% canola oil, says Mairead Murray, Food and Beverage/Rooms Administration for Fairmont.

Doctors educating the public about good cholesterol - Ever heard of the National Cholesterol Education Project? It is a U.S.-based organization that educates Americans about controlling their cholesterol. The Project is moving away from simply telling folks about the negative consequences of having elevated levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol toward telling them it's good to have higher levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

According to National Cholesterol Education Project guidelines, HDL cholesterol should be at least 40 mg/dL (50 for women) and anything lower is considered an independent risk factor for heart disease. Even when you have low LDL cholesterol, the risk of heart disease is increased when HDL is too low. Moderate amounts of oils high in monounsaturated fat, such as canola oil, are recommended for increasing HDL cholesterol.

For more information on the National Cholesterol Education Project, visit the UT Southwestern Medical Center website at: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept27717/files/97623.html

New tool helps Canadians track food choices - The Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion has announced the release of a new tool to help Canadians keep track of the amount and type of food they eat each day. My Food Guide Servings Tracker is available to print from the Health Canada website. The idea is to print My Food Guide Servings Tracker for your age and sex and use it to keep track of your daily choices.

Earlier this year, the Canada Food Guide was revised to include good fats as part of a healthy diet, rather than including all fats in a category with food no-no's.

To visit the My Food Guide Servings Tracker on-line please visit: http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide

Canola Council chairman touts benefits of GM canola in Australia - On a tour of Australia's canola producing regions in cooperation with the Australian Oilseeds Federation, Canola Council Chairman Stewart Gilroy told Aussie farmers genetically modified canola has been very positive for Canadian growers.

"The cost (of growing GM) is more, but the payback is significantly more," he told the Weekly Times, a Western Victoria newspaper. "If you (Australia) make the decision (to allow the commercial growing of GM crops) there are going to be some instant benefits."

Gilroy received good press coverage during his tour, which occurred coincidentally at the same time that a group from Japan was lobbying the Australian government to ban GM crops.

U.S. Farm Bill could reward farmers for growing healthy crops - The new 2007 U.S. Farm Bill, introduced by the Senate this week, includes a provision that will help farmers manage risk while taking advantage of new crop traits that can produce healthier foods. Aimed mainly at crops such as low linolenic soybeans, the Commodity Quality Incentive Program (CQIP) provision could also benefit U.S. canola growers.

Supporters of CQIP include the U.S. Canola Association, the National Sunflower Association and the American Heart Association. Canola growers can grow high-oleic canola under contract. The canola oil produced from these varieties contains zero trans fat, is low in saturated fat, and is sold as a replacement for partially hydrogenated oils.

For more information on the CQIP provision and the 2007 Farm Bill, visit: www.usda.gov/farmbill, or to see a story on the bill from a soybean industry perspective, go to: http://www.soyatech.com/news_story.php?id=5316

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