Hey Dietitian, What are Clients Asking About Oil?
People who buy food for health benefits expect to pay a premium for that food. “For them, more expensive means healthier,” says Rowena Leung, a registered dietitian on staff at two Loblaws supermarkets in the Toronto area.
For that reason, Leung’s conversations with clients about canola oil often come back to the price. A common question, she says, is how can something you say is good for me be so low priced compared to other oils?
Leung tells her clients that the low cost is partly because canola is produced here in Canada. She assures them that canola offers the lowest saturated fat of any oil, as well as high levels of monounsaturated fat and an optimal omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid ratio. It is a healthy staple for anyone looking to improve their diets.
Most of Leung’s clients are people looking for diet advice to manage heart disease, cholesterol, diabetes or weight. Some are health-conscious consumers looking for everyday advice. The Loblaws network of corporate stores, which include Zehrs, Superstore, Provigo and City Markets, are hiring staff dietitians all across the country, bridging the gap between pharmacy and food. The Loblaws program also offers webinars, school group visits and a chat service through the PC Health app.
“Knowing canola growers have been at the forefront of using biotechnology to improve both affordability and sustainability plays a role in my choosing canola.”
Canola Eat Well, a partnership of Manitoba Canola Growers, SaskCanola and Alberta Canola, has built a strong connection with Leung over the years. Leung has connected with Canola Eat Well at Diabetes Canada events and Restaurants Canada events, to give two examples. Through these connections, Leung has a strong knowledge of canola, how it’s grown and what it can mean for health. She can recommend canola oil knowing it has the support of scientific research showing positive effects for several chronic health problems, including heart disease and diabetes.
Leung says registered dietitians are part of a professional organization called the College of Dietitians, and they have to comply with professional standards, just like a doctor or a lawyer. “Our work is based on science-based recommendations,” she says.
To become a registered dietitian, a person takes a four-year degree from a university program accredited by Dietitians of Canada. After graduating, prospective dietitians then compete for internships at teaching hospitals or go for a Masters degree. Leung got her four-year degree at Western University in London, Ontario, and took her internship at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.
She says it can be frustrating, given the professional designation and the training required to be a registered dietitian, that basically anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist” and try to influence people on healthy eating. “Some nutritionists have so many misconceptions about food and health,” Leung says.
Which oil is healthiest?
Erin MacGregor is a registered dietitian, professional home economist, and was the co-creator of How to Eat, a nutrition communications team. (Follow them on Instagram @how_to_eat.) MacGregor has worked with Canola Eat Well on a number of programs and projects, including #canolaconnect harvest camp. MacGregor says conversations around fats often start with “Which oil is the healthiest?” and circle around health-related buzzwords like “anti-inflammatory” and “unprocessed”.
“Unprocessed falls in line with the trend of seeking out ‘natural’ and ‘clean’ options, which people often associate with being healthier choices,” MacGregor says. “When an oil is described as processed, the implication is that it is unhealthy, despite the fact that all oils are processed in some way. Unfortunately, this line of thinking ignores the advantages that processing can afford, including safety, shelf-life, affordability and versatility.”
One big trend, MacGregor says, is transparency. “Consumers are trying to make socially responsible choices. Whether that means environmental sustainability, supporting local producers, or ensuring fair working conditions for agricultural workers, I think we’re going to continue seeing a push in this direction,” MacGregor says. “One barrier here is that consumers are looking for simple ways to identify these ‘socially responsible’ products, yet these issues are often very complex.”
When asked how she weaves canola oil into conversations about socially responsible food choices, MacGregor says it depends on personal values. “For me, getting to know Canadian canola growers through Canola Eat Well events has driven me to support Canadian whenever possible. Learning first hand from the producers, while being able to visit their farms and meet them and their families in person, adds a very personal layer to my decision around choosing an oil. I feel it is my responsibility to support these hard-working families.”
Registered dietitians who use their science backgrounds to have practical conversations around food are important allies for Canola Eat Well.
“Canadians recognize dietitians as trustworthy and credible sources of nutrition advice,” says Lynn Weaver, who is a registered dietitian, professional home economist and the promotion manager for SaskCanola. “Working together with dietitians like Rowena and Erin helps us to promote all of the wonderful attributes that canola oil offers, especially the health benefits.”