erucic

January 19, 2002 by Linda Lazarides
Filed under Database

Erucic acid (also see Fats)

A fatty acid found in large amounts in rape and mustard seed oils, and widely (but mistakenly) thought to be toxic. As reported by nutritionist and oil expert Udo Erasmus PhD, the rat studies which showed fatty degeneration of heart, kidneys and glands after the consumption of erucic acid, were interpreted to mean that erucic acid is also toxic to humans. What was not considered was that sunflower seed oil, which contains no erucic acid, has the same effect on rats, because rats metabolize fats and oils poorly. Meanwhile a whole industry has grown up around the production of ‘low erucic acid’ rape seed oil.

Erucic acid has been used to treat a fatal degenerative disease known as adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and is sometimes known as ‘Lorenzo’s oil’, after the boy who inspired the development of the treatment.