Rapeseed has been grown for 4,000 years. The Romans burned it in lamps. Medieval Europeans used it for lamp oil.
The industrial revolution used it to lubricate steam engines. It worked brilliantly: high heat tolerance, doesn't break down easily.
Perfect for machinery. Toxic for humans. The problem: Rapeseed contains 50% erucic acid. This compound causes heart lesions in animals.
Feed it to rats, their hearts develop fatty deposits and scarring. It also contains glucosinolates that suppress thyroid function.
Your body actively rejects it as poison.
1970s: Canadian plant breeders develop a low-erucic variety. They need a new name because "rapeseed oil" has terrible marketing implications and everyone knows it's industrial lubricant.
They call it "Canola" - Canadian Oil Low Acid. Marketing genius.
Same plant, different branding.
The new variety has less erucic acid. Still requires hexane extraction, high-heat processing, chemical deodorisation, and bleaching. Still oxidises rapidly. Still rich in omega-6 fats that promote inflammation.
But now it sounds Canadian and wholesome rather than industrial and toxic. 1985: FDA grants GRAS status. "Generally Recognised As Safe."
Canola goes from engine lubricant to cooking oil in one regulatory decision. Food manufacturers love it: cheaper than olive oil, neutral flavour, long shelf life. Restaurants use it in everything.
Nobody questions why a crop bred for lubrication and literally named "rape" needed a complete rebrand to become food.
If the product is good, why hide what it is? You don't see "beef" marketed as "friendly muscle tissue" because there's nothing to hide. Your fish and chips are fried in machine oil. The marketing worked.