The source of cooking oils is usually obvious by name, for example coconut oil or olive oil. However, Canola oil is not so obvious. What exactly is a canola and why do we use so much of its oil? For a such a popular oil, I had no idea. A little research answered my questions.

Canola Oil is the product of the crushed seeds from the Canola plant. Canola is a member of the Brassica family and is therefore related to broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower to name a few. In the 1970’s, Canada successfully and naturally bred the canola plant from its parent, the rapeseed plant. This breeding was necessary to reduce the levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates naturally found in the oil of the rapeseed plant, and in doing so make the oil suitable for human consumption.

Erucic acid is a monlunsaturated fatty acid that in excess can cause heart problems and disease. Glucosinolates are organic sulfur compounds found in the vegetables of the Brassica family. The high levels of this compound found in rapeseed oil can have a toxic, or rather a detoxing, effect in humans and animals. The Canola plant was bred to contain low levels of both these components, making the oil low in saturated fat and a good balanced source of omega 3 and 6.

For more information about Canola oil check out canolainfo.org. Be sure to take a look at the Comparison of Dietary Fats to see what nutrients you are or could be getting through the oils you use in the kitchen.

Written by CB