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Rapeseed and Canola Oil

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on September 18, 2014

Swedish and Denmark fields are covered with yellow colored rapeseed plants that are the basis of canola oil. Rapeseed is part of the Brassicacea family that includes cabbage, mustards, rapes,radishes, turnips, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower,  kohlrabi, and others. Forty per cent of the plant is grown for its oil with the remainder of the seed being used for animal feed. Rapeseed contains erucic acid and glucosinolates. These make the seed meal unpalatable and dangerous to livestock if fed in large quantities. The name “Canola” was derived from “Canada” where much rapeseed is grown and from “oleo” (oil). Although the term used to be a trademark, The Canola Council of  Canada states that its trademark status has been terminated. Rapeseed grown in Europe is of canola quality, but the term rapeseed is used because it does not have the negative connotation in Europe that it has in other English speaking countries. Soybean is the major biodiesel oilseed in America, but in Europe it is edible rapeseed.

Canola oil is extracted from the rapeseed flowers. Canola oil is now considered healthier than olive oil. It has a fruity, nutty flavor. It is high in the good mono saturated fats that olive oil is not. It also contains half the amount of saturated fats that are considered less healthy. It possesses higher amounts of the healthy fatty acids that lower cholesterol levels and improve immune function.