Nutrition, benefits, harms, canola vs canola oil

Rapeseed oil is known for its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also contains components such as vitamin E, flavonoids, squalene, carotenoids, glucoraphanin, indole-3-carbinolsterols, and ferulic pickles.

Canola oil is a form of rapeseed oil with a low rapeseed oil content erucic acid and has a low level of glucosinolates. Canola oil is the edible form of rapeseed. Industrial rapeseed can be used for the production of, for example, lubricants, hydraulic fluids and plastics. It can also be used in biodiesel production.

Research into the potential health benefits of canola and rapeseed oil typically uses crude oil, which can affect the accuracy of results as the oil is usually consumed after frying, which can significantly change its composition.

This article discusses canola oil, oil nutrition, potential health benefits, and possible disadvantages of canola oil.

Unless otherwise noted, the terms “rapeseed oil” and “canola oil” are used interchangeably for the edible form of rapeseed oil.

What exactly is rapeseed?

Rapeseed oil comes from the seeds of Brassica plants.

The canola plant is a bright, yellow flowering plant in the Brassicaceae family (which also includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli).

Canola oil vs canola oil

Rapeseed oil can be divided into two categories:

• Rapeseed oil with a high erucic acid content: Used in industrial production, not for culinary use
• Rapeseed oil with a low erucic acid content: Canola oil is used for culinary purposes. Contains less than 2% erucic acid and less than 30 µmol/g glucosinates

Canola comes from the words “Canada” and “oil”, as it was grown by Canadian scientists in 1976. In 1979, Canada registered the word canola to describe the new seed. In 1985, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted canola oil “generally recognized as safe” status as a food ingredient.

Canola Oil Nutrition: Is Canola Oil Healthy?

Rapeseed oil contains few saturated fatty acids and many monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This may have heart-protective benefits if used to replace a similar amount of saturated fat in the diet.

It also contains potential health-supporting active biological compounds, such as:

Health Benefits of Canola Oil

Some research suggests that canola oil may play a role in health benefits, such as:

• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Health benefits associated with high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
• Health benefits associated with beneficial bioactive compounds

Reduce the risk of heart disease

The unsaturated fatty acids and bioactive substances in rapeseed oil can have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels, especially compared to saturated fatty acids.

Multiple studies have shown a link between canola oil consumption and reduced LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol” is associated with cardiovascular disease). However, these studies often had other variables, such as replacing saturated fats with canola oil or increasing participants’ intake of fruits and vegetables, so a direct link between canola oil and reduced LDL cholesterol could not be definitively drawn.

A review of studies that replaced saturated fats with canola oil or compared diets high in saturated fats with canola oil-based diets found results in multiple studies indicating that canola oil was associated with lower total cholesterol than saturated fats. This suggests that substituting canola oil for saturated fats, including in foods that typically contain high amounts of saturated fat (such as mayonnaise), could help lower cholesterol and, by extension, heart disease risk.

Maintain a healthy weight

Saturated fatty acid intake has been linked to insulin resistance, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Some research has found that replacing saturated fatty acids with monounsaturated fatty acids can help modulate insulin sensitivity and glycemic control. Canola oil-based diets have also been found to have positive results in modulating glucose and insulin levels compared to saturated fatty acid-based diets.

The link between canola oil and glucose and insulin levels is inconclusive, as other factors in the subjects’ lifestyles could have influenced the results.

Loaded with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to support health

Canola oil contains significant levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular outcomes. Most research into this connection has been done on omega-3 fatty acids from fish, but there is growing evidence that plant-based omega-3 fatty acids provide health benefits.

Canola oil also contains linoleic acid (and its derivatives such as y-linoleic acid), an omega-6 fatty acid. A diet rich in y-linoleic acid has been linked to a reduction in high blood lipid levels and high blood pressure, and other health benefits.

Contains useful bioactive substances

Rapeseed oil contains useful bioactive substances such as:

• Vitamin E: May help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases that affect the nervous system and muscles and protect against cardiovascular disease
• Flavonoids: Acts as an antioxidant and may have anti-inflammatory effects
• Carotenoids: Acts as an antioxidant, may have anti-inflammatory effects and may protect against UV damage

Potential disadvantages of canola oil

Although canola oil is generally considered beneficial for health, there are some potential drawbacks.

Highly processed

Rapeseed oil undergoes a refining process where:

• Neutralization
• Degumming
• Bleaching
• Deodorization

Some nutrients, including vitamin E, flavonoids, carotenoids and major phospholipids, can be lost during the refining process.

Not suitable for long-term heating

The unsaturated fats in canola oil mean it does not hold up well to the prolonged heating required for restaurant frying, and it can be more difficult to meet the food production industry’s shelf life needs. Hydrogenating it makes it more useful in this sense, but this creates trans fats, which are known to have negative health effects.

Heating the oil can reduce some of its beneficial components. Heating food over high heat can also create compounds that are potentially carcinogenic.

Canola oil should not be reused once cooked, and fried foods should be limited.

Resume

Rapeseed oil can be divided into two categories: industrial and culinary. Culinary rapeseed oil is called canola oil and is low in erucic acid and glucosinolates.

Rapeseed oil contains few saturated fats and many unsaturated fats. It also contains other bioactive substances such as vitamin E, flavonoids and carotenoids. Research shows that canola oil may have health benefits such as lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, maintaining a healthy weight and providing health-supporting components such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, especially if it replaces saturated fatty acids.

Disadvantages of rapeseed oil include that it is highly refined and that it is less suitable for prolonged heating.