What is Canola Oil?
Canola oil is a vegetable oil derived from a plant seed. The name Canola was originally coined in Canada; it is a combination of “Canada” and “oil.” Canola oil contains a low level of saturated fat – less than one gram per 1 tablespoon (14 gram) serving. For more information on Mazola canola oil, visit our Hyperlink to Nutrition Facts section.
Canola oil is made from rapeseed, a member of the mustard family. (The canola plant was bred using traditional cross-breeding methods and was not genetically engineered). Many health experts believe the monounsaturated fats found in canola oil, particularly the omega-3 fatty acids, are an important part of a healthy diet, decreasing the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
Canola oil is the healthiest of all commonly used cooking oils. It is lowest in saturated fat, high in cholesterol-lowering mono-unsaturated fat and the best source of omega-3 fats of all popular oils. Canola oil comes from pressed canola seed. The seed is harvested from pods that are formed after those beautiful yellow flowers you’ve probably seen in the summer fade away. North American farmers have been growing canola seed for over 30 years. Canola is not rapeseed. It looks the same on the outside but it’s very different on the inside where it matters. In the late 1960s, plant scientists used traditional plant breeding methods to get rid of rapeseed’s undesirable qualities – erucic acid and glucosinolates. That means canola oil and meal are different from rapeseed oil and meal.
