Canola oil

Canola oil is an edible vegetable oil pressed or extracted from low-erucic-acid varieties of rapeseed. It is valued for its mild flavor and high proportion of unsaturated fats.

Rapeseed: Rapeseed is the seed of oilseed varieties of the plant Brassica napus and related Brassica species. Canola oil comes from rapeseed varieties selected for low erucic acid.
Solvent extraction: Solvent extraction separates oil from solid material by dissolving it in a liquid solvent. Large-scale canola processing often uses solvent to recover oil left after pressing.
Frying: Frying cooks food in hot oil or fat, transferring heat while forming a browned surface. Canola oil’s mild flavor and suitability for high-heat cooking make it a common frying fat.
Traditional rapeseed oil: Traditional rapeseed oil is oil from rapeseed varieties not selected to meet canola’s low-erucic-acid standard. Its potentially higher erucic acid content distinguishes it from canola oil.
Erucic acid: Erucic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in some Brassica oils. Low erucic acid distinguishes canola oil from traditional rapeseed oil.
Oil refining: Oil refining removes unwanted compounds from crude oils through physical or chemical processing. Refining reduces canola oil’s color, odor, free fatty acids, and trace contaminants.
Baking: Baking cooks food using heated air, often in an oven. Liquid canola oil adds fat to batters and doughs without a strong flavor.
Olive oil: Olive oil is edible oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree. It is another oleic-acid-rich cooking oil, with a distinct source and flavor.
Oleic acid: Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid common in plant and animal fats. It is typically canola oil’s most abundant fatty acid.
Degumming: Degumming removes phospholipids and related gums from crude vegetable oil. This early refining step helps stabilize extracted canola oil.

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