15 Curious Canola Oil Nutrition Facts That Everyone Should Know!

Canola oil is a vegetable oil that comes from the seeds of the canola plant.

Although canola oil is not ideal for all diets due to the small amount of trans fats present in it, canola oil will still surprise you with its benefits. Let us take a deep dive and find out if canola oil, after all, is or is not a healthier option.

Canola oil, which is made out of pressed canola seeds, is known popularly for its versatility and mild flavor.

It is also said to be the third most consumed oil in the US due to its whole lot of benefits as well as high smoke point making it earn its place in many food products.

So, let's get to know canola oil a little bit before beginning to learn its benefits.

The canola plant, from the seeds of which the oil is derived, is an oilseed crop that was created by Canadian scientists through crossbreeding, in a search for edible rapeseed oil, which is extracted from Brassica napus, or rapeseed plant, which has toxic components like erucic acid that make it unsuitable for consumption.

Erucic acid is an omega-9 fatty acid that is commonly found in the family of Brassica.

You can find erucic acid up to the amount of 45% in unrefined rapeseed oil which is why scientists decided to genetically modify rapeseed into canola to get rid of the erucic acid as well glucosinolate-producing protein.

Canola oil is just as nutritious and safe for consumption as rapeseed oil is not.

If you love studying nutrition and want to learn more, further readings like almond oil nutrition facts and cannellini beans nutrition facts will surely interest you.

Canola Oil Health Benefits

Wonder where the name comes from? Well, the name of the oil 'canola' has been acquired from 'Canada' and 'ola', which means oil.

Canola crops in the US are genetically modified (GMO) to improve the quality of its oil and also at the same time improve its tolerance towards herbicides. On that note, let's explore the healthy-licious benefits that come along with it.

Canola oil carries quite some health benefits making it one of the healthiest oils to choose from.

Canola oil is a light yellow-colored oil, extracted from canola seeds, with a taste that is very neutral making it a great cooking oil. However, the real question is, even if we choose to opt for canola oil for its mild taste, is it going to do any good at all for us?

And is it really worth it after all?

Canola oil holds quite an amount of unique health benefits. To start off, one of the properties that instantly made people swap their cooking oils with canola oil is the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, making it a great option for diabetics as well as ensuring it helps in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.

Low amounts of saturated fats are present and it contains linoleic acid (omega-6) and a-linolenic acid (omega-3), which are essential fatty acids, at a ratio of 2:1.

Canola oil also contains high amounts of plant sterol, or phytosterols such as ß-sitosterol, campesterol, and brassicasterol.

According to the US FDA, phytosterols, if eaten 0.014 oz (0.4 g) per serving twice a day in meals with a total daily value of intake of at least 0.028 (0.8 g), can lower the risk of heart diseases.

The phytosterols found in canola oil can keep check of the creation and absorption of cholesterol making it great for better heart health as well.

Plant sterol can also prevent cholesterol absorption into the body making it a great way to reduce cholesterol levels by 10-50%.

Although like any other oil, canola oil is high in calories, it still is a healthier option than most cooking oils because the high amount of calories come from healthy fats such as the monounsaturated fat named oleic acid (18:1) and constitutes about 61% of total fat present, promoting good cholesterol and lowering the bad ones.

Researchers have also claimed that monounsaturated fatty acid can also help with preventing coronary artery disease and the risk of strokes by promoting a better blood lipid profile.

Equipped with some vitamins, canola oil is also rich with antioxidants due to the presence of vitamin E. Vitamin K is very essential and is needed for blood clotting. These two vitamins, Vitamin K and E, are great friends for your skin if you are looking for supple, healthy skin, making it a great moisturizer.

Vitamin K is also known to be very helpful for stretch marks.

Canola Oil Vs Olive Oil In Health Benefits

Olive oil's reputation is known worldwide due to its incredible health benefits. But how beneficial is canola oil in comparison to one of the healthiest oils in the world? Well, let's find out.

To start with, canola oil has an almost similar nutritional value compared to olive oil, with a total of 124 calories. The only difference among them is the difference in the amount of fatty acids, such as saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats along with a difference in the number of vitamins.

While the amount of saturated fat in olive oil is 14%, canola oil has a saturated fat valued at 7%, which is half less than that of olive oil. The nutrient amount of monounsaturated fatty acids is 73% in olive oil, canola oil has the value of 64%.

The difference continues even in terms of polyunsaturated fat, which stands at an amount of 11% and 28% in olive and canola oil, respectively.

These two oils also differ in terms of the vitamins present in them. While the nutrient amount of vitamin E is 13% of the RDI in olive oil, canola oil has a greater amount of 16% of the RDI. The nutrient amount of vitamin K is 7% and 8% in olive oil and canola oil, respectively.

When talking about the presence of antioxidants, both these oils differ significantly. High levels of free radicals in our body, potentially harmful molecules, can cause cellular damage and become a reason for chronic illnesses, like heart diseases, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and also a few cancers.

Olive oil is known to fight off the free radicals with the antioxidants that come with it and also serves an anti-inflammatory purpose. According to registered dietitian Isabella Smith, if olive oil is anti-inflammatory, canola oil is pro-inflammatory.

Studies have also found that, unlike olive oil, canola oil can potentially heighten the risk of poor memory over time if used in high amounts. However, consuming olive oil has quite the opposite result. Studies related to the consumption of olive oil have shown a link to improved memory.

Both olive oil and canola oil are loaded with healthy fatty acids making them great for a weight loss diet as well. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats as compared to canola oil, which has higher polyunsaturated fats than canola oil, making it a little better than canola oil.

Canola oil is also very rich in plant sterols which helps greatly in lowering cholesterol.

Although canola oil is mostly a go-to for its high smoke point, which allows high heat frying, it can also be used for moderate heat frying as well. However, olive oil is only good when it comes to stir-frying foods or cooking in moderate heat making both these oils great for cooking.

Given the comparison, if you wish to ask experts about their personal opinion on which oil to choose, you will more than often get an answer along with a big nod for olive oil. Canola oil is certainly healthy, but it can't really beat olive oil.

Canola Oil Nutritional Profile Per Serving

Now that we know about canola oil in comparison to the alpha healthy oil, let's explore more of the goodness that comes with it, listing its nutrition information.

According to the USDA nutrient file, canola oil consists of a total of 124 calories in a serving of one tablespoon (0.5 oz (14 g)).

These amounts are calculated according to the per cent daily value which gives information about each nutrient that a single serving of food contributes.

It also has a total fat nutrient of 0.5 oz (14 g), which includes fatty acids like saturated fats and unsaturated fats, along with 0 oz (0 mg) of sodium, meaning you do not have to worry about the sodium content, although oil, in general, doesn't have any sodium in them anyway.

Canola oil also has a carbohydrate value of 0 oz (0 g) making it low in glycemic loads, like many other oils.

Canola oil also has 0 oz (0 g) of fiber, like any other oil, as well as 0 oz (0 g) of protein.

A 0 oz (0 g) fiber clearly gives a huge thumbs up for it to make its way into your foods if you have lately been following a low fiber diet. Given the fact that oil, in general, has 0 oz (0 g) of protein, the protein amount in canola oil too should not bother you at all.

However, the canola meal, which is usually used as an animal feed, is high in protein.

To sum it up, canola oil is a great source of energy and healthy fats that are really essential for a healthy body and lifestyle along with the benefit of cholesterol regulation because of the high amounts of plant sterols present in it.

Canola Oil Vitamin And Mineral Profile

Along with the healthy macronutrients that one can find in canola oil, this incredible oil is also loaded with some micronutrients.

So, what are micronutrients? Micronutrients are basically nutrients that our body needs in small amounts. These are also commonly referred to as vitamins and minerals.

A vitamin is an organic component that is essential for our body and is present in our foods in small amounts. A vitamin deficiency is caused when our body is lacking a certain vitamin which can increase the risk of undesirable health conditions.

However, vitamin deficiency is curable and is often treated with supplements and foods enriched in that particular vitamin.

Talking of vitamins, canola oil is loaded with vitamin K and vitamin E. Vitamin K, with an amount of 3.54 x 10-7 (10.0 mcg), is the vitamin that is essential for our body for blood clotting and according to some evidence, it is also great for good bone health. It is also helpful in healing body wounds and bruises.

Vitamin E, which is present in the amount of 8.5 x 10-5 (2.4 mg), is one of the best vitamin friends you need for healthy skin. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that is known for the protection it provides to our skin. It is also famously known to fight against aging! 

Apart from these vitamins, canola oil has no other vitamins and minerals present in it. 

Although canola oil is a seed oil that is famously used as cooking oil, it does have a lot of controversies as well when the question of health comes into the picture. Nevertheless, with the presence of essential fatty acids, canola oil is surely a healthier option than most of the cooking oils out there.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for canola oil nutrition facts, then why not take a look at electric bulb facts or cavemen facts?