Is there a better alternative to palm oil?

*More lands are needed to grow palm oil alternatives such as soybean and rapeseed oil — study.

The rapeseed plant usually blooms in the summer and is famous for its golden-yellow flowers.

Belonging to the cabbage family, it’s closely related to turnip and mustard.

Its oil is known both as rapeseed and canola oil is widely used for cooking, baking, and food processing.

This article reviews the nutritional content, benefits, and potential downsides of rapeseed oil.

There are two main types of rapeseed oil: culinary and industrial. The culinary version, also known as canola oil, is used in the kitchen for cooking. Industrial rapeseed oil is mostly used in the chemical and automotive industries.

Is Rapeseed Oil Healthy?

Rapeseed oil is widely used around the world. It’s famous for its affordability and versatility as a cooking oil and is commonly found in salad dressings, fried foods, and baked goods.

Rapeseed oil is naturally low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat, which is excellent for your health.

It’s an excellent source of vitamin E — a strong antioxidant, which can support eye and skin health.

Rapeseed oil is also a great source of an omega-3 fat known as alpha-linolenic acid, which provides numerous heart health benefits like lower blood pressure and a decreased likelihood of heart attack.

High in omega-6 fats, rapeseed oil can also support overall health. However, an excess of omega-6 can lead to some inflammation in the body. Fortunately, you can find a balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats at a 1:2 ratio in rapeseed oil, which experts believe is ideal.

Benefits of Rapeseed Oil

Versatility. You can use it for roasting, frying, deep-fat frying, baking, marinades, dipping, drizzling, and sauces.

High cooking temperature. Rapeseed oil has a high smoke point, which means it won't burn until about 400 degrees F. That makes it a good choice for frying mushrooms or roasting vegetables.

Low saturated fat. It has the lowest amount of saturated fat out of all the oils, making it a healthy option.

Vitamin E. Using rapeseed oil in cooking is a good way to get vitamin E in your diet.

Mild flavor. Because rapeseed oil is almost flavorless, you can use it in a variety of dishes. It works great in dips, salad dressings, baking, pan-frying, and deep-frying. You can serve it at room temperature or cook with it.

Affordability. You can often buy rapeseed oil for less than about half the price of olive oil.

It’s flavorless and versatile

Rapeseed oil has a very mild flavor, allowing it to be used for a variety of culinary applications. Furthermore, it can be served at room temperature or cooked.

It works well in salad dressings, dips, and baking and can be used for pan-frying or deep-frying without adding any additional flavor to your dish.

Affordable

Rapeseed oil is very affordable and accessible because of its worldwide production (11Trusted Source).

Depending on where you live, you can usually buy 1 gallon (4 liters) for less than half the price of the same volume of olive oil.

Higher quality oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, cost more due to their more delicate processing techniques and shorter shelf life 

Possible Downsides of Rapeseed Oil

Genetically modified. Most rapeseed oil sold in grocery stores is genetically modified. Growers genetically modify plants to produce higher yields and more affordable products.

There is some concern about genetically modified foods and their effect on antibiotic resistance, allergies, and cancer. However, most research does suggest that genetically modified products are generally safe.

If you want to avoid genetically modified foods, buy rapeseed oil that’s labeled as GMO-free or certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Highly processed. Rapeseed oil is heavily processed. Hexane, a chemical solvent, is added to “clean” the oil. Then, a water filtration process removes gums, free fatty acids, and unappealing colors. Although this is considered a safe process, it leads to lower contents of fatty acids and vitamin E, which may affect the health benefits of rapeseed oil.

Highly processed

Most oils used in the food industry are highly processed, and rapeseed oil is no exception.

A chemical solvent known as hexane is added to “clean” the oil. Then, a water filtration process removes free fatty acids, gums, and unappealing colors.

While this is considered a safe process, it leads to a lower vitamin E and free fatty acid content, which may decrease the oil’s health benefits. Processed oils also tend to be higher in omega-6 fats, and consuming a high ratio of these may contribute to inflammation.

If you’re looking for an alternative to highly processed rapeseed oil, you can try the cold-pressed version. This processing method allows the oil to retain the majority of its nutrients. However, it’s difficult to find in most grocery stores and usually can only be found online 

webmd.

healthline