What is Rapeseed Oil?
When you are checking the ingredients list on a food you are about to eat, you might notice an ingredient called rapeseed oil. What is rapeseed oil? It is the oil that is extracted from the seeds of the rapeseed plant. In its pure form, the oil can be dangerous for human consumption. However, a new variety of the plant was developed which produces edible, safe canola oil. Just like soy, corn and peanuts, rapeseed is used to make an oil that's an ingredient in some of your favorite foods. Does this Spark an idea?
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Plant Family
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The formal Latin name for rapeseed is Brassica napus Linnaeus. The Brassicacea family of plants includes similar crops, such as mustard and cabbage. The plant is most often harvested for the seeds it produces, which have a high oil content and provide a good source of protein for livestock. Most of the world's rapeseed is grown in China, Canada and India.
Growth
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There are varieties of rapeseed that grow in the spring and the fall, so the plants can be harvested more often. The seedlings take between four and ten days to break the surface of the soil. The early stages of growth are very vulnerable, so it is important to keep the plants protected from pests and soil-born pathogens. The plant grows leaves and then buds and flowers. About half of the flowers produce pods. Inside of these pods are the seeds from which the rapeseed oil is extracted.
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Products
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In its natural form, rapeseed oil may be somewhat toxic to humans because it contains a high amount of erucic acid. Large amounts of this type of acid was found to produce fatty deposits in the heart muscles of test animals, and it may also have the same effect on humans. However, Canada developed a hybrid of the plant with very low erucic acid levels harmless to humans. Before it was a safe oil for food, there were plenty of other uses for rapeseed oil. It was used as a lubricating oil, for lamp oil, in plastics manufacturing and soap making. Now, rapeseed oil is used as a common cooking oil in foods. In 1979, the Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association began calling the edible rapeseed oil canola, in order to distinguish it from the pure form of rapeseed oil. It is also used in the production of biodiesel fuel in Europe. When the oil is extracted from rapeseed, the remaining byproduct is not wasted. It is used to make a high-protein animal feed for cattle, hogs and poultry.
Health
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Rapeseed or canola oil is a great source of healthy fats. Choosing unsaturated fats like those from plant sources help to keep your heart in good shape. It contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for good health. Rapeseed oil also contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It is important to find food sources containing these fats because the body doesn't naturally produce them.
Market
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The production of rapeseed is growing because the increasing demand for the oil has caused prices to go up. This gives farmers an incentive for producing the crop. Demand has risen because of higher demand for biodiesel fuel and alternative cooking oils.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CanolaOil_bottle.jpg
