Calories in Canola Oil

Canola oil is derived from the seeds of two particular cultivars of rapeseed, also known as rapa. The two particular cultivars called B. campestris L. and Brassica napus L. are the prime sources of canola oil with particularly low content of erucic acid, compared to other strains.

In fact, the name 'CANOLA' was derived from combination of the words - 'CANadian Oil, Low Acid'. A major cash crop in USA, about 7 to 10 million tons of this seed are produced every year. It has been in use since ancient times, but the development of a particular strain of rapeseed, leading to oil with low euracic acid, is a recent phenomenon.

The reason that this oil type has recently received an increasing demand, is because of its nutritional benefits. Our body assimilates whatever is usable, from the ingested food and therefore, rather than taste, the nutritional content is more important.

Knowing just the calorie content is not enough. You need to know the form in which these calories are being assimilated. That is, you must know the nutritional nature of the consumed calories.

• An analysis of the oil has revealed that it is low in saturated fat. A low level of saturated fat means that consuming it does not risk cardiovascular disease.
• Another plus point is the high levels of monounsaturated fats present in it, which reduce the LDL cholesterol content and lead to a raising of HDL cholesterol levels.

• It contains omega-3 essential fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, which is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as the risk of cancer. An absence of cholesterol and sodium in this oil makes it one of the healthiest cooking oils.

There is controversy regarding the effect of the low levels of euracic acid present in canola oil, which supposedly leads to heart disease. Its manufacturing process is severely criticized. On one side, the manufacturers advertise benefits, while on the other hand, the critics point out the risks. However, there seem to be more people in favor of the oil than against it, which is reassuring. It is endorsed by the US food and drug administration as having the ability to reduce heart disease risk.

Now that we know the nutritional content, let us see how many calories are consumed in one serving of canola oil. A 10 gm amount or 2 teaspoonful of canola oil will contain about 80 calories. These mostly come from fats of the monounsaturated type.

Besides the nutrients mentioned above, it also contains a healthy dose of vitamin K. Considering the nutritional profile and calories in this oil, one can conclude that it is 'light' on the system and does not tax our metabolic system a lot, while providing many benefits.

It is important that we know about exactly what we use in our food as what we eat has implications on our health. While extreme calorie consciousness, which inhibits your ability to relish food, is not recommended, keeping a watch is always helpful.