1. What is Canola? The Origin Story
The name “Canola” is not a natural plant but a trademark that signifies a specific, improved variety of rapeseed.
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Origin: It was developed in Canada in the 1970s through conventional plant breeding techniques to create a safer and more nutritious oil from the traditional rapeseed plant.
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The Key Improvement: Traditional rapeseed contained high levels of two undesirable components:
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Erucic Acid: An fatty acid linked to heart health concerns in animal studies.
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Glucosinolates: Compounds that gave the oil and meal a bitter, unpalatable taste.
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The “Canola” Standard: For a oilseed to be labeled as Canola, it must meet a strict, government-regulated definition:
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Less than 2% Erucic Acid in the oil.
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Less than 30 micromoles of Glucosinolates per gram of the oil-free meal.
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This transformation created a crop with a highly desirable nutritional profile and made the byproduct meal an excellent livestock feed.
In summary: All Canola is a type of rapeseed, but not all rapeseed is Canola. The term “rapeseed oil” in the market may refer to oil that does not meet these standards and is often used for industrial purposes.
