Health Facts on Canola Oil

Canola oil, a heart-healthy cooking oil, comes from the canola plant. The oil has a less-intense flavor than some others, making it suitable for many recipes, even baked goods. Canola oil makes a healthier option than butter, margarine or, especially, lard. While canola oil has health benefits, you should still consume it in moderation because of its high fat content. Too much fat, healthy or not, can lead to weight gain.

Low Saturated Fat

To much saturated fat in your diet raises your cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. Some cooking oils and fats, such as butter, contain high amounts of saturated fat, but this is not the case with canola oil. Canola oil contains only 1 g of saturated fat per serving, which is only 5 percent of the amount you should eat every day. By using canola oil in your cooking instead of butter or other unhealthy fats, you reduce your risk of heart disease.

Unsaturated Fats

Oils are made up of fat, so because canola oil is low in saturated fat it has to be high in other types of fat. Canola oil is rich in unsaturated fats, which can help keep your heart healthy and lower your cholesterol if consumed as part of a healthy diet. The majority of the 14 g of fat in a serving of canola oil comes from monounsaturated fat, and the rest is polyunsaturated fat. While these fats can still cause weight gain if consumed in large amounts, they will not clog your arteries like other fats will.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids may be associated with foods such as fatty fish and flaxseed, but canola oil is also a quality source of omega-3. A serving of canola oil provided you with 1.3 g of alpha-linolenic acid per serving. Your body uses the ALA and converts it into the other types of omega-3s called eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA.

Include omega-3 rich foods in your regular diet to help lower your risk of heart disease by improving your triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Omega-3 may help relieve symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, although more studies of its effects on these conditions are needed.

Vitamin E

A serving of canola oil gives you a considerable amount of fat-soluble vitamin E. A serving of canola oil has about 2.9 mg of vitamin E, providing about 1/4 of your daily recommended amount of 8 g.

Sufficient vitamin E plays a role in your overall health. Consuming healthy amounts of vitamin E has been linked to lower rates of cancer and heart disease. Also, vitamin E may reduce the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.