Canola Oil and Rapeseed Oil

[Oliver Oil]

Are these definitely one and the same thing? Not according to Colleen Patrick-Goudreau in her book The Joy of Vegan Baking, who says that canola was produced by Canadian plant breeders through traditional plant breeding techniques. Does that mean it's a genetically engineered oil? I keep reading conflicting info about these oils. Anyone got the definitive answer to settle this once and for all?

When a recipe calls for canola oil, what do you tend to use instead? I was going to use vegetable oil, but Colleen doesn't recommend it, saying it's high in polyunsaturated fats. Rapeseed, corn and sunflower oils don't get a critique as such in the book, so I don't know how well they would work with the recipes. Colleen says to stick with canola oil for baking.

This business of which oil to use is driving me a wee bit crazy. The way I'm feeling at the moment is that I'm going to die of something anyway, so what the heck, I'll just use whatever oil is available that tastes neutral enough to not spoil the flavour of what I want to bake.

[Joeybee]

Yeah it's modified to be hardier and produce better crops. We use Sunflower Oil, 'cos it hydrogenates at a higher temperature.

[Joeybee]

Most vegetable oil in the UK is made out of rapeseed anyway.

[harpy]

You realise there is a difference between "genetically modified" and "selectively bred" - AIUI most cultivated plants have been selectively bred to promote desirable qualities, e.g. to make peas bigger and sweeter.

I think that canola oil was selectively bred to get rid of some undesirable chemicals. Then later a GM version was produced, but AFAIK oil produced from that would have to be labelled accordingly in Europe? There's a bit more about the history here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola

Personally I don't fancy it as it's not really a traditional thing for humans to eat and so you can't be sure about the long-term effects. FWIW I tend to use either olive oil or peanut oil for cooking, hemp oil on my toast and walnut oil for salad. I wouldn't buy generic "vegetable oil" because I prefer to know what I'm getting. ETA and I avoid sunflower oil because it is supposed to have a lot of omega 6 oils in it and that inhibits processing of omega 3 or something - sigh.

[twinkle]

"Vegetable oil" is usually either soya or rapeseed based. In 'Plant Based Nutrition and Health' Stephen Walsh lauds rapeseed oil as the most affordable source of a balance between omegas 3 and 6 - it is one of those things that they have been doing GM trials on though, I believe, though I don't think GM rapeseed oil is commercially available yet.

I tend to use Sainsbury's rapeseed oil if I'm going to do a (very rare) deep frying session as I believe they have a no-GM policy on their own brand goods. If I can afford it I will always buy organic.

FWIW I don't think being polyunsaturated is meant to be a bad thing?

[twinkle]

...This business of which oil to use is driving me a wee bit crazy. The way I'm feeling at the moment is that I'm going to die of something anyway, so what the heck, I'll just use whatever oil is available that tastes neutral enough to not spoil the flavour of what I want to bake.

Yeah, just use whatever neutral oil you want and don't worry about dying - stress is more likely to make you pop off than using the "wrong" edible oil - unless you're drinking gallons of the stuff ;)

[harpy]

I think there's a bit of controversy surrounding polyunsaturated fats, outlined on good old Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyunsaturated

The UK government seems to recommend both polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats, and gives rapeseed oil the thumbs-up - mind you they'll give all sorts of things the thumbs-up :rolleyes: http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/foodlabels/labellingterms/monopoly/

[Tigerlily]

Meh, as long as it's vegan, I'll use it.

[ALexiconofLove]

I've been baking from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World." The cupcakes are all amazing, and they all call for canola oil. It's hard to substitute well (mainly b/c of the flavor issue), so if you don't have very serious objections to canola oil, I would just use it.

Although I don't understand her argument about polyunsaturated fats... what's wrong with them? I'd think a mild tasting vegetable oil (in the US I think that's always soybean oil) would be okay too.

Then again, I am a complete cooking novice.

[bryzee86]

Well I've never seen Canola oil on the shelves in the UK,so it'd be pretty hard to use it anyway.

[ALexiconofLove]

Oops, I didn't realize it was an American thing. :o

[harpy]

I think "rapeseed oil" is the same thing.

[Oliver Oil]

Thanks very much to everyone who responded with comments, info and links. Much appreciated.