Canola Health Benefits

Of all culinary oils, canola oil has the least saturated fat, including less than half that of olive oil. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a qualified health claim that just 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil per day may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease when used in place of saturated fat.

Monounsaturated fat lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol and helps control blood sugar. Compared to other cooking oils, canola is one of the best sources of this beneficial fat. 

This anti-inflammatory substance, known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), may improve heart health. The body cannot make it, so it must be consumed. Out of all the cooking oils, canola oil has the most ALA omega-3. Just one serving provides 81 percent of the daily recommended intake of ALA for adults.^[1]

Trans fat is known to contribute to the risk of heart disease because it increases LDL cholesterol and lowers "good" HDL cholesterol. Too much cholesterol in your diet is also known to increase the risk of heart disease. Canola is free of both trans fat and cholesterol, adding to it's dietary benefits. 

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may help protect the heart, however, it's a nutrient that can fall short in the American diet. With just one serving of canola oil, adults receive 16 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E. Vitamin K, on the other hand, is beneficial to maintaining normal blood flow. Canola oil contains 20 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K per serving.

Canola is one of the more healthy vegetable oils, especially when it comes to plant sterols, which are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease.

There are a lot of ways to invest in one's health. Canola is one of the least expensive, costing just pennies per serving for numerous heart-healthy factors.