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Rapeseed Oil - The Economical Oil
Rapeseed is a bright yellow colored flowering member of the cabbage and mustard family. Rapeseed oil has been used for cookery for hundreds of years in Japan, Europe, China, and India. It contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in a 1:2 ratio. Only flaxseed oil contains more omega-3 fatty acid.
Health Benefits of Rapeseed Oil
Rapeseed oil is healthy for the heart and is thought to be able to reduce cholesterol levels, stop platelets sticking together and lower serum triglyceride levels. It contains less than 50% of the saturated fat found in olive oil. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Uses of Rapeseed Oil
Rapeseed Oil is good for frying or roasting when you do not want the flavor of a different oil, such as olive oil. Try making roast potatoes with rapeseed oil for great results! You can use this oil in salad dressings (cold-pressed rapeseed oil is best for this). Rapeseed oil tastes clean and slightly nutty. If a recipe just asks for "oil" rather than a specific type, you can use rapeseed oil, as well as corn oil or sunflower oil, because the taste is fairly neutral and it works well with most types of cookery.
Rapeseed oil has a very high smoke point (about 450ºF) so you can use it at high temperatures without the oil breaking down. It is good for shallow frying, deep frying and in stir-fries. You can use rapeseed oil to make mayonnaise because of its stability and rich golden color. You can also use it in a lot of cake and cookie recipes.
Rapeseed Oil Substitutes
If you do not have rapeseed oil, you can substitute it in recipes with corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, or safflower oil. A cooking spray will do if it is just for greasing pans.
Cheap Rapeseed Oil
Rapeseed oil is one of the most economical cooking oils, which is another reason why it has been used in biodiesel manufacture. Do not be fooled by the cheap price - rapeseed oil is great to cook with and very versatile.
Rapeseed Oil Price in the EU
The price of rapeseed oil fluctuates quite widely in the EU. For example, British farmers are producing their own and this can sell for $7 or more for a pint. Belgian hot-pressed oil, for example, is priced around $1 for a pint! Hot-pressed oil means that it has been processed.
Cold-pressed oil is of higher quality because it has been gently squeezed out of the rapeseed plant, rather that treated chemically, so you should expect to pay more for this variety. If you plan to make salad dressings or mayonnaise, consider paying more for the cold-pressed oil because the superior quality and flavor will be worth it.
Canola and Rapeseed Oil Biodiesel
Rapeseed oil can be used to make biodiesel to power motor vehicles. Because of growing, crushing, and refining rapeseed biodiesel oil, it used to cost more to make that normal diesel fuel. Costs obviously depend on the changing price of rapeseed but it is the preferred biodiesel production oil stock in a lot of Europe because rapeseed produces more oil per area of land than other oil sources like soy beans.
