Canola Oil Nutrition Facts

is one of the most widely used cooking oils in the world, derived from the seeds of the canola plant — a variety of rapeseed bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates. Its mild flavour, high smoke point, and favourable fatty-acid profile have made it a staple in home cooking, food manufacturing, and commercial food service.

Nutritional Composition

One tablespoon (14 g) of canola oil provides approximately 124 calories and 14 g of fat with no carbohydrates or protein. Its fatty-acid breakdown is one of its main nutritional selling points:

• Monounsaturated fat (oleic acid, omega-9): approximately 63% — the same class of fat dominant in olive oil, associated with cardiovascular benefit in observational studies.
• Polyunsaturated fat (omega-6 linoleic acid): approximately 20% — an essential fatty acid the body cannot synthesise.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, ): approximately 9–11% — the highest omega-3 content of any widely used cooking oil.
• : approximately 7% — among the lowest of any cooking oil.

Canola oil also contains vitamin E (about 2.4 mg per tablespoon, roughly 16% of the daily reference value) and vitamin K (approximately 10 mcg).

Canola Oil and Heart Health

Its low saturated fat and high monounsaturated fat content align with dietary patterns associated with reduced cardiovascular risk. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated alternatives is a consistent recommendation in major cardiovascular guidelines. Some studies have shown that canola oil consumption modestly lowers LDL cholesterol compared with higher-saturated-fat oils such as coconut or palm.

Clinical guidance from USDA^[1] stresses matching home care to symptom severity and seeking urgent review when red-flag signs appear.

Processing and Refining Concerns

Most commercially sold canola oil is refined, bleached, and deodorised (RBD), a process that uses heat and solvents. This can generate small amounts of trans fats and oxidise some polyunsaturated fats. Cold-pressed or expeller-pressed canola oil avoids solvent extraction and retains more natural antioxidants, though it has a lower smoke point. For high-heat cooking, refined canola oil (smoke point approximately 200–230°C) is appropriate.

How Canola Oil Compares to Other Oils

• Olive oil: similar monounsaturated content, more polyphenols, lower smoke point; better for dressings and low-heat cooking.
• Coconut oil: over 80% saturated fat; appropriate for specific culinary uses but should not replace unsaturated oils as a daily staple.
• Sunflower oil: higher omega-6, negligible omega-3; useful for frying but less balanced fatty-acid ratio.

For verification and deeper reading, Harvard Health^[2] offers independent, evidence-based information you can cross-check with your own clinician.

Practical Guidance

Use canola oil for stir-frying, roasting, baking, and grilling where a neutral flavour and moderate-to-high heat stability are needed. For cold applications like dressings, extra-virgin olive oil provides more polyphenols. As with all fats, canola oil is calorie-dense — portion awareness matters, particularly if managing weight or cardiovascular risk.

Who Should Speak to a Dietitian

• People with familial hypercholesterolaemia or established cardiovascular disease
• Those on anticoagulant therapy, since vitamin K intake affects warfarin dosing
• Anyone following a medically supervised lipid-lowering programme