Rapeseed oil is a healthier option for olive oil.
With its high Omega 3 fatty acids, comparatively higher than olive oil make its healthier source to meet Omega 3 need.
While it also contains fat-soluble antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin K.
With a high level of healthy nutrients and low saturated fat, they possess loads of health benefits.
Let’s explore the nutrition value and health benefits of rapeseed.
1. A Good Source Of Nutrient
Looking for a healthier oil, then rapeseed can be one of those choices.
Rapeseed is a great source of nutrients and a perfect addition to a healthy diet.
1 ounce (28g) of rapeseed contains: (1)
Vitamin E – 4.8mg (24% of DV)
Vitamin K – 20.0 mcg (25% of DV)
Omega 3 – 2559
Vitamin E, vitamin K, and high Omega 3 fatty acid make rapeseed among the healthiest oil.
The great news about consuming rapeseed oil is its Omega 6 and Omega 3 balance.
The oil is low in saturated fat but is high in monounsaturated fat.
Wrap up: With a great amount of vitamin E, vitamin K, Omega 3, and low in saturated fat, rapeseed is a great addition as a cooking oil.
2. Abundant Source Of Omega 3
Rapeseed is a great source of incredibly important Omega 3 fatty acid. They contain ten times more Omega 3 fatty acids than the healthiest known oil – Olive oil.
Omega 3 has many health benefits for your body.
Consuming omega 3 have found to lower the depression and can improve symptoms. (2, 3, 4, 5)
Omega 3 (DHA) is a part of a structural component of the retina of your eye. Enough consumption of Omega 3 reduces the risk of macular degeneration. (6, 7)
Omega 3 is a crucial nutrient for brain development. 40% of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain is DHA.
Rapeseed is a great oil for heart health due to its high Omega 3 content.
Enough Omega 3 intake improves heart health as it…
1. Lowers triglycerides
2. Reduce blood pressure
3. Lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol level
4. Raise “good” HDL cholesterol level
5. Prevent the formation of harmful blood clots
6. Prevent plaque buildup
7. Lowers inflammation
With all the benefits, Omega 3 fatty acid and rapeseed oil prove beneficial for the heart.
Enough consumption of Omega 3 is found to lower the risk of certain cancers. Some studies have found that Omega 3 reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. (8, 9)
They also protect from Alzheimer and Dementia.
Some more benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids are:
- Improves Skin Health
- May Improve bone and joint health
- Improves sleep
- Reduce Asthma In Children
That’s a lot of benefits you can get with Omega 3 fatty acid rich rapeseed.
Wrap up: With the high amount of Omega 3 fatty acid, rapeseed provides a wide range of health benefits.
3. Good Source of Vitamin E
The next nutrient in the list of rapeseed nutritional profile is Vitamin E.
28 grams of rapeseed oil provides 4.8 mg of Vitamin E which is 24 percent of recommended intake.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant and there is a low chance of deficiency. (10)
For Skin…
It is known for its beneficial effects on the skin and its anti-aging properties. (11)
Vitamin E lowers the inflammation in the body and on your skin. The antioxidant property fight skin inflammation after exposure to UV light and can protect from skin cancer.
It improves skin health by strengthening the capillary walls and improving moisture and elasticity.
For heart…
Cholesterol oxidation is responsible for the buildup of plaque in arteries thus increases the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening and thickening of arteries).
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can fight free radicals before they lead to cholesterol oxidation. (12)
With lowers, damage to cholesterol the risk of heart disease also lowers.
For eye…
Consumption of Vitamin E may protect from macular degeneration. It is found that intake of vitamin E and vitamin A can improve healing and vision in people undergoing laser eye surgery.
For Alzheimer and Dementia…
They can also lower the risk fo Alzheimer and Dementia. (13)
For Physical endurance and recovery…
Physical activity can increase the level of oxidative stress in the body. Increased oxidative stress is responsible for muscle soreness.
Vitamin E can increase the antioxidant activity in the body, thus lowers the oxidative stress on the muscle. With lower oxidative stress, the speed of recovery increases. (14)
And there are many more benefits of enough Vitamin E intake due to its antioxidants property.
Wrap up: With a high level of Vitamin E – it can improve skin health, boost antioxidant activity, improve eye health, lowers heart disease risk to name a few. Rapeseed provides 24 percent of daily Vitamin E need.
4. Good Source of Vitamin K
The last and most important nutrient in rapeseed is Vitamin K.
28 grams of rapeseed oil provide 20.0 mcg of Vitamin E which is 25 percent of recommended intake.
Vitamin K is fat soluble vitamins that play role in blood clotting and bone health.
For bone…
It is required to produce prothrombin, a protein required for healthy bone and normal blood clotting.
Vitamin K works with vitamin D to guide the calcium to bone for the healthy development of bone. Research has found its positive effect on bone health. Enough vitamin K intake increases the calcium density in the bone and decreases fracture rate. (15)
A study found that women with low Vitamin K intake had low bone mass and increased risk of hip fractures. (16)
For heart…
The buildup of minerals in the arteries is also known as mineralization. Increased mineralization can increase blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke.
Enough vitamin K intake can prevent mineralization thus lowering the blood pressure and risk of stroke.
With its antioxidant property, they can also protect from cancer. (17)
Wrap up: With a high supply of vitamin K, they improve bone and heart health. While the antioxidant property of vitamin E can have a protective effect against free radicals and chronic inflammation thus protects from cancer.
5. Lowest Source of Saturated Fat, Half Than Olive Oil
Olive oil is said to be the healthiest due to its high Omega 3 fatty acids, yet rapeseed beats it in term of its Omega 3 content.
While the other notable advantage is its low saturated fat.
28 grams of rapeseed provides only 2.1 grams of saturated fat which is 10% of Daily Value.
While 28 grams of extra virgin olive oil provides 4.2 grams of saturated fat which is 21% of Daily Value. (18)
Olive oil is among the healthiest oil and with low saturated fat you can also consider rapeseed a healthier option.
Wrap up: With high polyunsaturated fatty acid and low saturated fatty acid you can add rapeseed in your meal preparation.
6. It Has High Smoke Point
The final and the most important reason to add rapeseed in the diet is its high smoke point.
Oil with a high smoke point can withstand high temperature. While oil with low smoke point can’t withstand high temperature.
When oil with a low smoke point is exposed to high temperature, it damages the oil and increases the production of free radicals. With the release of free radical, the food has high free radical which isn’t healthy.
As rapeseed has a high smoke point you can use it for frying, baking, roasting, and deep fat frying.
Wrap up: With exceptionally high smoke point you can use rapeseed for cooking dishes which requires high temperature.
Takeaway
Rapeseed is a great source of nutrients and comparatively healthy as olive oil.
You might not quit olive oil, but you can use rapeseed along with olive oil. The omega 3 fatty acids along with vitamin E and K make it a healthier option.
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