5 Reasons to Use Canola Oil

MISSION, KS--(Marketwired - Jan 12, 2016) - (Family Features) Do you know what's in a bottle of vegetable oil? Well, clearly not lettuce, carrots or tomatoes, but not necessarily a specific oil either. That's because vegetable oil is made from any number of oils -- soybean, sunflower and/or corn, for example -- which means its nutritional content and culinary performance are unspecified, too. Here's why cooking with 100 percent canola oil is your best bet and some delicious ways to do it.

1. It's healthy. Canola oil contains the least saturated fat -- about half that of olive, soybean, corn and sunflower oils -- and the most plant-based omega-3 fat of all common cooking oils.

Stir-fried Pork and Broccoli with Garlic Ginger Sauce - Canola oil's healthy fat content makes it ideal for lighter dishes and cooking methods, such as stir-frying.

2. It's neutral. Canola oil has no taste and a light texture (unlike olive or coconut oils), which is what you want to better showcase the flavors of your ingredients, not your oil.

Roasted Root Vegetable and Winter Squash Salad - Canola oil's light texture and mild taste are perfect for vinaigrettes and won't mask the many flavor-packed ingredients in this salad.

3. It can take the heat. Broil, sear or even deep-fry to your heart's content. Canola oil has one of the highest heat tolerances (smoke point of 468 F) of any cooking oil.

Maple Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary - Canola oil supports all forms of high-temperature cooking, as in this dish, which starts with browning pork on the stove and then finishes in a 400 F oven.

4. It's affordable. Canola oil costs about the same as vegetable oil, but canola is superior nutritionally with trusted performance.

Broiled Trout with Lemon Oil and Oven-Grilled Vegetables - Canola oil is a great value for health and versatility, as shown with lemon infusion and other nutritious ingredients in this broiled trout recipe.

5. It can protect your heart. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a qualified health claim for canola oil on its potential to reduce the risk of heart disease when used in place of saturated fat.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Drizzle - Using canola oil instead of butter significantly reduces saturated fat in baked goods, such as this scrumptious banana bread.

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