(NC) Canola is a staple of Canadian kitchens and store shelves, common enough that it’s easy to overlook. But there’s more to it than most people realize—here are four facts about canola that can provide a new perspective on what’s going on behind those yellow flowers:

1. It’s a Canadian invention. The name “canola” is a blending of “Canada (can-)” and “oil, low acid (-ola)”. That’s because it was Canadian scientists and farmers, working together, who crossbred and engineered rapeseed plants to produce healthier oil with much less erucic acid. It continues to develop and improve to this day, in research institutions and on family-owned farms.
2. It’s a healthy addition to the kitchen. Social media can contain conflicting and sometimes inaccurate health information, but Health Canada’s food guide recommends canola as a cooking oil because of its healthy fat makeup. It has the most omega-3 fats and the lowest level of saturated fat of any common plant-based oil. It also has zero trans fat (the worst kind) and plenty of monounsaturated fat (the good kind).
   With its high smoke point, canola doesn’t lose quality during frying, sautéeing or baking. With that and its neutral flavour, canola is a heart-healthy go-to cooking option for a wide range of dishes.
3. Canada’s bees and canola plants support each other. Bees, an essential pollinator, are a success story in Canada with 829,000 colonies nationwide, up from just 600,000 in the early 2000s. 70 per cent of them are in Western Canada, often gathered around canola fields; the bright yellow flowers contain plenty of nectar and pollen, and bloom for long periods.
4. It’s used far outside the kitchen. Canadian canola has a surprising number of uses, from manufacturing, to being used in a range of products. It’s in pet foods, some environmentally friendly fabrics, even beauty products. It’s also used as a sustainable biodiesel, with lifecycle emissions 90 per cent lower than fossil fuels’.

Canola is a lot like Canada itself: innovative, industrious, versatile and quietly doing good. And like Canada, it’s the product of people cooperating and figuring out new ways to help themselves, their environment and each other. You can learn more of the story at hellocanola.ca.