It's because they love gastronomy that the French consume 1,700,000 tonnes of vegetable oils each year. Health specialists also recommend consuming 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil per day, including 2 of olive oil and 2 of rapeseed oil, in order to combine their richness in fatty acids and nutrients.
Considered harmful in the 1960s due to its erucic acid content, rapeseed oil presents absolutely no health risk. Organic rapeseed oil actually contains very little erucic acid and no additives. Mille et Unes Huiles, your online delicatessen, offers you its organic cold-pressed virgin rapeseed oil delivered to your home within 4 days.
What is organic rapeseed oil?
Rapeseed oil is a very common oil in Europe, as it is the primary oil for human consumption. France even produces nearly a million tonnes of it per year. This oil comes from canola, a variety of rapeseed recognizable by its bright yellow color and small black seeds rich in lipids.
You will find two main varieties of rapeseed oil on the market:
- Industrial oil, usually in plastic bottles, which has a fairly neutral taste
- Organic cold-pressed rapeseed oil, which has a more pronounced taste and is richer in nutrients
However, this organic rapeseed oil is more sensitive and must be protected from external elements such as light, hence the dark color of the bottles.
Rapeseed oil, health benefits: an indispensable source of omega 3
Virgin rapeseed oil is rich in vitamins and monounsaturated fatty acids (omega 9) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) as well as vitamin E.
And this content of alpha-linolenic acids (essential fatty acids) in organic rapeseed oil makes it an asset for cardiovascular protection: these fats provide us with the omega 3s that our body does not produce itself.
Omega 3s fight against cardiovascular diseases caused by cholesterol. They are indeed responsible for increasing "good" cholesterol, which flushes out and dissolves "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries. These molecules are even responsible for a certain blood fluidity, thus preventing the formation of blood clots.
But the presence of omega 3s in the body especially allows for the proper functioning of the nervous system and the brain, which is composed of 5% omega 3s. This then allows for prevention against stress or degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Finally, the presence of antioxidant vitamin E protects the oil against oxidation but also has an anti-aging effect on our cells.
How to cook with virgin rapeseed oil?
First cold-pressed virgin rapeseed oil is, unlike refined oil, remarkable for its taste and dietary qualities. Its pronounced taste goes well with all vegetables and raw vegetables. On warm or cold salads, for example, combine it with lemon juice.
Organic rapeseed oil has a very fruity flavor that does not alter during cooking, so it can easily be used in baking or for sautéing vegetables in a pan.
However, cooking destroys omega 3s, the main assets of rapeseed oil. It is therefore preferable to use it as a seasoning. Don't hesitate to try our rapeseed oil vinaigrette recipe, or even mayonnaise prepared with this ingredient!
