About Rapeseed Oil

The Story

Those bright yellow fields that colour the countryside in the spring are the source of seed that gives us the oil which has superior qualities over imported olive oil. Planted in the late summer, the rapeseed crop, a relative of cabbages and cauliflowers, overwinters and grows rapidly in the spring and may reach 1.8 metres high. It sets its tiny black seed in pods after flowering and ripens ready for harvest in late July or early August. It can be harvested like cereal crops with a combine harvester and then dried and stored. The seed contains over 40% oil but the cold pressing which retains the goodness of the natural oil can only extract a proportion of this.

The Benefits

Cold pressed Rapeseed Oil contains a healthy balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils. Omega 3 is known to be important in keeping our hearts and arteries healthy and is beneficial in brain development. It also contains useful levels of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

The oil is versatile, used in dressings where its light nutty flavour can be balanced with balsamic vinegars, mustards and seasonings. As a cooking oil it burns at high temperature so it produces fantastic roasts.

Compare with Olive Oil

To convince you of the benefits of using our rapeseed oil here is a comparison with olive oil.

	Rapeseed oil	Olive oil
Saturated fat	7.5%	14%
Omega 3	8.9%	1%
Omega 6	17%	8%
Smoke Point	230c	180c