Canola field
What is canola?
The oilseed packed with healthy oil, protein and potential
In a few decades, canola has become one of the world’s most important oilseeds and one of Canada’s leading crops. Today canola is a true “made-in-Canada” success story and the foundation of a thriving, sustainable industry.
The canola plant
One of the most widely grown crops in Canada, canola plants produce beautiful small yellow flowers which develop into pods, resembling pea pods. Each pod contains tiny black seeds, made up of about 45% oil. Once harvested, canola seeds are crushed to release the oil contained within the seed.
Canola grown in Canada belongs to the Brassica napus B. rapa or B. juncea species which belong to a much larger mustard family (Brassicaceae). Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are also part of this same botanical family.
The history of canola seed in Canada
Historical records indicate that rapeseed was cultivated as early as 2000 B.C.E. in India and introduced into China and Japan around 35 B.C.E. Documented use or that of a close relative appears in the earliest writings of European and Asian civilizations. Rapeseed plants prefer to grow in relatively low temperatures, with less heat required for successful reproduction than other oilseed crops. Therefore, rapeseed was one of the very few oil sources that could be successfully grown in temperate climates. This led to rapeseed being grown in Europe as early as the 13th century. In later centuries, rapeseed was used for both cooking and lighting, as its oil produced a smokeless white flame. Rapeseed had a rather limited industrial acceptance until the development of steam power, when it was discovered that rapeseed oil would bind to water and steam washed metal surfaces better than any other lubricant. It was this special property that led to the introduction of rapeseed into Canada.
The need for Canadian rapeseed production arose from the critical shortage of rapeseed oil that was needed by Allied forces during World War II and were supplied by Canada to break the blockade of European and Asian sources in the early 1940s. The oil was urgently needed as a lubricant for the rapidly increasing number of marine engines in naval and merchant ships.
Canola field
What is canola?
The oilseed packed with healthy oil, protein and potential
In a few decades, canola has become one of the world’s most important oilseeds and one of Canada’s leading crops. Today canola is a true “made-in-Canada” success story and the foundation of a thriving, sustainable industry.
The canola plant
One of the most widely grown crops in Canada, canola plants produce beautiful small yellow flowers which develop into pods, resembling pea pods. Each pod contains tiny black seeds, made up of about 45% oil. Once harvested, canola seeds are crushed to release the oil contained within the seed.
Canola grown in Canada belongs to the Brassica napus B. rapa or B. juncea species which belong to a much larger mustard family (Brassicaceae). Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are also part of this same botanical family.
The history of canola seed in Canada
Historical records indicate that rapeseed was cultivated as early as 2000 B.C.E. in India and introduced into China and Japan around 35 B.C.E. Documented use or that of a close relative appears in the earliest writings of European and Asian civilizations. Rapeseed plants prefer to grow in relatively low temperatures, with less heat required for successful reproduction than other oilseed crops. Therefore, rapeseed was one of the very few oil sources that could be successfully grown in temperate climates. This led to rapeseed being grown in Europe as early as the 13th century. In later centuries, rapeseed was used for both cooking and lighting, as its oil produced a smokeless white flame. Rapeseed had a rather limited industrial acceptance until the development of steam power, when it was discovered that rapeseed oil would bind to water and steam washed metal surfaces better than any other lubricant. It was this special property that led to the introduction of rapeseed into Canada.
The need for Canadian rapeseed production arose from the critical shortage of rapeseed oil that was needed by Allied forces during World War II and were supplied by Canada to break the blockade of European and Asian sources in the early 1940s. The oil was urgently needed as a lubricant for the rapidly increasing number of marine engines in naval and merchant ships.