Canola Oil Nutrition Facts

Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits of Canola Oil

Canola oil annotated

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman 

Canola oil (from 'Canadian Oil') is a versatile and mild-flavored cooking oil. According to the Canola Council of Canada and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it’s the third most consumed oil in the world. Canola is also a good-for-you oil because it’s high in beneficial fatty acids. 

Nutrition Facts

The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 1 tablespoon (14g) of canola oil.

  • Calories: 124
  • Fat: 14g
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Carbohydrates: 0g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Sugars: 0g
  • Protein: 0g

Carbs in Canola Oil

There is no carbohydrate in canola oil. Like all oils, the glycemic load of canola oil is zero.

Fats in Canola Oil

All of the calories in canola oil come from fat. However, most of the fat is considered to be "good fat." 

There are four grams of polyunsaturated fat in canola oil. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids, meaning that your body doesn't make them so you must consume them in food. 

You'll also benefit from nine grams of monounsaturated fat, Monounsaturated fatty acids are also essential fatty acids so you must consume them in food. 

Protein in Canola Oil

There is no protein in canola oil.

Micronutrients in Canola Oil

There are few micronutrients in canola oil.

One tablespoon of canola oil provides 10 mcg of vitamin K or about 12 percent of your daily recommended needs. You'll also get 2.4 mg of vitamin E or 12 percent of your daily needs.

There are no minerals in canola oil.

Health Benefits and Concerns

Canola oil has a healthful fatty acid profile in that it’s low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fats. Health experts recommend that we reduce the amount of saturated fat in our diets and replace it with mono or polyunsaturated fats to boost heart health.

As an excellent source of polyunsaturated fats, it provides a good ratio of omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid) to omega-3 (alpha-linolenic) fatty acids.

You'll get 1279 mg of omega-3s in a tablespoon of canola oil. According to the National Institutes of Health, researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent cardiovascular disease and other diseases and conditions including Alzheimer's, cancer, age-related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and dry eye diseases.

You'll also benefit from 2610 mg of omega 6 fatty acids. Health experts at the University of Michigan note that omega-6 fatty acids contribute to healthy cell function and structure.  It may also be important for normal brain development of the fetus and infants.

Lastly, research suggests the fatty acids found in canola oil may have a beneficial impact on cholesterol levels and reduces biomarkers of inflammation, so it’s an excellent inclusion of an anti-inflammatory diet. And people with diabetes may benefit from using canola oil as well as research has suggested the oil helps to lower glycemic load.

In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows the following claim to be placed on foods that contain canola oil, as long as they are also low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium:

Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 ½ tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve this possible benefit, canola oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.

Common Questions

I heard that canola oil is bad for me. Is that true?

Unfortunately, canola oil has been plagued with disinformation and rumors still exist claiming it’s dangerous for your health. 

Canola oil comes from seeds that were developed in Canada back in the 1960s and 70s when plant scientists figured out how to breed potentially a dangerous fatty acid, called erucic acid, out of rapeseed plants. Erucic acid is a type of fatty acid that may be bad for heart muscle at high doses.

Today's canola plants contain almost no erucic acid, so there’s no danger to the heart (quite the opposite, actually). So it’s important to understand the difference between the old inedible rapeseed oil and the modern canola oil, which is perfectly safe.

Some people conflate modern canola oil with inedible rapeseed oil that's used in lubricants, hydraulic fluids, soaps, and paints. But again, that’s not canola oil. Part of that problem might be that people outside of North America use the term ‘rapeseed’ when they talk about either canola oil or inedible rapeseed oil.

Do I need to worry about canola oil and GMOs?

Canola seeds were initially produced by traditional breeding methods. Most modern canola seeds have been modified to withstand some herbicides. Science and research show that GMOs are safe, and lots of clinical studies have been done with canola oil on humans.

But, if you're concerned about these sorts of things, organic and non-GMO canola oils are available at natural and health food stores in many cities, states, and countries.

Recipes and Preparation Tips

The flash point of canola oil is about 468-475°F (200°C), making it easier to cook foods at high heat. The flash point (or smoke point) of an oil is that temperature at which it begins to smoke. 

Canola oil also has a light, clear, mild flavor that does not interfere with the taste of your food. So this oil is very versatile. You can fry or saute with canola oil. You can also bake with this oil. In fact, canola oil experts recommend that if your recipe calls for one cup of a solid fat such as butter or lard, you can substitute 3/4 cup canola oil.

You can also use canola oil in salad dressings or vinaigrettes.

Allergies and Interactions

Because there is no protein in canola oil, reports of allergic reaction are rare. However, there are some anecdotal cases reported online where consumers report having symptoms such as sneezing, dizziness, nausea or vomiting after consuming canola oil. There are also some reports of people with peanut allergies having symptoms after consuming canola oil.

However, if you do experience symptoms, it may be hard to pinpoint whether it is canola oil or another ingredient in the food that are causing symptoms. Very few people consume canola oil alone. 

If you suspect that you have an allergy to canola oil or any food, seek care from your medical provider.

Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  • Jenkins, D. J. A., Kendall, C. W. C., Vuksan, V., Faulkner, D., Augustin, L. S. A., Mitchell, S., … Leiter, L. A. (2014). Effect of Lowering the Glycemic Load With Canola Oil on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetes Care, 37(7), 1806–1814. doi:10.2337/dc13-2990

  • Lin, L., Allemekinders, H., Dansby, A., Campbell, L., Durance-Tod, S., Berger, A., & Jones, P. J. (2013). Evidence of health benefits of canola oil. Nutrition reviews71(6), 370-85. doi: 10.1111%2Fnure.12033

  • United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. "Canola."http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/soybeans-oil-crops/canola.aspx.

  • United States Food and Drug Administration. "Summary of Qualified Health Claims Subject to Enforcement Discretion." ​http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm073992.htm.

By Shereen Lehman, MS
Shereen Lehman, MS, is a former writer for Verywell Fit and Reuters Health. She's a healthcare journalist who writes about healthy eating and offers evidence-based advice for regular people.