A “New” Healthful Oil – Camelina

From Saskatchewan there is a “new” healthful oil on the market, camelina.

Although camelina is an ancient oilseed originating in Northern Europe it is new to North American cuisine.  There is much excitement around this “new” oil because it is very good source of Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory) and Vitamin E (antioxidant).

Camelina oil has a light, nutty, earthy flavour and a high smoke point of 475 F degrees making it ideal for stir-frying, sautéing, roasting and grilling.  If you have been following our blog then you will realize the importance of keeping oils from going rancid.  Once rancid oils not only lose their flavour and nutrients but they form free radicals which damage our cells.  It is the high content of Vitamin E that keeps the camelina oil from turning rancid and giving it a shelf life of 18 months.  Other oils that are appropriate for high heat are palm oil (blog post Palm Oil (and Orangutans Too) Nov 14, 2013), coconut oil (Blog post Coconut Feb 28, 2013), and avocado oil.

Looking at the fatty acid profile of camelina oil more closely it contains 10% saturated fat, 34% Omega-9 (monounsaturated), 20% Omega 6 and 36% Omega-3.  With the high amount of monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids compared to the inflammatory Omega-6, this oil is a great addition to our anti-inflammatory diet.

Three Farmers Camelina Oil can be found in health food stores, they are ensuring that their camelina oil is cold-pressed and non-GMO.  You can visit their website for recipe ideas at www.threefarmers.ca and to find a store in your area selling camelina oil.