Rapeseed oil (or Canola Oil) is a healthy and much cheaper alternative to olive oil, and has a pleasant light taste. We all know that Olive Oil is good for us – it’s a staple part of the ‘healthy’ mediterranean diet and a rich source of cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats.

A lesser-known fact is that whilst a litre of extra virgin Bertolli, Filippo Berio or Napolina will set you back £6-8, a litre of rapeseed oil, with potentially even greater health properties than olive oil, can be bought for just over £1!

Rapeseed oil is predominately a monounsaturated fat but it contains less saturated fat and provides far more omega 3 than olive oil, as well as being a source of Vitamin E. The oil has a very light taste and is perfect for frying, baking, salad dressing and every-day cooking.

Another great benefit of rapeseed oil is it’s price. You can buy Mazola rapeseed oil  in Sainsbury’s for £1.39 per litre or Goldenfields rapeseed oil in Watirose at just £1.09 per litre. Tesco do their own organic rapeseed oil for £2.82 per litre – still less than half the price of olive oil.

At the higher end of the market you can buy British-produced cold-pressed rapeseed oils such as Farringtons Mellow Yellow, Borderfields and Hillfarm for around £4-5 for 500mL. Cold-pressed oils are said to be fuller in flavour and goodness than heat-treated varieties and as the health benefits become more widely recognised and the demand for British produce increases we can probably expect to see more and more local farmers producing gourmet rapeseed oils.