Canadians are the largest per-capita consumers of canola oil in the world. Canola oil has numerous other edible uses and can be found in cooking sprays, sandwich spreads, coffee whiteners, creamers, cookies, cake mixes, breads and many snack foods. Canola oil is a top-notch salad oil with its light color and texture. The mild flavor of canola oil complements the wonderful taste of fresh herbs and spices in a homemade vinaigrette. Homemade vinaigrettes may also be refrigerated, as canola oil remains free-running in the refrigerator.
Canola oil is also excellent for cooking and baking.
Its high smoke-point makes it ideal for fonduing, stir frying and deep fat frying. Canola oil also doesn't transfer flavors from one food to another when more than one food is fried. Research indicates that the oil drains more thoroughly than melted shortening, leaving foods 5 to 10 percent lower in calories than the same foods fried in melted shortening. Baking with canola oil can help reduce your saturated fatty acid-intake. Substituting canola oil for butter, lard or brick margarine replaces fats high in saturated fatty acids with an oil which has the lowest level of saturated fatty acids.