Rapeseed oil

Studies in people

• Open question

  Heart health compared to olive oil³

  Scientists do not yet know whether rapeseed oil gives the same heart benefits as olive oil.

• Benefit

  Liver fat in obese men⁴

  In obese men with fatty liver, daily rapeseed oil lowered liver fat, while olive oil did not.

• No harm found

  Heart and kidney health⁵

  In people with overweight, swapping usual fats for rapeseed oil for 12 weeks changed no heart or kidney markers.

• Benefit

  Fat burning over a day⁶

  In healthy young men, rapeseed oil meals burned more fat over 24 hours than palm oil meals.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in overweight adults⁷

  In overweight people, rapeseed oil lowered total and LDL cholesterol more than amaranth oil did.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in men⁸

  In men with metabolic syndrome, rapeseed oil instead of butter lowered cholesterol, but the reason was not found.

• No harm found

  Infant growth⁹

  Babies fed formula with rapeseed oil grew the same in weight and length as babies fed formula without it.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in the blood¹⁰

  In people, rapeseed oil lowered blood cholesterol and raised cholesterol leaving the body, compared with olive oil.

• Benefit

  Blood fat levels in children¹¹

  In children with inherited high cholesterol, a diet with rapeseed oil lowered blood fats over five months.

• Benefit

  LDL cholesterol comparison¹²

  In people with high cholesterol, rapeseed oil lowered LDL cholesterol slightly more than olive oil did.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in people¹³

  In people, eating rapeseed oil lowered total and LDL cholesterol more than sunflower oil did.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol and blood fats¹⁴

  In people, a rapeseed oil diet lowered total and LDL cholesterol compared with a diet rich in saturated fats.

• Open question

  Heart health¹⁵

  In people, rapeseed oil and margarine with more natural plant nutrients were tested for heart and blood effects.

• Concern

  Blood clotting¹⁶

  In men, rapeseed oil made platelets clump together more easily than milk fat did.

• Open question

  Blood fats after eating¹⁷

  Meals with rapeseed oil gave similar blood fat responses to sunflower and palm oils in young men.

• Benefit

  Blood pressure and blood fats¹⁸

  In people with metabolic syndrome, rapeseed oil lowered diastolic blood pressure and blood fats more than olive oil.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol in children¹⁹

  In children with high cholesterol, rapeseed oil in a low-fat diet lowered cholesterol about as much as sunflower oil.

• Benefit

  Blood cholesterol and fats²⁰

  In people, rapeseed oil lowered cholesterol and blood fats compared with eating dairy fat.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Heart muscle changes²³

  In animal studies, rapeseed oil led to fat buildup in heart muscle cells and scarring over time.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Heart and blood sugar health²¹

  Rapeseed oil may help cholesterol, heart health and blood sugar, though scientists are still studying how much it helps.

How it’s made and used

• Key odor compounds²²

  Four compounds give rapeseed oil its pickle smell, with 3-butenyl isothiocyanate the one noses notice most.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.