canola
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of vegetable oil: A cooking oil made from the seeds of specific varieties of the rapeseed plant (Brassica napus or Brassica rapa). It is characterized by being low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fatty acids. 2. The plant or seed source: The name can also refer to the cultivated rapeseed plants themselves, or their seeds, which are bred to have low levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates, making the oil safe and nutritious for human consumption.
Usage Examples
Noun (Oil):
- For a healthier option, fry the vegetables in canola instead of butter.
- This recipe calls for two tablespoons of canola oil.
- The salad dressing is made with canola and vinegar.
Noun (Plant/Seed):
- The fields of yellow canola are a beautiful sight in the spring.
- The farmers harvest the canola seeds for crushing and oil extraction.
Advanced Usage
- "Canola" as a modifier: The term is most commonly used as a noun but frequently appears attributively (like an adjective) to describe other nouns, most notably "oil."
- The canola industry is a major part of the country's agriculture.
- She bought a bottle of canola oil spray.
Variants and Related Words
- Rapeseed oil: This is a more general term. Traditional rapeseed oil contained high levels of erucic acid and was not suitable for human consumption. Canola is a specific, improved type of rapeseed oil developed in Canada ("canola" is a contraction of "Canadian oil, low acid").
- Vegetable oil: A broad category that includes canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, etc.
Synonyms
- Rapeseed oil (specifically the low-erucic-acid variety)
- Cooking oil (general)
- Vegetable oil (general)
Notes on Meaning
The primary and most common meaning of canola in everyday English is the oil used for cooking. The secondary meaning refers to the agricultural crop. It is almost never used in a context unrelated to food or agriculture.
Noun
- vegetable oil made from rapeseed; it is high in monounsaturated fatty acids