Camelina oil facts for kids
Camelina oil, also known as False flax oil, is a special kind of oil. It comes from the seeds of a plant called Camelina sativa. This plant is also known as false flax or "gold of pleasure." People have grown false flax in Europe for a very long time. Its oil was once used as a lamp oil until the 1700s.
In more recent times, people have started looking at camelina oil for other uses. It is now explored for use in cosmetic and skin care products. Camelina oil has a lot of omega-3 fats. Some cultures use it as a food supplement because of this. In the European Union and the United Kingdom, it is even registered as a special traditional product called "Olej rydzowy tradycyjny."
About the Camelina Plant
The false flax plant belongs to the Brassicaceae family. This is the same plant family as mustard and cabbage. Many other plants that produce seed oil, like rapeseed, are also in this family.
The seeds of the camelina plant contain about 37% oil by weight. This oil naturally has a small amount of something called erucic acid. Usually, it's about 1% to 3%. However, new types of Camelina sativa plants have been grown that have less than 1% erucic acid.
What's in Camelina Oil?
Camelina oil is known for its healthy fats. It contains different types of fatty acids:
- It has a lot of polyunsaturated fats, including alpha-linolenic acid (a type of omega-3) and linoleic acid (a type of omega-6).
- It also contains monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid and gadoleic acid.
- A smaller amount of saturated fats, such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, are also present.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet officially rated camelina oil for people to eat.
