Canola oil is Rapeseed oil. It has been around for thousands of years, and was considered unfit for human consumption until the 1950s. People used it in lamps and such.
They didn’t like the name and changed it. Canadian Oil Low-Acid. “Can-o-LA”.
Technically no, canola oil and rapeseed oil are not the same, but the difference is relatively minor. They are derived from the same plant, but different adaptations of it. Canola oil is a modified version of rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil has been around in an industrial capacity for many years.
What is canola oil made of? Canola oil comes from the seeds of the canola plant, one of the most widely grown crops in Canada. Canola plants produce beautiful small yellow flowers which develop into pods, resembling pea pods. Each pod contains tiny black seeds, made up of about 45% oil.
Canola oil is preferred over mere “vegetable oil” becuase it is lower in saturated fat.
Some cooks like canola oil over olive oil for some things, believing olive oil has a stronger flavor of its own, and canola oil imparts less of a flavor into the foods it is used with in cooking.
Myself, I do use a “light” olive oil when grilling.