When choosing oils for cooking, you may have come across canola oil and wondered, is canola oil gluten free?
This highly processed oil is commonly used in recipes by home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. However, before you start using it or consume anything with canola oil, you will want to be sure it is gluten free.
What Is Canola Oil?
It’s a type of vegetable oil that is made from canola plants. Canola oil comes from the oil extracted from canola seed pods after flowering. The word ‘canola’ is a trademarked term used since 1978 in Canada. It’s a vegetable oil as it is created from a plant.
And while it does resemble rapeseed, it is not the same thing. It was engineered independently, and canola oil is entirely different.
Canola oil is considered a high smoke point oil, making it good to use for high-heat cooking like frying. My guide to cooking oils can read more about canola oil high-heat cooking.
If you like to use canola for salad dressing, be sure to look to see is balsamic vinegar is gluten free too.
Answer: Is Canola Oil Gluten Free?
For those who love to fry foods…canola oil IS gluten free! Most cooking oils are naturally gluten-free, but you should always check the label. There may be cross-contamination depending on where the oil is processed, so look for labels with the certified gluten free logo to make a safe choice.
Anything that includes additives or flavorings may also contain gluten. And when canola oil is used, double-check with your server that the fryer or cooking method for the dish you want to order is gluten free. Canola oil is often not the problem. You must be careful to look for cross-contact with gluten, like when there’s no dedicated gluten free fryer.
If you use canola when cooking, be sure to see which meal ingredients are gluten free.
What Brands Of Canola Oil Are Gluten Free?
Pure canola oil is entirely gluten free in a natural way. These brands are good options that won’t put you in danger with any trace of gluten:
- Crisco
- Wesson
- Mazola
- Healthy Harvest
- Thrive Market
- Trader Joe’s
- Aldi
- 365 Whole Foods
- Kirkland Signature
- Spectrum
- Native Harvest
- Signature Select
As for other brands of canola oil, simply read the label. Canola oil should only list ‘canola oil’ in the ingredients. If anything else is added to it and doesn’t have a certified gluten free logo, it’s best to choose something else to be on the safe side.
How Can You Use Canola Oil?
- Canola oil is great for baking and cooking! I use canola oil in this Gluten Free Hummingbird Cake recipe.
- Use it to fry these Gluten Free Onion Rings!
- Use it to sauté your veggies.
- Brush it on before you grill your meats.
- Put canola oil in a spray bottle for your air frying. It makes these Gluten Free Fish Sticks nice and crispy.
- Create your own marinades, sauces, and dressings using canola oil. The possibilities are endless when you add your own gluten-free ingredients!
