Oil, Olive & Rapeseed
Introduction
Olive oil is a plant-derived oil pressed from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea); it can be used raw—for dressings and dips—or heated for cooking, with extra virgin varieties prized for their fresh, fruity flavour and low refining. Rapeseed oil (often labelled canola in some markets) is extracted from the seeds of the Brassica napus plant and can also be used raw or cooked; it is widely used as a basis for many blended vegetable oils due to its neutral taste and favourable smoke point.
Olive oil ranges in colour from green to golden-yellow, the greener hues reflecting higher levels of chlorophyll and polyphenols from less-processed, early-harvest olives; rapeseed oil is typically pale yellow-golden thanks to carotenoids and the seed’s natural pigments.
Nutritionally, both are predominantly fats: rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil is especially high in oleic acid), with rapeseed oil containing a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fats including alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3). Both contain vitamin E (tocopherols) and trace amounts of phytochemicals—olive oil, notably, provides phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties—while being low in protein and carbohydrate.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.