Bowl of canola oil
Adults ranked canola oil as the second most healthy oil.

INDIANAPOLIS — Dow AgroSciences, L.L.C. pointed to consumer surveys as reasons why the company likes to promote the omega-9 fatty acid found in oils it sources from canola and sunflower. Dow AgroSciences in a Nov. 6 webinar presented the findings from surveys it conducted this year. (Click to see the "Rating different types of fat on health" chart)

A survey question asked 1,000 adults to rank 12 specific types of fat as either extremely healthful, somewhat healthful, neither healthful nor unhealthful, not very healthful, not at all healthful or unaware. Omega-9 fatty acids came in third at 23% extremely healthful and 24% somewhat healthful, trailing omega-3 fatty acids (37% extremely healthful and 31% somewhat healthful) and omega-6 fatty acids (25% extremely healthful and 27% somewhat healthful).

Omega-9 fatty acids are oleic acids and also monounsaturated fats. In the Dow AgroSciences’ survey, monounsaturated fats had percentages of 4% for extremely healthful and 13% for somewhat healthful, showing consumers probably are more familiar with the term omega-9 fatty acids.

Another survey question asked 1,000 adults to rank seven different oils from the healthiest to the least healthy, with 1 being the healthiest and 7 being the least healthy. A ranking of 1 or 2 placed an oil in the most healthy category while a ranking of 6 or 7 put an oil in the least healthy category.

Coconut came out on top with 51% ranking coconut oil as “most healthy,” or ranking it 1 or 2, and 22% ranking it “least healthy,” or ranking it 6 or 7. Canola oil was second, with percentages of 39% for “most healthy” and 26% for “least healthy.” Following coconut and canola in the rankings were sunflower, soybean, safflower, corn and palm.

Dow AgroSciences said its omega-9 fatty acid oils sourced from canola are 74% oleic acid, which compares to 61% for commodity canola oil. Advanced plant breeding allows Dow AgroSciences to minimize the effect of weather and climate on the oil’s quality. Dow AgroScience’s omega-9 fatty acid canola and sunflower oils are sourced from Nexera seeds. The Nexera fatty acid profile over the canola crop years 2009 to 2013 ranged from 74.7% oleic acid to 75.9% oleic acid.

Omega-9 fatty acid oils from Nexera canola and sunflower seeds offer a light, clean taste and superior performance, according to Dow AgroSciences.

Click to see the "Rating different types of fat on health" chart