Camelina Benefits of a U.S. Oil Seed

At a local Farmers Market, I ran into Curt Greenwalt —one of the owners of Ole World Oils selling his company’s Camelina Gold products. If you aren’t familiar with Camelina, he shares more details about this versatile oilseed.

 

Greenwalt: “It’s not really a grain, it is a true oilseed. Health conscience people really like it because it is very high in omega 3s, it is very high in vitamin E which acts as a preservative. It is a unique oil in that as you heat the oil, the vitamin E burns off and keep the Omega 3s active and alive. It has a very long shelf life. We guarantee it for 18 months, but I know it will last longer. The smoke point is 475 degrees, so it gives you a wide range of cooking that you can do with the oil.”

 

It works well in vinaigrettes, salad dressings, mayonnaise and mustards. It also works well as a moisturizer as well. He continues with the health benefits of eating the seeds themselves.

 

Greenwalt: “We are beginning to see a lot of seed for human consumption. Very, very much like chia and very much like flax. It is a gelatinous seed so when it gets wet, it swells and releases a fiber. The protein content comparing it to chia — the protein content is a little higher, then dietary fiber is a little lower but I think it has a better taste than chia does. Plus it is a local U.S. product.”

 

If you want to learn more go to camelinagold.com.