Did you know ...

that scientists from the Agricultural Research Service, Iowa State University and Brazil have identified a cluster of genes that provide resistance to the soybean rust (SBR) fungus (Phakopsora pachyrhizi)? In addition, these researchers have been involved in the largest molecular study of SBR over the past three years by narrowing the field of 37,500 genes involved in defending the soyabean plant against SBR, to just a few hundred. Research is currently underway to study these genes experimentally to understand their roles in controlling the rust fungus.
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Canola oil is a good fat.

Your body needs fat – to keep you warm, provide energy and help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. The National Academy of Science Dietary Reference Intakes, developed by Canadian and American nutrition experts, recommends that fat provide between 20% and 35% of total energy intake. But some fats are healthier for you than others. Canola oil provides more of the good fats than any other popular vegetable oil.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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Did you know?

Soybeans have been called "meat without bones" because, although this versatile bean is small in comparison to many other beans, it is packed with protein, very similar to the protein in meat, dairy products and eggs. The soybean plant is one of the few plants that provides nearly all the essential amino acids, that make up proteins.
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Did you know ...

in Brazil, about 25% of cars run on biofuels (mostly sugar and soyabeans). Studies have shown that soya protein is 13 times more energy efficient than organic dairy protein.
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in a recent study it was shown that women with breast cancer who included about two servings of soya protein per day, had a 7.4% mortality rate and an 8.0% cancer recurrence rate. In comparison, women with breast cancer who consumed less soya had a 10.3% mortality rate and a 11.2% recurrence rate, i.e., about a 30% decrease in risk of mortality and recurrence in breast cancer patients.
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Bad fats – canola oil is low

Saturated and trans fats are 'bad'. Saturated fats raise the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body and have been linked to coronary heart disease. Canola oil has the lowest saturated fat level of all vegetable oils. Olive oil contains twice as much saturated fat as canola oil. Trans fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol (HDL). While all processed oils contain very small levels of trans fatty acids, government regulatory authorities in North America define canola oil as zero trans fat. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils to make them more solid increases trans fats. Be wise: choose canola oil and non-hydrogenated soft margarines instead of solid fats such as partially-hydrogenated margarine, shortening, lard and butter.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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Soya beans are a main part of the diet of the Japanese. It is believed that this accounts for the fact that Japanese women have been shown to have low rates of breast cancer, osteoporosis and menopausal problems. In menopausal years, when women’s oestrogen levels are low, the isoflavones found in soya beans, act as oestrogens relieving hot flushes, mood swings and reducing bone loss. In contrast, when women's oestrogen levels are high, the oestrogens in soya help lower pre-menstrual stress.
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Did you know ...

with the worldwide emphasis on environmental conservation, soyabean based candle wax is offering an alternative to petroleum-paraffin waxes with additional advantages such as enhanced fragrance holding ability, improved pouring characteristics and easier use in existing candle manufacturing factories.
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Canola oil is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E

One serving of canola oil each day will deliver about a quarter of all the vitamin E you need to protect your body's fats and proteins from free radical damage. Vitamin E may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and memory loss.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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Canola oil contains no cholesterol

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance present in all parts of your body. There are two sources: a) cholesterol made by your liver and b) cholesterol that you eat in animal products such as eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, butter and lard. Canola oil is cholesterol-free.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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The main health benefits in eating soybeans are from the various phytonutrients they contain, e.g. isoflavones. These have been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis and other conditions. In 1999 the Federal Drug Administration in the USA approved the health claim that the heart health benefits of soya could be used on the labels of soya-based foods.
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Canola oil is made from canola

Canola oil is pressed from tiny canola seeds produced by beautiful yellow flowering plants of the Brassica family. Cabbages and cauliflower are also part of the same botanical family! Canola was bred naturally from its parent rapeseed in the early 1970s. Canola, however, is NOT rapeseed – their nutritional profiles are very different.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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Japanese men are known to have the lowest rate of prostate cancer in the world, but research has shown their rate of prostate cancer increases when they immigrate to the US. Genetics and a westernized diet may have a role to play in these health differences, but substantial medical research has shown that the addition of soya in a diet plays a large role in alleviating prostate cancer.
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over the past 12 years, crops improved through agricultural biotechnology, have produced more nutritious and higher yields and consequently higher profit margins. In the history of agriculture, no other advances have been adopted as quickly. In addition, through the use of these crops, the US has decreased carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to removing 6.3 million cars off the roads. These findings show that biotechnology is safe, contributing to increased human health as well as environmental and agricultural sustainability.
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in the US, conservation tillage is used in more than 65% of the country's soybean production areas, resulting in a 93% decrease in soil erosion, a 70% reduction in herbicide runoff, and a 50% reduction in fuel use.
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Canola oil really cooks

Canola oil is light and clear and has a mild flavor that lets spices and herbs shine through in vinaigrettes. It enhances the delicate taste of baked goods. It delivers and seals in marinade flavors and its high smoke point makes it ideal for sautéing and deep frying. For recipes using canola oil, visit canolainfo.org
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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Did you know ...

that the soybean genome was recently sequenced by the US Department of Energy and several academic laboratories? This major scientific breakthrough will enable plant breeders to breed better, more adaptive cultivars with higher yields and increased resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
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Essential good fats – canola oil is high

Fats are made up of smaller units called fatty acids. Two fatty acids are essential in your diet because your body can't make them. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid and linoleic acid (LA) is an essential omega-6 fatty acid. Both of these good fatty acids are polyunsaturated. Canola oil is a good source of the ALA omega-3 fatty acid and its ratio of 2:1 of omega-6 to omega-3 is nutritionally ideal. Omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart attacks and strokes by helping to lower bad cholesterol. Omega-6 fatty acid is important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants. Canola oil contains very high levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids too. Monounsaturated fat lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and helps control blood glucose.
Credit: Canola Council of Canada
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