Long loved for its high smoke point and Omega-3 content, canola oil is a pantry staple for many, especially when it comes to frying food. But production methods and saturated fat levels have deterred some cooks in the past.

Enter Edwards Oil, the country’s first chemical free cold-pressed canola oil. The 100 per cent Australian-made range claims to offer a healthier and more affordable alternative to olive oil.

Cold pressed canola oils have already taken off in other parts of the world, with consumer research pointing to it as the fastest growing vegetable oil in the UK.

Many other cooking oils in the market are heat-pressed, chemically refined and even bleached, says Edward Garrow, Edwards Oil’s founder and CRO.

“…With a higher smoke point, 50 per cent less saturated fat, richer in Vitamin E and Omega-3 with a more balanced Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio…. it’s simply a better oil for all uses.” Garrow says.

The great oil debate can be tough to navigate, with new health studies emerging almost every few months throwing some varieties under the bus. Olive oil has been on the receiving end of health flack in recent times, with some warning against heating it beyond a certain temperature due to its lower smoke point.

According to Sarah Dacres-Mannings, Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) and Sports Dietitian Fellow, Edwards Cold Pressed Canola Oil has a “very high level of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, does not contain trans fats or cholesterol, and is very low in saturated fats with only seven per cent, compared to olive oil at 15 per cent, and peanut oil at 19 per cent”.

Made with canola sourced from NSW’s Cootamundra region, the brand is also promising traceability from farm to bottle.

Before you see the label ‘cold pressed’ and throw it in the too-expensive basket, it’s worth noting that a 750ml glass bottle of Edwards Oil will only put a $9 dent in your wallet. Both their First Pressed and Filtered varieties are available at Woolworths stores nationwide.