Pro-health properties of rapeseed and olive oil

Abstract

Food is one of the main environmental factors affecting health, physical and mental performance, and well-being. Nutrition should be reasonable and must correspond to a given individual’s need for nutrients and energy. The fats are one of the most important nutrients and are at the top of the food pyramid. However, we need to know what fats should be consumed to maintain good health. The Polish market is dominated by rapeseed oil, but reports on the beneficial health properties of the Mediterranean diet are constantly increasing the popularity of olive oil. Rapeseed oil and olive oil are characterized by a similar, yet not identical, composition of fatty acids and biologically active substances, mainly of antioxidant character, including fat-soluble vitamins, carotenes, phytosterols, and polyphenols. Rapeseed oil and olive oil have a high pro-health potential due to their composition, however, the knowledge about the amount of unsaturated fatty acids and compounds with antioxidant potential contained in these two types of oil is important, as beneficial properties of these oils decrease during frying.