In October 2006, the FDA granted a Qualified Health Claim for canola oil, based on its ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content. The claim, which canola oil bottlers and producers of eligible products may use on labels, states:
Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1½ tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve this possible benefit, canola oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.
Voluntary changes in food ingredients by many restaurants and fast-food chains, plus mandates from city governments in New York, Philadelphia and other areas eliminating trans fats from menus, have helped canola oil become one of the most popular solutions to the trans fat problem.
Canola use in the production of biodiesel fuel also has increased demand for canola recently. When biodiesel is blended with petroleum diesel, it has reduced pollution emissions and diesel engine wear. A 2,000-pound-per-acre canola crop can produce between 100 and 120 gallons of biodiesel per acre. The biodiesel produced from canola has better cold-flow properties than biodiesel produced from soybeans.