# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3765
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3765 "2022-02-18T14:15:36Z")
TIL that canola oil comes from rapeseed: > **[Rapeseed oil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola_oil#Origin)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, it was eaten in limited quantities due to high levels of erucic acid, which is damaging to the cardiac muscle of animals and imparts a bitter taste, and glucosinolates, which made it less nutritious in animal feed. Rapeseed oil can contain up to 54... It’s a particular variety that is low in erucic acid, and was originally bred in Canada. The name takes “can” from “Canada” and “OLA” meaning “oil, low acid.” I also learned that rapeseed shares etymological roots _not_ with rape, but with _rapum_, a latin reference to turnips, with which it also shares phylogenetic roots. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674)._