Nutritional benefits and using Borderfields in everyday cooking.

What is rapeseed oil?

Rapeseed oil is from the third most important crop grown here in the UK after wheat and barley. It is the only commonly used culinary oil that can be widely found and is both grown and bottled here. Other vegetable oils, such as olive or sunflower, are primarily imported from mainland Europe or further afield.

The oil itself comes from the black seeds of the oilseed rape plant. It is this plant which produces sunny, yellow flowers around springtime. It’s unlikely you can miss those golden fields brightening our beautiful landscapes.

Why is your oil not extra virgin and what does ‘cold pressed’ mean?

The term ‘extra virgin’ is commonly reserved for olive oil, so we don’t use it, even though our production method is similar. We press our seeds once in the same way extra virgin olive oils are the first press of the olives. ‘Cold Pressing’ simply involves the natural, gentle, cold pressing of our seeds which creates oils of the highest quality and standard with a natural flavour, smell and beautiful colour.

Nothing is added or taken away so all of the healthy goodness is protected and our oil is perfectly pure. Refined oil by comparison, is extracted from the seeds under high temperatures, before being cleaned to create a flavourless oil. It is worth remembering “it’s only the best if it’s been cold pressed’.

Where is your crop grown?

The Borderfields story began in North Northumberland in 2005, when a group of farmers from either side of the Scottish Border came together to create a premium cold pressed rapeseed oil from their crops.

As the brand has grown, we have welcomed new Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire farmers keen to support the virtues of the business and our larger farming family now produces seed from these areas too which has aided business growth. Having a wide geographical spread, at times of poor weather and difficult growing conditions, really does give more assurances. Whatever the weather we guarantee Borderfields quality remains the same!

Are all Borderfields oils made in the UK?

Yes. Borderfields only uses seed grown with passion and pride by British farmers. Our farms are all quality assured so only the highest grade of seed is used for our products. The quality of our oil also relies on choosing the right seed varieties which is our closely guarded secret and taking absolute care during the growing and pressing process.

Is your product ‘GM free’?

Yes. There are no GM rapeseed crops grown in the UK, hence all UK rapeseed oils are GM free.

Tell us about your farming practices and how you work in harmony with nature?

Our farmers take great responsibility in looking after our surroundings because we know that what we do today may have far reaching consequences in the future. All of our crops are carefully managed, our farms are fully audited, and we continually try to improve our ways of working.

Looking after the environment around us has always been a Borderfields priority. Some of our fields have a number of hives close to the oil seed rape crops at the request of the local bee keepers. They have no concerns whatsoever about their prized bees pollenating from the crops and actually actively encourage it.

Nutritional benefits and using Borderfields in everyday cooking.

Why is rapeseed oil a healthy substitute for other oils and what are its nutritional benefits?

Borderfields Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil contains a near perfect balance of Omega 3, 6 and 9. It also has half the saturated fat content compared to olive oil, no additives and is a good source of natural Vitamin E.

It really is a healthier choice for anyone who cares about what they eat. Try it as a healthy alternative to butter in your baking, frying or roasting and a tasty alternative to olive oil in sauces, dressings and marinades.

What can rapeseed oil be used for?

Blessed with a very subtle, velvety and nutty flavour, Borderfields’ Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil is ideal for all kinds of cooking, baking, stir frying and drizzling. It’s the perfect all-rounder and, as a result, is the culinary choice for top chefs across the country. It tastes so great we love to use as a dipping oil with chunks of fresh crusty bread.

How do I replace butter with cold pressed rapeseed oil?

It is possible to replace butter and other types of fat in most baking recipes with Borderfields Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil – either entirely of in part. There is no exact rule as to how much oil to use to replace hard fats because recipes do vary. In most cases about 100ml of oil should be used to 100g of fat.

It’s sometimes a case of trying the recipe a couple of times to get the combination exactly right but using the 100ml to 100g rule is a great starting point.

Can Borderfields Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil be heated to high temperature/used for frying?

Cold pressed rapeseed oil has a naturally high smoke point of 238 degrees Celsius, making it truly versatile. High in mono-saturated fats, it is one of the few unblended oils that can be heated to deep-frying temperature without its antioxidants, character, colour and flavour spoiling. Olive oil by comparison has a much lower smoke point so you wouldn’t chose it for stir-frying or roasting for example.