Why to Use Camelina Oil in Your Diet?

Six Science-Backed Reasons to Add It to Your Diet

Important: The research summaries on this page are for educational purposes only. They describe findings from independent peer-reviewed studies and do not constitute medical advice. Camelina Farm does not claim that our oil diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents any disease or health condition. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.

INTRODUCTION

Most people have heard of olive oil, flaxseed oil, and fish oil. But camelina oil — pressed from the ancient oilseed crop Camelina sativa — is quietly earning serious attention from nutritional researchers around the world.

What makes camelina oil stand out is not just one nutritional advantage, but a remarkable combination of them: exceptional omega-3 content, a naturally balanced fatty acid ratio, very high Vitamin E levels, a high smoke point, and demonstrated effects on cholesterol in clinical trials.

In this article we summarize six science-backed nutritional reasons to consider adding camelina oil to your diet — with full references to the peer-reviewed studies behind each claim.

1. One of the Richest Plant Sources of Omega-3 (ALA)

Camelina oil contains approximately 35–38% alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) — the plant-based form of omega-3 fatty acid. This places it among the highest omega-3 plant oils available, second only to flaxseed oil — but with significant practical advantages over flax including shelf stability and a much higher smoke point.

To put this in perspective, here is how camelina oil compares to other common cooking oils in ALA content:

Oil	ALA (Omega-3) %	Omega-3:6 Ratio
Camelina Oil	35.1%	2.4 : 1
Canola Oil	12.7%	0.6 : 1
Rapeseed Oil	7.6%	0.4 : 1
Soybean Oil	6.6^	0.1 : 1
Corn Oil	1.0%	0.02 : 1
Olive Oil (virgin)	0.7%	0.08 : 1
Avocado Oil	0.6%	0.04 : 1
Sunflower Oil	0.2%	0.02:1
Peanut Oil	0.3%	0.02:1

ALA has been extensively studied for its health properties. A comprehensive review by Yuan et al. (2021) published in Phytochemistry Research found that ALA demonstrates anti-metabolic syndrome, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and neuroprotective properties in pharmacological research — with the strongest evidence coming from experimental studies and clinical trials on anti-metabolic syndrome effects.

Research by Connor (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) further highlighted that dietary ALA is particularly important for brain and retina development, and may have antiarrhythmic effects in patients with ischemic heart disease.

References

1. Yuan et al., 2021. “The review of alpha-linolenic acid: Sources, metabolism, and pharmacology.” Phytochemistry Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7295
2. Connor, W.E. “α-Linolenic acid in health and disease.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(22)04372-6/fulltext
3. Stark et al., 2008. “Update on alpha-linolenic acid.” Oxford Academic Nutrition Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00040.x

2. A Uniquely Balanced Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio

The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the diet is considered by many researchers to be as important as the total amount of either fatty acid consumed. Most modern Western diets have an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 20:1 to 50:1 — far from the optimal ratio that research suggests should be closer to 1:1 to 4:1.

Camelina oil has an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of approximately 2.4:1 — one of the most favorable ratios of any culinary oil. By comparison, common oils like sunflower, corn, and soybean are heavily dominated by omega-6, with ratios as extreme as 632:1 for sunflower oil.

A study by Mariamenatu et al. (2021, Journal of Lipids) found that due to higher ratios of omega-6 in modern diets, larger quantities of pro-inflammatory compounds are produced — becoming key drivers of thrombus formation, allergic disorders, and inflammatory conditions. The study recommends individuals aim for an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 4-5:1.

Research by Simopoulos (2010, Oilseeds & Fats Crops and Lipids) further noted that a target omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 1:1 to 2:1 appears consistent with studies on evolutionary nutrition, neurodevelopment, and genetics — and that a balanced ratio is important for the prevention of coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Adding camelina oil to your daily diet is a practical, food-based way to move your overall fatty acid ratio in a healthier direction.

References

4. Mariamenatu et al., 2021. “Overconsumption of Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) versus Deficiency of Omega-3 PUFAs in Modern-Day Diets.” Journal of Lipids. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8848161
5. Simopoulos, A.P., 2010. “The omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio: health implications.” Oilseeds & Fats Crops and Lipids. https://doi.org/10.1051/ocl.2010.0325
6. Simopoulos, A.P., 2006. “Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid Ratio and Chronic Diseases.” Oxford Academic Nutrition Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00040.x

3. Exceptionally High Natural Vitamin E Content

Camelina oil contains approximately 100–150 mg of Vitamin E per 100g — roughly 10 times more than olive oil or corn oil, and 20 times more than soybean oil. Just one tablespoon of camelina oil used as a salad dressing provides approximately 18 mg of Vitamin E — exceeding the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults of 15 mg per day.

The predominant form of Vitamin E in camelina oil is gamma-tocopherol (γ-TOH) — at approximately 74.2 to 93.5 mg per 100g. This is significant because gamma-tocopherol appears to be more effective than alpha-tocopherol at inhibiting lipid peroxidation and trapping reactive species, and may have greater anti-inflammatory effects.

Importantly, research has found that alpha-tocopherol (α-TOH) — the form found in most commercial Vitamin E supplements — may actually increase all-cause mortality in high doses (Clarke et al., 2008, Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences). The natural gamma-tocopherol in camelina oil avoids this concern entirely.

Vitamin E plays multiple important roles: as a lipid-soluble antioxidant, it helps protect cells from oxidative damage — which has been linked to cancer, aging, arthritis, and cataracts. Research also suggests Vitamin E may help prevent platelet hyperaggregation, which can lead to atherosclerosis (Rizvi et al., 2014, Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal).

References

7. Rizvi et al., 2014. “The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Some Diseases.” Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. PMID: 24790736
8. Clarke et al., 2008. “The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Disease.” Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408360802118625
9. Fröhlich et al., 2012. “Stabilization of Camelina Oil with Synthetic and Natural Antioxidants.” J Am Oil Chem Soc. DOI: 10.1007/s11746-011-1973-y

4. Clinical Evidence for Cholesterol Reduction

Among the most compelling findings in camelina oil research is its demonstrated effect on LDL cholesterol in clinical trials.

A landmark study by Karvonen et al. (2002, Metabolism — Clinical and Experimental) found that when mildly to moderately hypercholesterolemic volunteers consumed camelina oil, their serum LDL cholesterol concentration decreased significantly by 12.2% during the intervention period. For comparison, rapeseed oil achieved a 5.4% reduction and olive oil achieved 7.7% in the same study — making camelina oil the most effective of the three.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis by Jialili et al. (Lipids in Health and Disease) analyzed multiple randomized clinical trials and found that camelina oil supplementation significantly improved total cholesterol — particularly in studies lasting more than 8 weeks and using dosages below 30g per day. The meta-analysis concluded that camelina oil may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving lipid profile markers.

A further study by Dobrzyńska et al. (2020, Archives of Medical Science) found that camelina oil intake contributed to reduction of saturated fatty acid consumption, had a positive influence on lipid profile parameters, and decreased waist circumference in postmenopausal women — all factors associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk.

Research framing: These are findings from published peer-reviewed clinical studies. They are not claims about the effects of any specific product.

References

10. Karvonen et al., 2002. “Effect of alpha-linolenic acid-rich Camelina sativa oil on serum fatty acid composition and serum lipids in hypercholesterolemic subjects.” Metabolism — Clinical and Experimental. DOI: 10.1053/meta.2002.35183
11. Jialili et al., 2022. “Effects of camelina oil supplementation on lipid profile and glycemic control: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.” Lipids in Health and Disease. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12944-022-01745-4
12. Dobrzyńska et al., 2020. “The effect of camelina oil (α-linolenic acid) and canola oil (oleic acid) on lipid profile, blood pressure, and anthropometric parameters in postmenopausal women.” Archives of Medical Science. doi: 10.5114/aoms.2020.94033
13. Manninen et al., 2018. “The effect of intakes of fish and Camelina sativa oil on atherogenic and anti-atherogenic functions of LDL and HDL particles.” Lipids in Health and Disease. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12944-022-01745-4

5. High Smoke Point — Safe for Everyday Cooking

One of camelina oil’s most surprising practical advantages is its smoke point of approximately 475–478°F (246°C) — higher than olive oil (350–405°F), canola oil (400–446°F), and comparable to avocado oil, which ranges from 510–520°F but contains less than 3% omega-3.

This is particularly significant because research has raised serious concerns about the health effects of heated oils. A review by Grootveld et al. (2006, Foodservice Research International) found that heating polyunsaturated oils beyond their smoke point degrades fatty acids to potentially toxic compounds associated with atherosclerosis, inflammatory joint disease, and conditions of the digestive tract.

What makes camelina oil exceptional is that despite its high polyunsaturated fat content, it performs well under heat. In tests described by Zubr (2009, Agro FOOD Industry Hi Tech), when camelina oil was heated to 392°F for 30 minutes, its ALA (omega-3) content decreased by only 1.9%. Even after 60 minutes of heating, ALA content only reduced by 6.9% — demonstrating remarkable thermal stability for an omega-3 rich oil.

A 2010 study by Deirdre and David (International Journal of Food Science and Technology) compared the oxidative stability of camelina oil to sunflower oil in salad dressings, mayonnaises, and during frying — finding predominantly insignificant differences in oxidation values between the two oils. This suggests camelina oil performs comparably to sunflower oil in real cooking conditions.

Oil	Omega-3 (ALA)	LDL Reduction	Antioxidants & Stability	Smoke Point
Camelina Oil	Very High (~35%)	~12.2%	High (tocopherols, phenolics)	~475°F
Canola Oil	Moderate (9-11%)	Modest	Moderate	400-446°F
Olive Oil (EVOO)	Low	Modest	High (cold-pressed)	350-405°F
Vegetable Oil	Low	Neutral	Low-Moderate	400–450°F
Corn/soybean/Sunflower Oil	Low (Omega-6 dominant)	Neutral	Low-Moderate	~450°F

References

14. Zubr, J., 2009. “Camelina oil in human nutrition.” Agro FOOD Industry Hi Tech. https://scispace.com/pdf/camelina-oil-in-human-nutrition-13g119w60s.pdf
15. Deirdre and David, 2010. “Oxidative stability of camelina oil in salad dressings, mayonnaises and during frying.” International Journal of Food Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2009.02141.x
16. Grootveld et al., 2006. “Health Effects of Oxidized Heated Oils.” Foodservice Research International. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4506.2001.tb00028.x
17. Falade et al., 2017. “Potential Health Implications of the Consumption of Thermally-Oxidized Cooking Oils — a Review.” Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Science. DOI: 10.1515/pjfns-2016-0028

6. Emerging Research on Inflammation and Metabolic Health

Beyond cardiovascular health, emerging clinical research suggests camelina oil may have broader metabolic benefits.

A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial by Musazadeh et al. (2021, The International Journal of Clinical Practice) investigated the effects of camelina oil supplementation in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the context of a weight loss program. The study found that camelina oil supplementation led to significant improvements in insulin concentration, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), inflammatory markers (hs-CRP), antioxidant capacity, and oxidative stress markers — compared to the placebo group.

The researchers concluded that camelina oil may improve glycemia, inflammation, metabolic endotoxemia, and oxidative stress status in patients with NAFLD complications.

Research framing: This is a summary of findings from a peer-reviewed clinical trial. It is not a claim about our specific product’s effects on any health condition.

References

18. Musazadeh et al., 2021. “Omega 3-rich Camelina sativa oil in the context of a weight loss program improves glucose homeostasis, inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with NAFLD: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.” The International Journal of Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.14744

CONCLUSION

The nutritional case for camelina oil is compelling and multifaceted. It combines:

• One of the highest plant-based omega-3 (ALA) contents of any culinary oil at 35–38%
• A naturally favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 2.4:1
• Exceptionally high natural Vitamin E content — one tablespoon meets your daily RDA
• Clinical evidence showing 12.2% LDL cholesterol reduction
• A high smoke point of ~475°F suitable for everyday cooking
• Emerging research suggesting benefits for inflammation and metabolic health

No other commonly available culinary oil combines all of these properties in one bottle. That’s what makes camelina oil genuinely worth knowing about.

Camelina Farm presses and bottles pure cold-pressed camelina seed oil in small batches right here in Lubbock, Texas — delivered directly to you anywhere in Texas.