Camellia oil, a substitute of olive oil. More nourishing and cheaper. Camellia oil is an edible oil produced by crushing the seeds of special varieties of camellia sinensis, the tea plant. It takes 13 months for the camellia to develop from flower to mature seed, creating a visual spectacle when the seasons overlap and plants are abundant with both flowers and mature seeds. The oil yield from camellia seeds is relatively low, making this a valuable commodity—in overseas markets camellia oil routinely commands a price several times that of peanut oil. Camellia oil is widely used as a cooking oil in China, where chefs prize it for its combination of light taste (a slight hint of green tea) and a high flash point. Camellia oil is also highly prized for its nutritional value. Research has revealed that this oil is high in Vitamin E, and has properties good for reducing blood cholesterol levels, reducing hardening of the arteries and eliminating toxins from the blood. The ratio of unsaturated fats, partially saturated fats and saturated fats is 79:16:14, very similar to olive oil. The ratio of saturated to unsatured fats is 85% - 95%, which is actually higher than olive oil, and is the most favorable among all plant oils.
