Up until the sixteenth century, camelina was commonly used as the basis for a golden-hued culinary oil, but with the discovery of alternative oils and an international revolution in food production and preparation, camelina oil's popularity began to fade. Interestingly, its scarcity can also be attributed to its high level of unsaturated fat, which makes it difficult to hydrogenate and render into margarine, a product which became increasingly popular in the 20th century.

In recent years, of course, food and “foodie” culture have seen the rediscovery and rebirth of many “Old World” foods, bringing our ancestors' diets to the fore and creating a new market for what we now call “ancient grains”. These “ancient grains” never disappeared, but the term is used to describe seeds unrecognizable to the current generation, but common to generations past. These grains and oilseeds have remained untouched and unmodified by time, giving us a taste of the same seeds cultivated centuries ago.

The natural, nutty flavour of the camelina seed is as untouched by time as its nutritional properties, including an abundance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, as well as Vitamin E. Add that to its shelf-stablity and high-heat tolerance and it's easy to see why camelina oil is making its triumphant return.