Rapeseed oil is the name given to oil produced from the seeds of the rape plant—a yellow flowering plant that's a member of the Brassica (or cruciferous) family, which also includes broccoli and cabbage. There are two main types of rapeseed oil: Industrial rapeseed oil is used in the machine and chemical industries to make things like engine lubricant and biodiesel while culinary rapeseed oil is used in all sorts of cooking. But—and this is an important distinction—these two varieties of rapeseed oil come from different varieties of the rape plant.