Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Of the 18 moderately obese participants in this study, those who took 50 grams of rape seed/canola oil per day for 4 weeks saw significant improvements in blood sugar control and inflammation. Canola oil significantly increased insulin (24.5%) as well as significantly reduced omega 6/omega 3 ratios by 15.3% and  increased  omega 3 blood levels by 16.1%.

Obesity brings with it a number of health problems. These include increased risks for heart disease due to high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels as well as type 2 diabetes and liver problems (1, 2), all of which contribute to the $190 billion cost obesity imposes on our healthcare system each year (3).

Now a new study (4) suggests that rapeseed/canola oil may help with some of the health problems that accompany obesity. The study involved 18 men between the ages of 39 and 63 who were classified as “moderately obese” (body mass index between 27 and 35 kg/m2). They received either 50 grams of rapeseed/canola oil (9 men) or 50 grams of olive oil (9 men) per day for 4 weeks.

The men were instructed to consume the oil at any time of the day but to use the oil as a salad dressing, as mayonnaise, mixed with curd, as a topping of a toasted slice of bread with herbs and/or spices, or as a pesto or sauce for pasta, but not to use the oils for baking or frying. They were also instructed not to change their dietary habits and to adhere to the recommendations given by the nutritionist who analyzed the food records they completed during the study.

After 4 weeks, the following improvements were observed for blood sugar control (Insulin levels, HOMA-IR index) and inflammation levels (% omega-3 fats in the blood, omega-6/omega-3 ratio):

What Was Measured Olive OilRapeseed/Canola oilp value
Insulin
(milliUnits/Liter)
24.5% increase
(7.35 to 9.15)
28.5% decrease
(7.71 to 5.52)
0.019
HOMA-IR Index21.6% decrease
(1.95 to 1.53)
31.4% decrease
(2.04 to 1.40)
0.018
% Omega-3 in blood0.2% increase
(3.67 to 3.68)
16.1% increase
(3.59 to 4.17)
0.002
Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio2.9% decrease
(9.76 to 9.48)
15.3% decrease
(9.95 to 8.43)
0.021

In addition, those in the rapeseed/canola group saw a 19.4% decrease in the liver enzyme AST (indicating improved liver health, 31 to 25 Units/Liter, p = 0.037) compared to no change in the olive oil group (33.5 to 33 U/L).

For the researchers, “In conclusion we have shown that a daily supplementation of 50 grams of rapeseed/canola oil might be considered as a potential therapeutic tool and a favorable, easy-to-manage daily nutritional supplementation” for improving health parameters in obese subjects.

Source: Kruse, Michael, et al. “Dietary rapeseed/canola‐oil supplementation reduces serum lipids and liver enzymes and alters postprandial inflammatory responses in adipose tissue compared to olive‐oil supplementation in obese men.” Molecular nutrition & food research 59.3 (2015): 507-519.

© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Posted April 9, 2015.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.

References:

  1. Vega, G. L., Obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Minerva Endocrinol. 2004, 29, 47–54
  2. Despres, J. P., Health consequences of visceral obesity. Ann. Med. 2001, 33, 534–541.
  3. Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C. The medical care costs of obesity: an instrumental variables approach. J Health Econ 2012; 31:219-30
  4. Kruse M. Dietary rapeseed/canola-oil supplementation reduces serum lipids and liver enzymes and alters postprandial inflammatory responses in adipose tissue compared to olive-oil supplementation in obese men. Mol Nutr Food Res 2015 Mar;59(3):507-19. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201400446. Epub 2014 Dec 22