Written by Jessica Patella, ND. This study has determined that participants following a low calorie diet in addition to rice bran oil improved cholesterol levels to a greater extent than solely a low calorie group.
Cardiovascular disease is a major health burden worldwide and the leading cause of death in the United States (1,2). The diet plays an important role in cardiovascular health and regulating cholesterol levels (1,3). Research is now showing that rice bran oil, when combined with a healthy diet, can improve risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (1).
The recent research included 50 participants (42 women, 8 men) with elevated cholesterol levels, but otherwise considered healthy. The average age was 41.86 years and the average body mass index (BMI) was 33.06. All participants received a low-calorie diet of 1400 Kcal per day for 4 weeks (26% fat, 17% protein, 57% carbohydrates). All participants also kept a one-week diet diary that was reviewed by a dietitian to ensure the low-calorie diet was adhered to (1).
The participants were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=25) or the rice bran oil group (n=25). The participants in the rice bran oil group, received the same low-calorie diet but with 30 grams per day of rice bran oil (1).
Both groups lost weight significantly, had reduced BMI, reduced waist circumferences and reduced hip circumferences (all p values: p<0.05) (1).
The rice bran oil group resulted in significantly lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol and a reduced total cholesterol/HDL ratio, compared to baseline (231.92 ± 25.3 mg/dl versus 206.92 ± 25.50 mg/dl; 132.41 ± 14.73 mg/dl versus 122.34 ± 19.78 mg/dl; and 5.30 ± 1.21 versus 4.78 ± 1.04, respectively; all p values: P< 0.05). The control group had no significant changes (1).
There was no significant change in HDL or “good” cholesterol or the LDL/HDL ratio in either group (1). The rice bran oil was well tolerated with no serious adverse side effects reported (1).
Past research has shown elevated total cholesterol and LDL or “bad” cholesterol increases the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease (1, 4). This means the preliminary results of this study showing rice bran oil can help to significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are promising (1).
In conclusion, consuming 30 grams of rice bran oil in combination with a low-calorie diet improved lipid levels and therefore cardiovascular risk factors in participants with high cholesterol levels. This was a small study and future research should be repeated with more participants (1).
Source: Zavoshy, Rosa, Mostafa Noroozi, and Hassan Jahanihashemi. “Effect of low calorie diet with rice bran oil on cardiovascular risk factors in hyperlipidemic patients.” Journal of research in medical sciences 17.7 (2012).
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Posted July 16, 2013.
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
References:
- Zavoshy R, Noroozi M, Jahanihashemi H. Effect of low-calorie diet with rice bran oil on cardiovascular risk factors in hyperlipidemic patients. J Res Med Sci 2012;17:626-31.
- Roger, V.L., et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics 2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2012 Circulation 125, e2–e220.
- Azadbakht L, Haghighatdoost F, Esmaillzadeh A. Legumes: A component of a healthy diet. J Res Med Sci 2011;16:121-2.
- Ausman LM, Rong N, Nicolosi RJ. Hypocholesterolemic effect of physically refined rice bran oil: Studies of cholesterol metabolism and early atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. J Nutr Biochem 2005;16:521-9.
