A recent study has revealed that using “canola” or “olive pomace oil” for cooking could lead to multiple health benefits.
In the study carried by the Diabetes Foundation of India and National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholestrol Foundation, experts tested two different types of oils in people with multiple abnormalities and compared them with oils with different fatty acid composition over a period of six months.
The experts found a significant improvement in action of hormone insulin on blood glucose and tissues, decrease in lipids and significant reduction in triglycerides along with increase in good cholesterol after consumption of canola oil for six months.
On the other hand, participants which used other cooking oils like oils having low content of monosaturated fatty acids (MUFA) did not show up any change in fat in the liver, lipids and insulin sensitivity.
Experts say that study has an important implication for Indians who are at heightened risk for diabetes and heart disease. According to Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, N-DOC, “use of canola oil and olive oil have proven to be healthier as compared to other oils. It was seen that manipulating one dietary nutrient for six months could help improve the person who is at risk of developing diabetes and heart disease,” he said. Suggesting that oils should often be rotated in cooking.
The findings of the study have been communicated to the American Journal of Nutrition.
Amongst the olive pomace and canola, canola helped in decreasing liver fat in 57 per cent patients with decrease in liver size and improvement of liver enzymes levels indicating a significant improvement in liver metabolism. The olive pomace on the other hand led to decrease in liver fat in two-third patients with decrease in liver size. No change was seen in the liver functions amongst those consuming other oils.
Dr Misra says that 80 per cent of the obese people will have excess liver fat. However, 10-15 per cent could fatty liver even if they are not obese.