It is often said that diet plays a crucial role in cholesterol levels. The latest research findings have uncovered a specific type of oil that, when added to a high-fat diet, can actually improve cholesterol levels. The paper that was published in Nutrition Research suggests that cottonseed oil can offer up benefits to cholesterol.
Olive oil has long been recommended as a healthy oil to use for a cholesterol diet, so the researchers compared the effects of cottonseed oil to olive oil.
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The study involved 15 males aged 18 to 45 all with normal weights. The participants were instructed to follow one of two diets: A diet enriched with olive oil or a diet enriched with cottonseed oil. The diets were followed for five days.
After the end of the study, the researchers found that those whose diets contained cottonseed oil had lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Among the olive oil group, there were no significant changes.
Study author Jamie Cooper explained, “One of the reasons these results were so surprising is because of the magnitude of change observed with the cottonseed oil diet. To see this amount of change in such a short period of time is exciting.”
The decrease in overall cholesterol was around eight percent, and LDL cholesterol dropped 15 percent. HDL cholesterol among the cottonseed oil group rose eight percent as well.
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So, what makes cottonseed oil better than olive oil to get rid of cholesterol? It’s because it contains a fatty acid known as dihydrosterculic acid, which helps prevent triglyceride accumulation. Furthermore, the polyunsaturated fat and omega-6 found in cottonseed oil add extra benefits.
The next step is to conduct the same study on persons with higher cholesterol levels to determine the effects of cottonseed oil.
Also read:
- Cholesterol in eggs and egg whites: Understanding the myth
- 10 best essential oils for high cholesterol reduction
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
