Canola Oil: Healthy Choice for Diabetic, Obese

Canola oil can benefit people with diabetes and obesity risk, suggest experts. If you have been stuck with olive or other vegetable oils, it's time to shift to a healthier option: Canola oil.

Research has shown that canola oil helps lower blood sugar in people with Type II diabetes.

David Jenkins, head of the St. Michael Hospital's Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre in Toronto, Canada, conducted the study where one group ate bread made with canola oil and a control group ate normal bread.

The study found that the group that ate bread made up of canola oil experienced lower blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Numerous cooking oils add unwanted weight to our body and make us gain fat. Scientists have found that canola oil helps degrade abdominal fat as Vitamin K and Vitamin E in the oil have the ability to dissolve fat.

Canola oil is also rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and has potential to reduce the concentration of triglycerides and thus reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. It also helps in brain development, immunity development, and blood pressure regulation.

The concentration of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids is very less in canola oil, reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. There is good and bad cholesterol in our body. If bad cholesterol remains high, it may lead to severe and life-threatening health conditions. Monosaturated fats present in the canola oil reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.

Apart from reducing glucose level and belly fat, canola oil also inhibits the growth of cancerous cells as it is rich in anti-oxidants and vitamins. It also reduces the risk of memory loss, mental decline, and Alzheimer's disease. Canola oil found to be a back pain reliever as it is effective in boosting blood circulation.

Canola oil contains the least amount of saturated fat of any common edible oil. With just 7% saturated fat, canola oil is 93% healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.

Canola oil has high an ideal choice for deep frying because it can be heated to a higher temperature. This results in less oil retention in the fried foods.

So, when thinking of cooking, try putting a little canola oil to the meal. The right information, key choices and a few daily canola oil can go a long way in helping us to maintain a healthy body.

(Gurpreet Singh is Director, Jivo Wellness. Views expressed are personal)

Source-IANS