Highlights
- •Canola oil (CO) potentially improves cardiovascular risk factors.
- •No dose–response relationship between CO and cardiometabolic markers has been systematically evaluated, yet.
- •Forty-two controlled clinical trials were included in the systematic review.
- •CO improved several cardiometabolic markers compared with saturated fat, sunflower, and olive oil.
- •The greatest benefits occurred when ~15% of the total energy intake was consumed as CO.
Abstract
Background and aims
Canola oil (CO) is a plant-based oil with the potential to improve several cardiometabolic
risk factors. We systematically reviewed controlled clinical trials investigating
the effects of CO on lipid profiles, apo-lipoproteins, glycemic indices, inflammation,
and blood pressure compared to other edible oils in adults.
Methods and results
Online databases were searched for articles up to January 2020. Forty-two articles
met the inclusion criteria. CO significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC, −0.27 mmol/l,
n = 37), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, −0.23 mmol/l, n = 35), LDL-C
to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (LDL/HDL, −0.21, n = 10), TC/HDL (−0.13,
n = 15), apolipoprotein B (Apo B, −0.03 g/l, n = 14), and Apo B/Apo A-1 (−0.02, n = 6)
compared to other edible oils (P < 0.05). Compared to olive oil, CO decreased TC (−0.23 mmol/l,
n = 9), LDL-C (−0.17 mmol/l, n = 9), LDL/HDL (−0.39, n = 2), and triglycerides in
VLDL (VLDL-TG, −0.10 mmol/l, n = 2) (P < 0.05). Compared to sunflower oil, CO improved
LDL-C (−0.14 mmol/l, n = 11), and LDL/HDL (−0.30, n = 3) (P < 0.05). In comparison
with saturated fats, CO improved TC (−0.59 mmol/l, n = 11), TG (−0.08 mmol/l, n = 11),
LDL-C (−0.49 mmol/l, n = 10), TC/HDL (−0.29, n = 5), and Apo B (−0.09 g/l, n = 4)
(P < 0.05). Based on the nonlinear dose–response curve, replacing CO with ~15% of
total caloric intake provided the greatest benefits.
Conclusion
CO significantly improved different cardiometabolic risk factors compared to other
edible oils. Further well-designed clinical trials are warranted to confirm the dose–response
associations.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 18, 2020
Accepted:
June 8,
2020
Received in revised form:
May 22,
2020
Received:
February 20,
2020
Handling Editor: A. SianiIdentification
Copyright
© 2020 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
