'Polyunsaturated' oil can keep your heart healthy

A new study has revealed that consuming sufficient amount polyunsaturated oil is a healthier option people to keep their heart stay healthy.

Short-term modest weight gains in healthy, normal weight young adults was associated with more bad cholesterol levels in those who ate muffins cooked using saturated oil. However, individuals in the same study who ate muffins made with polyunsaturated oils had improved blood cholesterol profiles.

The muffins used in the study were fairly high in carbohydrates and sugar, but only those made using saturated oils raised cholesterol concerns; although both groups showed increased insulin resistance, an early warning sign of adult-onset diabetes later in life.

Despite comparable weight gain in both groups, those who ate the unsaturated fat muffins tended to have lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL-bad cholesterol) levels, a lower the ratio between total cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins (HDL-good cholesterol), and other positive indicators of cardiovascular health.

While the average weight gain for both groups was just 2.2 percent, LDL levels differed by 9 percent and the overall cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio differed as much as 18 percent between the two groups.

Ulf Riserus, Ph.D., said that even in early adulthood, it is important to avoid high-calorie foods and weight gain, but also it is important to consume sufficient amounts of polyunsaturated fats from non-hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Researchers said their findings may have implications for many populations, in which individuals gain weight due to excess calorie intake from both sugars and fats and lack of physical activity.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults who would benefit from lowering LDL cholesterol reduce their intake of trans fat and limit their consumption of saturated fat to 5 to 6 percent of total calories.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.