March 22/Washington/Hindustan Times -- A dose of safflower oil, a common cooking oil, each day for 16 weeks may help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a new research.

In the study, researchers found that a dose of safflower oil can improve such health measures as good cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and inflammation in obese postmenopausal women who have Type 2 diabetes.

This finding comes about 18 months after the same researchers discovered that safflower oil reduced abdominal fat and increased muscle tissue in this group of women after 16 weeks of daily supplementation.

This combination of health measures that are improved by the safflower oil is associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that can increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

These new findings have led the chief researcher to suggest that a daily dose of safflower oil in the diet -- about 1 2/3 teaspoons -- is a safe way to help reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

"The women in the study didn't replace what was in their diet with safflower oil. They added it to what they were already doing. And that says to me that certain people need a little more of this type of good fat - particularly when they're obese women who already have diabetes," said Martha Belury, professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.

"I believe these findings suggest that people consciously make sure they get a serving of healthy oil in their diets each day -- maybe an oil and vinegar dressing on a salad, or some oil for cooking. And this recommendation can be extended to everyone."

The research appears online and is scheduled for future print publication in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

From the March 23, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News
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