In 1999, Arthur Daniels Midland/Kao released a cooking oil by the name of Enova. Theoretically, due to different methods of metabolism less of the oil would be stored as fat compared to traditional cooking oils. Popularity was established immediately in Japan, but the U.S. hasn’t caught on to nearly the same extent.
The question is, does it work? Do any legitimate benefits exist with regards to body composition, blood lipids, and the anti-obesity hormonal framework? Can it help us to lose body fat and improve overall health at the same time?
We’re going to look at the research and find out.
First off, this basic overview of dietary fat metabolism will allow for a greater understanding of what the research is looking at. Taken from Kao Corp’s R&D page:
Fats ingested from food undergo digestive decomposition in the small intestine by fat-decomposing enzymes known as lipases. Fats are converted principally to 2-monoacylglycerol (2-MAG) and fatty acids and are absorbed into the surface of the small intestines. After absorption, those materials are resynthesized to triacylglycerol (TAG) in small intestinal epithelial cells and form lipoprotein particles termed chylomicron. When chylomicron passes through the lymph ducts and enters the blood, it is decomposed by lipoprotein lipases (LPL) present in capillary vessels of adipose tissue and other tissues. Fatty acids thus generated are incorporated in muscle and adipose tissue. Partially decomposed lipoprotein particles that remain are termed remnants. These remnants are absorbed primarily by the liver and metabolized.
When foods containing fat are ingested, the level of serum triacylglycerol rises temporarily. Recently, a symptom of sustained elevation of postprandial serum triacylglycerol has been reported and is termed "postprandial hyperlipidemia". An emerging relationship has also been shown between the onset and progression of arteriosclerotic lesions and the elevation of remnant lipoproteins levels in the blood. Those remnant lipoproteins are intermediate metabolites created by metabolization of lipoproteins abundant in triacylglycerol.
Let’s take a look at some of the more recent studies; each one will be followed by my comments.
Study #1
Suppressive effects of diacylglycerol oil on postprandial hyperlipidemia in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
The diacylglycerol (DAG), a commonly used as a cooking oil in Japan, results in a lower elevation of serum triglyceride (TG) after ingestion compared to triacylglycerol (TAG). Postprandial hyperlipidemia (PPHL) and an increase in remnant lipoproteins (RLP) levels are risk factors for CAD, and a close relationship between PPHL and type 2 diabetes and/or insulin resistance has been reported. To evaluate the effect of DAG on PPHL in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, 11 subjects with a normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and 14 subjects with IGT received oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) twice. They ingested emulsified test oils prepared with either DAG or TAG. In the IGT subjects, after the DAG and TAG load, the serum concentrations of TG, RLP-TG, and RLP-cholesterol increased throughout the 4-h study. The responses of these variables above baseline after the DAG load were significantly smaller than those after the TAG load (p<0.05). In contrast, in the NGT subjects, changes in these parameters were much smaller than those observed for IGT subjects. The difference in the integrated responses for serum RLP-cholesterol concentration during OFTT between DAG and TAG in all subjects can be easily explained by the integrated response of insulin rather than glucose during oral glucose tolerance test (r=0.7, p<0.01). DAG was more effective in insulin resistant and hyperinsulinemic participants regardless of glucose intolerance, and may be beneficial in reducing the extent of CAD risk in such individuals.
PMID: 17125771 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
My comments:
Controlling postprandial hyperlipidemia is a very good thing for diabetics and those trying to lose body fat. Thumbs up on that.
