CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/31/18

UGA study links cottonseed oil with lower cholesterol 

By Cal Powell

Researchers at the University of Georgia have found that a high-fat diet enriched with cottonseed oil drastically improved cholesterol profiles in young adult men.

The researchers conducted a five-day outpatient feeding trial of 15 healthy, normal-weight men to test the effects of diets enriched with cottonseed oil and olive oil on lipid profiles.

Participants showed significant reductions in cholesterol and triglycerides in the cottonseed oil trial compared to minimal changes on the olive-oil-enriched diet.

The results appear in the scientific journal Nutrition Research.

“One of the reasons these results were so surprising is because of the magnitude of change observed with the cottonseed oil diet,” said Jamie Cooper, an associate professor in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Department of Foods and Nutrition and the corresponding author of the journal article. “To see this amount of change in such a short period of time is exciting.”

The subjects, all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 45, were given high-fat meals for five days in two separate, tightly controlled trials, the only difference being the use of either cottonseed oil or olive oil in the meals.

Participants showed an average decrease of 8 percent in total cholesterol on the cottonseed oil diet, along with a 15 percent decrease in low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and a 30 percent decrease in triglycerides.

This diet also increased high-density lipoproteins, or HDL (the “good” cholesterol), by 8 percent.

Researchers suggested a fatty acid unique to cottonseed oil, dihydrosterculic acid, may help prevent the accumulation of triglycerides, a type of fat, in the body.

“By doing that, it pushes the body to burn more of that fat because it can’t store it properly, so you have less lipid and cholesterol accumulation,” Cooper said.

That mechanism, in addition to the high polyunsatured fat and omega-6 content of cottonseed oil, seems to be a key component to the beneficial effects on lipid profiles, Cooper said.

Researchers plan to expand the study to include older adults with high cholesterol as well as a longer feeding intervention.

Additional authors are Kristine R. Polley from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and Natalie J. Oswell, Ronald B. Pegg and Chad M. Paton from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Food Science and Technology.

Paton also serves an assistant professor within the FACS Department of Foods and Nutrition.

The study was supported by Cotton Incorporated, the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership, and the UGA Clinical and Translational Research Unit.

The journal article can be viewed at www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531718307048?via%3Dihub.

Cal Powell is the director of communications for the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Authors:
Cal Powell
Experts/Sources:
Ronald Pegg
Chad Paton
Jamie Cooper
In a University of Georgia study, healthy men between the ages of 18 and 45 ate high-fat meals for five days in two separate, tightly controlled trials. One group ate meals cooked with cottonseed oil while the other consumed food cooked with olive oil. An average decrease of 8 percent in total cholesterol was seen in those on the cottonseed oil diet, along with a 15 percent decrease in low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and a 30 percent decrease in triglycerides.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
A bubbling pot unveils the creation of a fish broth infused with succulent shrimp. CAES News
UGA Extension experts search for safe seafood broth recipe 12/10/24 Cal Powell
Safe recipes for canning chicken and other meat stocks are plentiful, but when it comes to seafood, the options are limited. Currently there are no research-based, validated recipes for safely canning seafood broth at home, only recipes developed for taste and flavor. A team of University of Georgia scientists are conducting an exploratory study they hope will lead to validated seafood broth recipes for home canners.
Placing in the top 0.05% of all scholars worldwide, Casimir Akoh earned the honor through his work's high impact, his prolific publication record and the outstanding quality of his academic contributions. CAES News
CAES food scientist named inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar by ScholarGPS 12/09/24
With over 30 years of research at the University of Georgia, renowned College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences food scientist Casimir Akoh was named an inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar by ScholarGPS earlier this year. Placing in the top 0.05% of all scholars worldwide, Akoh earned the honor through his work's high impact, his prolific publication record and the outstanding quality of his academic contributions.
Holidaydinner CAES News
Holiday food safety 101: Tips to avoid foodborne illness from UGA Extension experts 12/04/24 Jordan Powers
The holiday table: For many, it is the highlight of the season, packed with roast turkey, savory stuffing, homemade pies and perhaps a cold glass of eggnog. It is also a place where bacteria can linger, turning a holiday gathering into a very different type of party. As holiday menus are planned and grocery lists assembled, Carla Schwan, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension food safety specialist, urges home cooks to remember one key rule. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Thermal imaging technology could improve the production of fruits and vegetables. CAES News
Thermal imaging may help fruits, veggies stay fresher longer 10/28/24 Savannah Peat
Before your favorite produce arrives at the grocery store, it must be carefully harvested and maintained across long stretches of time. A recent University of Georgia review suggests new temperature measuring technologies could make that process much simpler, amid growing agricultural challenges fueled by fluctuating climates. Maintaining temperature, humidity and light is critical to ensuring fruits and vegetables don’t spoil or deteriorate rapidly. Temperature spikes are the root of adverse outcomes, so monitoring these changes quickly and accurately is key.
Cairo, Georgia CAES News
New funding for UGA faculty to address rural issues 09/16/24 Baker Owens
The Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty at the University of Georgia has announced the list of funded faculty seed grants to address issues in rural Georgia. The grants offer funding between $5,000 and $10,000 for faculty to engage with rural Georgians on issues that are critical for their communities. The program encourages collaboration between faculty in UGA schools and colleges with faculty in Public Service and Outreach and UGA Cooperative Extension already working throughout rural Georgia.