Consuming a teaspoon of cartamus oil daily may reduce the risk of heart disease in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the Clinical Nutrition journal.
Researchers from Ohio State University over a year ago noticed that cartamus oil obtained from safflower fruit contributes to the reduction of abdominal fat, which is replaced by muscle tissue. Currently, their research has shown that after 16 weeks of use, the factors associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease improved – the level of good cholesterol increased, blood sugar decreased, insulin resistance and inflammation decreased.
The surveyed women did not replace the components of their diet with cartamus oil; they simply added it to their daily menu. From this it follows that some people need a bit more of this kind of good fat, especially if they are obese women who have already been diagnosed with diabetes, says study author Martha Belura.
Cartamus oil contains linoleic acid, which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid. As Belury points out, the positive effect of this vegetable oil on risk factors for heart disease was noted in the 60s, but it was put into the background as omega-3 fatty acids became more popular among consumers.
The women participating in the studies were obese and had diabetes. Although after the end of the observation their results were still not good enough to reduce the risk of heart disease, the authors emphasize that cartamus oil has enough significant effect to be used as an adjunct to treatment.
After just twelve weeks, patients experienced a 14% increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and adiponectin, a polypeptide hormone that affects glucose and fatty acid metabolism, as well as insulin sensitivity. The high level of adiponectin has a positive effect on fat burning.
After another four weeks, the researchers found that the inclusion of the oil in the menu led to a decrease in the level of C-reactive protein (its elevated concentration signals inflammation in the body), as well as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), which is associated with long-term elevated blood glucose levels. (PAP)