Pomace oil is effective against cholesterol and diabetes.

scientific journals European Journal of Nutrition, Nutrients And Food just published the results of a study conducted Institute of Food Science and Technology (ICTAN) Higher Council for Scientific Research (KSIK) After more than four years of research, those responsible for the project have shown that regular consumption of olive pomace oil brings significant benefits to cardiovascular health and related pathologies such as diabetes or obesity.

Research Professor Laura Bravo Clemente and a titled scientist of ICTAN-CNIC, Raquel Mateos Breezepresented the results at an event hosted by Oriva, a professional olive pomace oil specialist, who promoted the study, titled “Evaluation of the health effects of olive oil compared with sunflower and high oleic sunflower oil in healthy consumers and at-risk groups‘.

Two clinical studies

The project was carried out through two clinical trials of dietary intervention in healthy volunteers and in subjects at risk (hypercholesterolemia).
comparison of the effect of pomace oil with the effect of sunflower oil and high oleic sunflowerAll control oils used were widely used in Spain.

132 volunteers participated in randomized, controlled, crossover and blinded clinical intervention studies.

“When we started this project, only in vitro or preclinical studies had been conducted on experimental animals with some components of olive pomace oil. However, the effects of regular consumption of this oil on humans were unknown. Therefore,
We decided to evaluate the impact of daily consumption on the cardiovascular system and two related pathologies, such as diabetes and obesity.“both in healthy consumers and in people at risk for cardiovascular disease,” Bravo Clemente explained at the event.

A total of 132 volunteers took part in randomized, controlled, crossover and blinded clinical intervention studies.We randomly assigned participants to two groups. “to consume either olive pomace oil or a control oil for four weeks. After that time and the wash phase, the participants were crossed over to consume the other oil for the same amount of time for another four weeks. The studies were blinded, so the volunteers were unaware of the oil we were giving them at each stage and which they consumed at a rate of 45 grams per day. They limited their intake of other fat sources,” explained Mateos Briz.

results

Regular consumption of olive pomace oil has been shown to be effective in reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and lipid oxidation (antioxidant effect). Researchers have confirmed that, in addition,
reduced waist circumference, an important marker in the examination of obese patientsIt also improved biomarkers associated with insulin resistance and sensitivity, which is important given the association of obesity and type 2 diabetes with increased cardiometabolic risk.

Regular consumption of olive pomace oil may improve blood lipid profiles in healthy consumers.

“With regard to cardiovascular diseases, consumption of olive pomace oil may improve the blood lipid profile by reducing the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol), a trend observed both in the healthy group and in the risk group (volunteers with hypercholesterolemia),” they note from Oriva.

In healthy consumers, the benefits of regular olive pomace oil consumption were also translated to a marker of oxidative stress, which is considered a pathophysiological condition associated with increased cardiovascular risk. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, a decrease in insulin levels and insulin resistance index has been demonstrated. (HOMA-IR), which is associated with a higher risk of developing the disease, rather than improving tissue sensitivity to insulin, which may mean a lower risk of developing diabetes.

This is the eighth research project that the Interprofessional Olive Pomace Oil Association has developed with the CSIC since 2015. “We are committed to independent, rigorous and continuous research, collaborating with the main institution in our country in this field, the Higher Council for Scientific Research,” he said. Jose Luis Maestro Sanchez-CanoPresident of Oriwa.

Ana Castro MoreraDeputy Vice President for Knowledge Transfer at CSIC, also praised the collaboration. “Public-private collaboration spaces are one of the tools that allow us to advance science. The continuity of the collaboration between CSIC and ORIVA over these years is an example of the potential for organisations and companies to work together with the research teams of our centres.”