Canola oil can help people with type-2 diabetes to control blood sugar levels and maintain heart health, a new study suggests.
Canola oil has just seven percent saturated fat, which is about half the amount of fat found in olive oil. According to Dr. David Jenkins at the St. Michael's Hospital, eating a low-glycemic diet - which includes bread made with canola oil - is good for people trying to manage type-2 diabetes.
The study was funded by the Canola Council of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Loblaw Companies and the Canada Research Chairs Program.
Researchers found that people eating bread that had canola oil in it not only had better sugar levels in their blood, but also had lower levels of LDL or "bad cholesterol" in their bodies.
Canola bread diet even helped people with poor HbA1c test scores. HbA1c tests measuring blood glucose levels are a standard test to detect and manage diabetes, according to a news release.
The study was based on data from 141 people. Researchers said that the reduction in cholesterol levels seen in the participants could translate into a seven percent reduction in heart-linked events.
The concept of the glycemic index was developed in the early 1980s by Dr. Jenkins and his colleagues.
Glycemic index measures how a carbohydrate-containing food affects blood sugar levels. Low glycemic foods are considered good for people with diabetes because they don't cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. Oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), oat bran, muesli are some examples of food with low GI, whereas melons and pineapple have high GI.
Independent studies have shown that low GI diet and canola oil keeps people healthy. According to Dr. Jenkins, this is the first time that the combination of a low GI diet supplemented with canola oil has been tested on people with type-2 diabetes.
The study is published in the journal Diabetes Care.
Type-2 diabetes is a condition where pancreas produces insulin, but the body is unable to use the hormone. People with diabetes need to pay extra attention to their dietary habits and should always consult a doctor before beginning a new diet.