DO FRIES GO WITH THAT SHAKE?

New cooking oil lowers cholesterol, burns calories: Project developed by researchers at McGill University (Mary Vallis, with files from Tom Spears, June 04, 2003, National Post)

A "designer" cooking oil developed at McGill University may help people lower their cholesterol levels and, in some cases, shed extra pounds, new research suggests.

The product -- a blend of plant sterols and extracts from olive, flaxseed, coconut and tropical oils -- can be used in place of other cooking oils and tastes just fine, said Peter Jones, a professor at McGill's School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition who is spearheading the project.

The oil is made of "medium chain" fats that are well-recognized for ramping up the body's metabolism. The oil is directed toward the liver and burned as energy, rather than being stored in the body as fat, Prof. Jones explained.

"If you enhance energy, then it means you're burning calories that you'd otherwise be packing on to your tummy tire," he said.

Dubbed functional oil, the product has been tested in two clinical trials on humans. The researchers found it reduced cholesterol levels by more than 13%. By comparison, olive oil -- widely considered the best cholesterol fighter -- reduces cholesterol levels by about 4.5%.

Men who took part in the study lost an average of one pound per month, but women did not experience a significant amount of weight loss.

We hereby declare this: Kiss a Canadian Day. This innovation redeems their nation. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 4, 2003 10:23 AM