Articles
RSSPotential Health Benefits from the Consumption of Cottonseed Oil
January 6, 2000
Annual Project Report—Executive Summary
Sponsored by the Texas Food And Fibers Commission
Project No. e-98-99-5
Project Title: Potential Health Benefits from the Consumption of Cottonseed Oil
Investigators: John Radcliffe, Victorine Imrhan, and Andie Hsueh
University/Department: Texas Woman's University / Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Project Scope:
This project had two objectives. The first was to determine if the cholesterol-lowering effect of cottonseed oil versus that of corn oil, previously reported by the Principal Investigator for male rats, would also be found for female rats. The second was to determine if consumption of products containing cottonseed oil, a good source of vitamin E, could be used to increase vitamin E intake in volunteer human subjects.
Method of Research:
Growing female rats were fed diets having 10% cottonseed oil or 10% corn oil, and blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were determined. Nine female volunteer subjects were fed three cottonseed-oil containing foods (bread, muffins, vinaigrette dressing) and intakes of vitamin E were determined.
Critical Findings:
Blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were lower in rats fed cottonseed oil than ones fed corn oil. Consumption of cottonseed oil containing products led to a large (57%) increase in vitamin E intake (but with no effect on the percentage of calories consumed as fat).
Benefits:
This project benefits the cotton grower by demonstrating that consumption of cottonseed oil can confer health benefits, as a decrease in blood cholesterol level and an increase in vitamin E intake can protect against heart disease.
Follow-up Research:
Future research with cottonseed oil should be designed to: (a) determine the nature of the cholesterol-lowering agent in cottonseed oil and (b) to use cottonseed oil along with low-fat vitamin-E rich foods as part of an overall dietary strategy to improve vitamin E status without appreciably increasing the intake of dietary fat.
