Journal Name:
Eur. J. Clin. Nutr
Article Title:
The effect of vegetable oil-based cheese on serum total and lipoprotein lipids.
Date Written:
2002
Volume:
56
Number:
11
Page:
1094
Author(s):
Karvonen, H. M.; Tapola, N. S.; Uusitupa, M. I.; Sarkkinen, E. S.
Article:
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of canola/rapeseed oil-based cheese (milk-fat substituted by rapeseed oil) on serum total and lipoprotein lipid concentrations and blood pressure. The control diet consisted of ordinary, milk-fat-based cheese and both were tested in subjects with mildly to moderately elevated serum cholesterol concentration. Cheese consumption has been steadily increasing over the past 20 years worldwide and are major sources of saturated fat, since over 60% of dairy fat is saturated (SFA). A diet rich in SFA increases serum total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, while replacing SFA by unsaturated fat reduces cholesterol concentrations. Replacing one slice (10 g) of ordinary medium-fat cheese with vegetable oil-based cheese has been shown to reduce the intake of SFA by more than 1 g. In addition, the intake of unsaturated fat increases simultaneously in the diet via the vegetable oil used in cheese manufacturing.
A randomized, controlled, single-blind, cross-over clinical trial was conducted with free-living subjects. The study began with a 2 week pre-trial period followed by two 4 week intervention periods. During the intervention study subjects replaced their ordinary cheese or cold cuts with 65g of canola/rapeseed oil-based or milk-fat-based control cheese. The type of test cheese was switched at 4 weeks of intervention. Altogether 31 subjects completed the study.
Fat modification of cheese had a significant effect on serum and lipoprotein lipid concentrations. Compared with the control cheese period the mean serum total cholesterol concentration was significantly lowered by 6.7% after 2 weeks and by 5.0% after 4 weeks of use of canola/rapeseed oil-based cheese. This reduction in serum total cholesterol was due to a decrease in LDL cholesterol concentration. LDL cholesterol concentration was lowered significantly by 7.0% after 2 weeks use and by 6.4% after 4 weeks’ use of canola/rapeseed oil-based cheese.
The differences in fatty acid composition, vitamin A content and vitamin E content of the diets between the test periods were parallel to the differences of fatty acid composition and vitamin content of the test cheeses. Canola/rapeseed oil-based cheese had a very low content of SFA and high content of unsaturated fatty acids when compared to milk-fat-based cheese. The canola/ rapeseed oil-based cheese contained vitamin E, but little vitamin A compared to the control cheese.
In the present study systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were not significantly affected by fatty acid modification of the cheese. The authors suggest that these results have major practical implications and that canola/rapeseed oil based-cheese offers a new food for a hypocholesterolemic diet. The canola/rapeseed oil based cheese reduced serum total and LDL cholesterol concentrations by 5.0 to 6.4% in mildly to moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects when compared to ordinary milk-fat-based cheese.
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