Canola Oil Reduces Colon Cancer Risk

BROOKINGS, S.D.Canola oil reduces the size and incidence of colon tumors in laboratory animals by nearly 30 percent, according to a new study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer. The finding suggest using canola oil in household cooking may protect against colon cancer development.

Researchers at South Dakota State University compared the effects of canola oil and corn oil in laboratory rats. Canola oil inhibited the average number of tumors per rate by 58 percent compared to corn oil, and inhibited the size of the tumors that occurred by 90 percent.

This is the first time anyone has done work on the effect of canola oil in animals on colon cancer prevention. Canola oil was able to reduce the incidence of colon cancer in animals almost to one-third," the researchers said.

The current research builds on earlier studies by the researchers that suggests omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil have a chemopreventive effect by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase and reducing the synthesis of arachidonic acid, both of which are associated with inflammation.

Flaxseed oil has a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids, but canola oil may be easier to include in a typical American diet.

The advantage of canola is it can be used for day to day cooking, frying and anything else, in contrast to the flax," they said. You could not use flax oil for frying. If people start using canola oil, replacing other oils with canola oil, it gives them the advantage of including omega-3s in their diet."