Canola Oil and the Latest Dietary Recommendations – An Update Guy H. Johnson, Ph.D. © 2006, Johnson Nutrition Solutions LLC March 16, 2006

Canola in the field

Canola in Cleveland

A new qualified health claim for canola oil

Canola oil (19 grams – about 1½ tablespoons per day) may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content, according to supportive but not conclusive research. Canola oil should replace a similar amount of saturated fat in the diet without increasing calories. One serving of this product contains _ grams canola oil. Proposed claim language

Canola oil (19 grams – about 1½ tablespoons per day) may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content, according to scientific evidence that suggests but does not prove the benefit. Canola oil should replace a similar amount of saturated fat in the diet without increasing calories. One serving of this product contains _ grams canola oil. Proposed claim language

The Process for Qualified Claims Time required (Days) Activity 45Determine whether the petition is complete, return to petitioner or file 60Public comment 165  Scientific review (internal, advisory subcommittee and/or contracted third- party  Consolidate with like petitions  Consult with other federal agencies  Notify petitioner 270 Total Days FDA may extend timeline by days Comments due May 2

Canola Oil is Good for your heart !! Why do a health claim?

Current dietary recommendations in the U.S.

Saturated fatty acids

Current recommendations for saturated fatty acids OrganizationRecommended intake for adults (percent of calories) Healthy peopleHigh-risk of CHD NHLBI<10<7 DGA<10- IOMAs low as possible- AHA<10<7

New study predicts effects of increasing canola oil use  8,983 U.S. adults 20 years or older  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database ( )  Substitution of canola oil for corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean and “vegetable oils not further specified”  Substitution of canola oil-based margarine for butter and other margarines  Substitution at 25%, 50% and 100% replacement levels

Saturated fat intakes would decrease

…and the number of people meeting current dietary recommendations would increase +47.9% +25.3%

Saturated fat still matters after the WHI studies Low fat Control Source: Howard et. al. JAMA 295:655 (2006)

Saturated fat still matters Source: Howard et. al. JAMA 295:655 (2006) Segment of subjectsRelative risk95% CI Saturated fat intakes reduced to less than 6.5% of calories – 0.96 Trans fat intakes reduced to less than 1.1% of calories – 0.95

Trans fatty acids

The new nutrition label Source:

Are trans fats worse than saturated fats? Source: Ascherio et. al. New Eng. J. Med. 340:1994 (1999)

Current recommendations for trans fatty acids OrganizationRecommended TFA limit for adults NHLBIAs low as possible DGAAs low as possible IOMAs low as possible AHAAs low as possible (total intake of cholesterol-raising fatty acids should not exceed 10% of calories)

There are no trans fatty acids in canola oil

Unsaturated fatty acids

Current recommendations for unsaturated fatty acids OrganizationRecommended intake for adults (percent of calories) MUFAsPUFAs NHLBIUp to 20Up to 10 DGAMost fats should come from MUFAs and PUFAs IOM AHAMUFAs and PUFAs should not exceed 30% of calories

Monounsaturated fat intakes would increase

Polyunsaturated fat intakes would decrease

…and the number of people meeting current dietary recommendations would increase +13.6% +8.6%

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)

Omega 3 fatty acids 101  ALA is an essential fatty acid found in some vegetable oils (e.g. canola, soybean, flax) and walnuts  DHA and EPA (long chain n-3 fatty acids) are found naturally in fish  Mean intake of ALA is 1.3 g/d compared to about 0.11g/d of EPA+DHA α-Linolenic acid (ALA)

ALA may reduce the risk of heart disease ReferenceSubjectsRR95% CI Dolecek (1992)6, NS Ascherio (1996)43, – 0.80 Hu (1999)76, – 0.94 Folsom (2004)41, – 1.00 Albert (2005)76, – 0.96 There are no clinical trials in healthy people to verify that ALA is cardioprotective

Current recommendations for ALA OrganizationRecommended intake for adults (g per day) NHLBI- DGA- IOM1.1 – 1.6 AHA1.5 – 3.0

ALA intakes would increase

…and the number of people meeting current dietary recommendations would increase +73.3% +41.9%

Canola oil recommendations

Scientific evidence shows that canola oil lowers total and LDL-cholesterol in humans Strong supportSuggestive supportDo not support  Baudet (88)  Wardlaw (91)  Seppanen-Laakso (92)  Valsta (92)  Noakes & Clifton (98)  Karvonen (02)  Kratz (02)  McDonald (89)  Truswell (92)  Nydahl (93)  Miettinen (94)  Uusitupa (94)  Valsta (95)  Matheson (96)  Jenkins (97)  Hodson (02)  Gulesserian (02)  Sundram (95)  Sarkkinen (98)  Seppanen-Laakso (93)

Source: Mensink et. al. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77:1146 (2003) Effect of replacing mixed fat in the average American diet with carbohydrate or various fat sources at 10% of total energy

Canola oil is a leading source of phytosterols Source: Phillips J. Food Comp. 15:123 (2002) Canola oil also has vitamin E

“The major vegetable sources of monounsaturated fatty acids include nuts, avocados, olive oil, canola oil, and high-oleic forms of safflower and sunflower seed oil. The major sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids are vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil, and high-linoleic forms of safflower and sunflower seed oil and a few nuts, such as walnuts. Substituting monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids for saturated fatty acids can help lower health risks.” Current recommendations for canola oil

To meet the total fat recommendation of 20 to 35 percent of calories, most dietary fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Sources of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil. Plant sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (α-linolenic acid) include soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flaxseed… Plant sources that are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids include vegetable oils (e.g., canola, olive, high oleic safflower, and sunflower oils) that are liquid at room temperature and nuts. Current recommendations for canola oil

Vegetable oils and fats high in unsaturated fat do not raise blood cholesterol, but they have a high caloric density. These include canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil. Liquid vegetable oils high in unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., canola, corn, olive, rice bran, safflower, soybean, sunflower) are recommended in moderation. Current recommendations for canola oil

What do duct tape and canola oil have in common?  Affordability  Versatility  Readily available  Can be real lifesavers!

Conclusions  A qualified health claim can help get the word out about the health benefits of canola oil  Current recommendations stress the quality of fat in the diet rather than the quantity of fat  Increased use of canola oil would help Americans meet current dietary recommendations  Public health organizations recommend canola oil  Canola oil is a versatile product with few barriers to increased use by consumers

Thank you!!