Table 4.
Fatty acid composition of ‘n-6 specific PUFA’, ‘mixed’ and ‘n-3 specific PUFA’ oils used in randomised controlled trials*
| Oil | LA† | ALA† | EPA + DHA† | Total SFA† | Cholesterol reduction (mg/dl per tbsp)‡ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n-6 specific PUFA | |||||
| Safflower | 74·6 | 0·0 | – | 6·2 | −28§ |
| Corn | 53·5 | 1·2 | – | 12·9 | −25∥ |
| Mixed (n-6 + n-3 PUFA) | |||||
| Soybean | 50·3 | 7·0 | – | 15·3 | −11 |
| n-3 specific PUFA | |||||
| Cod liver | 0·9 | 0·9 | 17·9 | 22·6 | |
LA, linoleic acid; ALA, α-linolenic acid; tbsp, table spoon.
Fatty acid composition values from United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22. Nutrient Data-bank Identifier numbers (NDB) are as follows: Safflower, 04 510; Corn, 04 510; Soybean, 04 669; Cod liver, 04 589.
Data are expressed in g/100 g
Based on a predictive model for lowering serum cholesterol developed by Ancel Keys and University of Minnesota collaborators, using data from Hastings and Faribault Mental Hospitals and the National Diet Heart Study.
Safflower oil has the most potent cholesterol-lowering effect of any vegetable or seed oil.
Corn oil, which is rich in phytosterols that enhance its cholesterol-lowering effect(92), is the second most potent cholesterol-lowering oil.