Osumex Natural Products

At a symposium sponsored by the American Heart Association indicate that Rice Bran Oil has the unique ability to lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels up to 30% without reducing HDL or "good" cholesterol that protects against heart attacks, and that "...people would need to consume less than two tablespoons of the oil a day to get the benefits." These health benefits are due to rice bran oil's natural balance of mono and poly unsaturates, unsaponfiables, plant sterols which reduce cholesterol absorption, gamma oryzanol which reduces absorption and increases excretion of cholesterol and a significant amount of naturally occurring tocopherols (vitamin E).

John R. Campen
Director of Research & Development, University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA

For the past several years, the rice industry has been funding research at the University of Massachusetts Lowell that would identify the biological and biochemical properties of different rice components such as rice bran oil, rice protein, and rice starch. Animal studies coupled with the human clinical trial recently completed and published have demonstrated that rice bran oil can be recommended for the replacement of saturated fat in the diet. More importantly, unsaponifiable ingredients such as oryzanol, which are unique to rice bran oil, have the ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels up to 40 percent.

Equally exciting, these reductions in plasma LDL-C levels with rice bran oil feeding to hamsters were associated with significant reductions in early arteriosclerosis, a form of heart disease. Dr. Robert Nicolosi, who heads up the project at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, says there is now considerable evidence indicating that fats or oils enriched in saturated fatty acids raise blood cholesterol levels, and in particular, the "bad" or LDL, cholesterol. On the other hand, oils rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturates lower LDL cholesterol levels. Thus, oils such as palm oil or coconut oil raise LDL cholesterol levels because of their high saturated fatty acid content. On the other hand, olive oil, rich in monounsaturates, and corn oil, rich in polyunsaturates, lower LDL cholesterol levels. Relative to these two oils, rice bran oil has twice the levels of saturated fatty acids and approximately half the levels of monounsaturates and polyunsaturates, respectively. Therefore, one would expect that feeding rice bran oil to animals and humans would raise LDL cholesterol levels relative to corn oil and olive oil. However, in both animal and human studies, the feeding of conventional rice bran oil actually demonstrated lowering of LDL cholesterol levels equal to corn oil and significantly better cholesterol-lowering than the popular olive oil.

These findings suggested that the cholesterol-lowering properties of rice bran oil could not simply be explained by its fatty acid composition. Over a several year period, efforts have been made to identify active ingredients in rice bran oil that lower LDL blood cholesterol. Using a test method developed in the University of Mass-Lowell laboratories with funds provided by the rice industry, it has now been established that unsaponifiables or nontriglyceride-containing lipids in rice bran oil are the likely active ingredients. Some of these unsaponifiables include plant sterols and a compound unique to rice bran oil called oryzanol. The content of these materials in rice bran oil is higher than is found in vegetable oils in all studies of vegetable oils to date. According to industry sources, rice bran oil's primary commercial uses currently are in upscale snack food production and in restaurants, both because of its stability at high cooking temperatures and its pleasant flavor characteristics. Approximately one-third of all Japanese restaurants in the U.S. have switched to rice bran oil in the last two years. Rice bran oil also has been used by the cosmetics industry. Although rice bran oil is not now commonly found on grocery store shelves across the country, research is identifying benefits which should make rice bran oil more widely known and attractive to more consumers. Research is now underway on other rice components such as rice protein and rice starch. With efforts to reduce fat intake, especially saturated fat, it will be important to be able to position rice as a healthy food for attributes in addition to its oil content.

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The above information is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace competent health care advice received from a knowledgeable healthcare professional. You are urged to seek healthcare advice for the treatment of any illness or disease.
Health Canada and the FDA (USA) have not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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