A: Corn oil lowers the LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) faster than olive oil. However, olive oil does not form the bad compounds when heated like corn oil. Both olive and corn are good vegetable oils for lowering coronary heart disease.
Researchers studied the effects of both oils on 54 healthy men and women. For 21 days, participants were either given four daily tablespoons of corn oil or four tablespoons of olive oil. The results? Corn oil was shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by almost 11%, while olive oil only lowered it 3.5%. Study participants experienced an 8.2% decrease in total cholesterol with corn oil, compared to just a 1.8% decrease with olive oil.
Here’s why: Corn oil contains more phytosterols—a group of compounds found in plant cell membranes that help block cholesterol absorption in the digestive system—than olive oil; there are 132 mg in one serving of corn oil, compared to 30 mg in a serving of olive oil.
But don’t give up your extra virgin olive oil yet—researchers observed a lower heart rate and diastolic blood pressure when people were eating foods with olive oil.
Q&A: Which Is Better – Olive Or Corn Oil? was originally published on blackdoctor.org
