Sunflower oil compared with rice bran and canola oils in diabetic women
What it found
In women with type 2 diabetes, rice bran oil and canola oil lowered blood triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol more than sunflower oil did over 8 weeks.
HDL cholesterol stayed the same in all three groups.
What they found
Studies in people
Triglycerides fell
Triglycerides dropped by 23.66 mg/dL in the canola oil group and 38.62 mg/dL in the rice bran oil group. In the sunflower oil group they rose by 7.01 mg/dL.
Total cholesterol fell
Total cholesterol fell by 11.92 mg/dL with canola oil and 17.25 mg/dL with rice bran oil. It rose by 4.06 mg/dL in the sunflower oil group.
LDL cholesterol fell
LDL cholesterol fell by 6.33 mg/dL with canola oil and 8.90 mg/dL with rice bran oil. It rose by 2.90 mg/dL in the sunflower oil group.
Rice bran oil stronger
Rice bran oil changed triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol more than canola oil did.
HDL unchanged
HDL cholesterol stayed the same in all three groups after 8 weeks.
What the authors conclude
“Substitution of RBO or CO for sunflower oil could attenuate lipid disorders in type 2 diabetes women.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that swapping rice bran oil or canola oil for sunflower oil could ease lipid disorders in women with type 2 diabetes.
- They say rice bran oil improved the lipid profile more effectively than canola oil.
How it was done
Vegetable oils have been shown to affect blood fats, but no study had compared canola oil and rice bran oil in people with diabetes.
Seventy-five postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes in Shiraz, Iran, were split into three groups. Each group ate a balanced diet plus 30 g a day of sunflower oil, canola oil or rice bran oil for 8 weeks. Blood fats were measured at the start and at the end.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial lasted 8 weeks, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- It studied postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes in one city, so the results may not apply to other people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Rice bran oil and canola oil improve blood lipids compared to sunflower oil in women with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, single-blind, controlled trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Salar A, Faghih S, Pishdad GR (2016). Rice bran oil and canola oil improve blood lipids compared to sunflower oil in women with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, single-blind, controlled trial. Journal of clinical lipidology. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2015.11.016PubMed 27055960DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error