Sunflower oil compared with canola and rice bran oil for blood fats
What it found
In women with type 2 diabetes, swapping sunflower oil for canola or rice bran oil lowered several blood fats over 8 weeks.
Rice bran oil worked better than canola oil for some measures.
What they found
Studies in people
Triglycerides fell more
After 8 weeks, triglyceride levels dropped by 23.66 mg/dL in the canola group and 38.62 mg/dL in the rice bran group. In the sunflower oil group, they rose by 7.01 mg/dL.
Total cholesterol dropped
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 decreased
LDL cholesterol went down 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 beat canola
Compared with canola oil, rice bran oil led to bigger drops in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol.
HDL stayed the same
Levels of HDL cholesterol did not change in any of the three groups over the 8 weeks.
What the authors conclude
- They say that replacing sunflower oil with rice bran oil or canola oil may help reduce blood fat problems in women with type 2 diabetes.
- They add that rice bran oil improved the blood fat profile more effectively than canola oil.
How it was done
Scientists knew plant oils could lower blood fats, but no one had compared canola oil and rice bran oil in people with diabetes. The authors wanted to see how these oils affected blood fats in women with type 2 diabetes.
Seventy-five postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes took part in a trial in Iran. They were split into three groups eating a balanced diet plus 30 g per day of either sunflower oil, canola oil, or rice bran oil. Blood fats were measured at the start and after 8 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial only included postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, so the results may not apply to men or people without diabetes.
- The study lasted 8 weeks, so it cannot show what happens when these oils are eaten for years.
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 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error