Health Effects of Various Edible Vegetable Oils: An Umbrella Review

Review 1 Mention

Phooi Tee Voon•2024

Choon Ming NgYen Teng Ng

Top 25% · 75th percentile

25 citations · Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Open Access

TLDR

Some plant-based oils are better for your heart and health than others. Oils like olive, canola, and rice bran can help lower bad cholesterol when used in the right amounts.

Summary

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1 Study Aim

The main goal of this umbrella review is to bring together and analyze existing research from systematic reviews and meta-analyses about how different types of vegetable oils affect adult health. The authors want to clarify which oils are linked to positive or negative health outcomes, especially since past studies have shown mixed results. Simply put: The study wants to find out which plant oils are healthiest for adults.

2 Study Design

The authors conducted a comprehensive search of 12 scientific databases for studies published up to July 31, 2023. They included systematic reviews and meta-analyses that looked at the effects of different vegetable oils on adult health. Two researchers independently collected the data and rated the strength of the evidence using a standard grading system (grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation criteria). In total, 48 studies with 206 meta-analyses were included in the review. Simply put: The researchers gathered and analyzed many big studies about plant oils and health in adults.

3 Findings

The review shows that oils high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (healthy fats found in oils like canola, virgin olive, and rice bran) can lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol) levels. Oils high in saturated fats, such as coconut and palm oil, tend to raise both total cholesterol and LDL, but also increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or 'good' cholesterol). There is weak evidence that olive, sesame, and coconut oils may help control blood sugar. Olive oil may lower the risk of some cancers, and canola and sesame oils may help with weight loss. The authors recommend using vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in recommended amounts for better health. They also suggest more long-term studies are needed to fully understand the effects of these oils. Simply put: Some plant oils can help lower bad cholesterol and may have other health benefits, but more research is needed.

Abstract

Vegetable oils, derived from diverse sources such as seeds, nuts, and some fruits, play a significant role in dietary health. However, the current evidence on the health effects of different types of vegetable oil consumption remains controversial. This umbrella review aims to synthesize evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses to assess the health outcomes associated with various vegetable oils. A comprehensive literature search was performed up to 31 July, 2023 on 12 databases for studies examining the association of different vegetable oils with health outcomes in adults. Data was extracted independently by 2 authors, with evidence strength assessed using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation criteria. A total of 48 studies, including 206 meta-analyses, were included. Moderate to very low certainty evidence showed that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as canola oil, virgin olive oil, and rice bran oil are beneficial in reducing serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations. Conversely, low to very low certainty evidence suggests that oils high in saturated fats, such as coconut oil and palm oil, increase total cholesterol and LDL concentrations but also raise high-density lipoprotein concentrations. Very low certainty evidence showed the consumption of olive oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil could improve blood sugar control. Low certainty evidence showed olive oil consumption reduced risk of breast, digestive, and other cancers. Moderate to very low certainty evidence suggested that canola oil and sesame oil consumption reduced body weight. The consumption of vegetable oil appears to offer different health benefits, with summary estimates indicating beneficial effects on reducing lipid concentrations, especially with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated rich oils when consumed in recommended amounts. Future research should focus on long-term studies and comprehensive dietary assessments to better understand the health impacts of vegetable oils, providing a basis for informed dietary recommendations. This study was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42021239210.

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