Oguntibeju O O, Esterhuyse A J, Truter E J
Oxidative Stress Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health & Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, South Africa.
Br J Biomed Sci. 2009;66(4):216-22. doi: 10.1080/09674845.2009.11730279.
The link between dietary fats and cardiovascular disease has created a growing interest in dietary red palm oil research. Also, the link between nutrition and health, oxidative stress and the severity or progression of disease has stimulated further interest in the potential role of red palm oil (a natural antioxidant product) to improve oxidative status by reducing oxidative stress in patients with cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. In spite of its level of saturated fatty acid content (50%), red palm oil has not been found to promote atherosclerosis and/or arterial thrombosis. This is probably due to the ratio of its saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid content and its high concentration of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, tocotrienols, tocopherols and vitamin E. It has also been reported that the consumption of red palm oil reduces the level of endogenous cholesterol, and this seems to be due to the presence of the tocotrienols and the peculiar isomeric position of its fatty acids. The benefits of red palm oil to health include a reduction in the risk of arterial thrombosis and/or atherosclerosis, inhibition of endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis, platelet aggregation, a reduction in oxidative stress and a reduction in blood pressure. It has also been shown that dietary red palm oil, taken in moderation in animals and humans, promotes the efficient utilisation of nutrients, activates hepatic drug metabolising enzymes, facilitates the haemoglobinisation of red blood cells and improves immune function. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the nutritional, physiological and biochemical roles of red palm oil in improving wellbeing and quality of life.
膳食脂肪与心血管疾病之间的联系引发了对膳食红棕榈油研究的日益浓厚兴趣。此外，营养与健康、氧化应激与疾病严重程度或进展之间的联系，进一步激发了人们对红棕榈油（一种天然抗氧化剂产品）在改善心血管疾病、癌症和其他慢性病患者氧化状态方面潜在作用的兴趣。尽管红棕榈油的饱和脂肪酸含量水平为50%，但尚未发现它会促进动脉粥样硬化和/或动脉血栓形成。这可能归因于其饱和脂肪酸与不饱和脂肪酸含量的比例以及它富含β-胡萝卜素、生育三烯酚、生育酚和维生素E等抗氧化剂。也有报道称，食用红棕榈油可降低内源性胆固醇水平，这似乎是由于生育三烯酚的存在及其脂肪酸独特的异构位置。红棕榈油对健康的益处包括降低动脉血栓形成和/或动脉粥样硬化的风险、抑制内源性胆固醇生物合成、血小板聚集、减轻氧化应激以及降低血压。研究还表明，在动物和人类中适度摄入膳食红棕榈油，可促进营养物质的有效利用、激活肝脏药物代谢酶、促进红细胞血红蛋白化并改善免疫功能。本综述全面概述了红棕榈油在改善健康和生活质量方面的营养、生理和生化作用。
