Effect of dietary canola and reference oils upon serum lipids and platelet aggregation.

To compare Canola a terrestrial (n-3) oil with fish oil (n-3) and common vegetable oil (n-6) in decreasing serum lipids and platelet aggregation, various oils were included in Chow-based diets and fed to rats in an eight-weeks feeding trial. The Chow diet contained 2% cholesterol along with either Canola, menhaden, safflower, or partially hydrogenated soy oil, or no oil addendum. The menhaden oil group was the only one to show a significant reduction in serum cholesterol and triglycerides and at the same time yielded the most uniform decrease in platelet aggregability. However, this same group was also the only one to show a decrease in serum tocopherol levels, suggesting that improving an atherogenic risk profile may require antioxidant supplementation. In these rat trials, Canola oil supplementation did not yield the same results measured during menhaden supplementation.