Forumites,
Every so often I’ll post a heads-up so I thought I’d mention the new specialty oil media push by ADM-Kao.
I’ve only seen one T-Forum post before on diacylglycerol (DAG) salad/ cooking oils, so here’s the deal…
DAG Molecule:
C-fatty acid 1
C-
C-fatty acid 3
a missing sn-2 fatty acid = no lymphatic t-port via chylomicrons and more hepatic b-oxidation (less storage)
This stuff is being marketed for fat loss (in part) and may help those who are looking for every imaginable resource.
If you are as interested in dietary oils as I am, you may be interested in checking out the web site for Enova cooking oil. (No I don’t work for them in any way.)
The company is publicizing the oil to health professionals but only currently sells it in Chicago and Atlanta markets. It has been big in Japan since about '99. It has had GRAS status since 2000 but probably won’t be available nationwide until later in 2004 (a guess - they will have to analyze test market sales).
I’m going to get a bottle or two on the Enova web site (www.enovaoil.com) and I’ll try to get back on the Forum with feedback after several weeks. It does contain LNA as well as linoeleic and oleic acids - a pretty good blend in itself. (Although I would like to see more than 15% LNA in there.) A 20 oz bottle is $5.79. For those who dont want to spend premium price for specialty oils, this is an interesting alternative. And it’s the structure, more than the EFAs that matters. It’d be interesting to see what others think.
The research and biochemistry (re-esterification mechanisms) is reasonable regarding fat loss -although I still have a hard time visualizing how just TWO fatty acids produce only a miniscule reduction in energy production vs the common THREE fatty acids (TAG). I think it is 9.3 vs. 9.5 kcal per g. Must be the wacky esterification and transport thing. (The key is not energetics, per se, but rather induction of a greater percentage oxidized vs stored.)
BTW: All vegetable oils have a bit (1-5%) of DAG anyway and it’s in many foods as an emulsifier, etc.
Hmm, that became pretty pedantic. My bad. I’m just always looking for specialty fats…
How do you see this specialty oil/fat fitting into your “average” T-Man’s/Vixen’s diet? There’s not a lot left over after I get in my fish oil, flaxseed oil, fat from eggs, nuts and the saturated fat I get from the meat I eat.
Is the basic premise that a higher percentage is oxidized and less stored? More bang for the fat buck, so to speak? If that’s the case, how would it differ from MCTs?
Yep, Terry, more appears to be oxidized in the liver.
It’s practical differences from MCT, etc. include taste, cost, provision of EFA (I realize you’re getting linoleic and linolenic elsewhere, Tampa-Terry) and probably wider use in the diet. Some metabolic differences as well. With a dietary lipid profile that’s already established as well as yours, it would only be a possible alternative for variety’s sake or MAYBE enhanced fat loss while dieting - not a necessity.
I see it being used by those who don’t already have a thorough understanding of healthy fat sources (like I wrote about in ‘Good Fat and Where It’s At’) …or… the desire/ education/ habits (and sometime money) to select a variety of healthy fats up to a specified percentage (e.g. 30-40%) of the diet. Plus, it’s pretty cheap, even though it doesn’t effectively replace EPA/ DHA in the diet.
It’s called Econa in Japan (introduced in '99) and has apparently been approved by their (i.e. Char-Dawg’s) Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare as “Food for Specified Use” - according to ADM-Kao materials. Dunno for sure - I haven’t been there! Maybe you can fill us in!
Like I said, it will be an interesting experiment as I start leaning out come early Spring. the jury is definitely still out and effects - as with any fat manipulation - will be modest at first and take time.
Very interesting! It’d be cool to see the effect of DAG supplementation on insulin sensitivity in humans compared to the in vitro data… be sure to run your pre and post OGTT’s!
I got a bottle from a friend who was moving. I’ve used it so far for cooking purposes (eg for Mac and Cheese; used Enova instead of butter) and it tasted fine.
Didn’t check out the website, but are you guys saying it is safe to cook with? If it is a polyunsaturated fat you would think its smoking point would be low.
ADM’s main headquarters is in my hometown(about the only thing that is), that is, BFE Decatur Illinois.
Anyways, I got some of this stuff at a college career day like 2 years ago, and I used it. It taste fine, acts exactly like other oils, and I’m sure is better for you. Nice stuff, but definately what I would consider a non-necessity.
I was hoping to stick a plug in for my favorite oil which I think recently has been slowly making a come back:
COCONUT OIL
it’s absolutely terrific for frying foods, doesn’t turn into a transfat even at high heat, is almsot all MCT, contains a lot of stearic acid and is supposed to have anti-viral/fungal/microbial properties and have the highest “thermic” effect when being burnt of any oil (stimulating the metabolism the most when using it)
I asked John Berardi about Coconut Oil via email. He said it was a middle-of- the-road-level oil;basically there’s nothing wrong with it, nothing spectacular either.
Also, Dr. Mauro DiPasquale has warned against consuming MCT’s while on a low carb diet. According to his book, the MCT will be burned as energy as opposed to bodyfat.
Maybe you can fill us in!