Chicago Business Daily

What are some benefits of corn oil for cooking?

I want to know are there any benefits of corn oil because I read online that too much of the substance can cause cancer in rats. However, I want to know if there are any benefits that would outweigh the side affects of corn oil.

Public Comments

1. The serving size of 1 medium ear is 90 g. It contains 130 calories, 2 g of total fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 25 mg of sodium, 29 g of total carbohydrate, 4 g of dietary fiber, 9 g of sugars and 5 g of protein. Corn is also a source of anti-oxidants, iron, vitamins A and C. De Mejia EG and Prisecaru VI from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have pointed out that corn contains important chemicals called lectins. everal lectins have been found to possess anticancer properties in vitro, in vivo, and in human case studies; they are used as therapeutic agents, preferentially binding to cancer cell membranes or their receptors, causing cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and inhibition of tumor growth. and as i learned on my Biochemistry classes.. Lecitins helps to lose weight.. PLUS helps to make consistens sauces!
2. By removing free fatty acids and phospholipids from the crude corn oil, the refined corn oil has excellent frying quality and resistance to smoking or discoloration. Because of its pleasant taste, U.S. manufacturers like to incorporate corn oil in margarines, cooking or salad oil. HEALTH BENEFITS OF CORN OIL Refined corn oil is composed of 99% triacylglycerols with polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) 59%, monounsaturated fatty acid 24%, and saturated fatty acid (SFA) 13%. The polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid (C18: 2n-6) primarily, with a small amount of linolenic acid (C18: 3n-3) giving a n-6/n-3 ratio of 83. Linoleic acid is essential for skin and cell membrane integrity and icosanoids production. Icosanoids are necessary for reproductive, cardiovascular, renal, and gastrointestinal functions and resistance to disease. Corn oil is also a good source of of ubiquinone, alpha- and gamma-tocopherols (vitamin E). Because the consumption of corn oil can replace saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids and corn oil contains a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, corn oil has benefits of cholesterol-lowering effects, in general. CORN OIL SIDE EFFECTS Animal studies have shown that supply of polyunsaturated fatty acid is one of the requirements for cancer growth. Wu B and co-workers from Saga Medical School, Japan found that long-term dietary corn oil promotes azoxymethane-induced colon cancer development partly by inhibiting the tumor suppressor gene p53-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in a study of male Sprague-Dawley rats. [6] However, the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid required for cancer growth is considered to be larger than that needed of the host. Thus, excessive intake of corn oil is not recommended.