From The May 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Cooks Turn to Rice Bran Oil

By Bill Sardi

Rice bran oil is a desirable cooking oil because of its antioxidant content and cholesterol-lowering properties and for the pleasant flavor it adds to foods. French fries cooked in rice bran oil aren't greasy. Cooking popcorn in rice bran oil produces giant popped kernels. Rice bran oil's secret lies in its antioxidants—1 to 2 percent of rice bran is gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols. It reduces cholesterol better than olive oil, which is considered the heart-healthy choice. Combining rice bran and safflower oil in a 7-to-3 ratio lowers cholesterol better than either oil individually.

Bill Sardi is a health journalist at www.billsardi.com.

1. Sugano M, Tsuji E. Rice bran oil and cholesterol metabolism. J Nutr 1997; 127:521S-24S.