October 9, 2006 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Canola oil may now be sold to consumers as a product that can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
The disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing half a million people every year.
Canola oil and certain foods made with canola oil are allowed to start making the claim, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Labels can say that limited evidence suggests eating 19 grams -- about 1 1/2 tablespoons -- of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content, the FDA said. Canola oil should replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories a person eats each day, FDA said.
The U.S. Canola Association, which petitioned FDA for permission to make the claim, said studies show that unsaturated fat from canola oil lowers cholesterol, including LDL or "bad" cholesterol, as part of a diet low in saturated fat.
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