Rapeseed oil makes baby food healthier
102 infants from Dortmund who were included in the study at the age of two months took part in the study. The researchers divided them into a test group and a control group.
The parents of both groups were asked to give their children from five to ten months of age a jar of baby food consisting of vegetables, potatoes and meat at least five times a week. The control group contained the corn oil commonly found in baby menus, while the test group had replaced the corn oil with rapeseed oil. The eating habits of these children were carefully documented from the age of two months until the end of the experiment.
At the beginning and end of the trial period, the scientists took a blood sample from the infants. In it, they determined the concentration of various fatty acids. In the end, the 49 children in the test group had a higher omega-53 fatty acid level than the 3 in the control group. In infants, omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important for the development of the brain, the retina and for the functions of the immune system.
Why rapeseed oil is healthy
Rapeseed oil contains, among other things, the omega fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It is essential, which means that the body cannot produce it itself, but has to absorb it with food. ALA is the starting material for another important fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This is an integral part of membranes, especially of nerve cells. The body needs them to build the brain and retina. The corn oil commonly found in baby menus contains little ALA, while rapeseed oil contains a lot. Until now, it was not known how replacing corn oil with rapeseed oil in baby food affects the omega-3 fatty acid content in babies' blood and whether the formation of DHA is promoted.
Since the body cannot produce the starting fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid itself, it is important to provide it with enough through food. "Sufficient care is particularly important for small children and especially for infants, since the organs develop faster in the first few months of life than in the later years of life," explains FKE study leader Dr. Mathilde Kersting. The omega-3 fatty acids support this development. "The test group consumed more alpha-linolenic acid than the control group due to the rapeseed oil fortification in their food. We were also able to detect a higher content of DHA in their blood. This result is a great success, as we can take care of the children in this simple way have improved with this important fatty acid. The addition of rapeseed oil is therefore recommended." Further research should confirm these results.
Source: Bonn [ FKE ]
