Getting an adequate amount of good fats every day is part of healthy, balanced eating. In Isagenix products, oils and other good fats are provided from the most healthful sources for optimal nutrition and overall wellbeing.

Great care is taken when selecting every ingredient that is used in Isagenix products, and this is especially true when it comes to the sources of oils and fats. Fats are an important part of healthful, balanced nutrition. Decades of nutrition research, including thousands of study participants, have shown the types of oils and fats in the diet are more important for overall health, particularly cardiovascular health, than the total amount of fat.

For example, in one recent study that used rigorous statistical methods to analyze the results of 43 independent, high-quality clinical studies, researchers assessed the health impacts of different types and amounts of dietary fats on study participants’ heart health after following them for more than 10 years (1). Their findings confirmed that consuming trans fats is linked to substantial risks for heart health, while plant-based oils, especially those that are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, were significantly associated with protective effects for heart health.

You’ll never find any added trans fats in an Isagenix product, but you will find a variety of plant-based oils and other good fats carefully selected for their nutritional characteristics. Plant-based oils and fats offer different benefits for health and nutrition, depending on their source. These are sources of good fats found in Isagenix products.

Olive Oil                   

The star of Mediterranean cuisine, olive oil has been long recognized for its role in a healthy diet. Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil has been lauded as beneficial for heart health (2, 3). Studies have also shown that those who habitually consume a moderate amount of olive oil in their diets live longer and healthier lives (4).

Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil

One of the good fats in IsaLean® and Whole Blend IsaLean Shakes is medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. Often sourced from coconut, MCT is comprised primarily of lauric acid, a fatty acid that acts differently in the body than long-chained saturated fats from animal sources. For example, this medium-chain fatty acid is more easily burned for energy compared to long-chain saturated fats. Evidence suggests that when added to a healthy diet, MCTs may also contribute to improved body composition without adversely affecting blood lipid profiles (5).

Sunflower Oil

Extracted from the seeds of sunflowers, sunflower oil is mainly comprised of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The type of sunflower oil used in IsaLean and Whole Blend IsaLean Shakes is made up of about 80 percent monounsaturated fat, specifically oleic acid, which is also found in olive oil. Research shows that diets rich in monounsaturated fat may have a variety of health benefits (6). Much of the discussion around sunflower oil has little to do with the oil itself but is related to potentially unhealthy compounds that can be produced during repeated cycles of high-heat cooking that commonly happen in commercial deep fryers (7).

Canola Oil

Canola oil is praised by scientists who consider it one of the healthiest oils since it is rich in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated essential fats. When it replaces other sources of fats in the diet, such as saturated and trans fats, it is shown to support healthy blood lipid profiles (8). In Isagenix products, canola oil supplies an important source of essential omega-3s and omega-6s fats.

Palm Kernel Oil

Palm kernel oil is used in small amounts in several Isagenix products. What sets palm kernel oil apart is that it can act as a rich source of stable lauric acid (9, 10).

As part of the No-Compromise Quality Policy, Isagenix is committed to using Certified Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil. This globally recognized certification set in place by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) holds farmers to stringent sustainability criteria, with the wellbeing of the environment, natural resources, and local wildlife as a priority.

Nuts and Nut Butter

Nuts have long been a staple of the diets of many populations around the world. Nuts of all types contain plant-based protein, fiber, good fats, and key vitamins and minerals that make them a nutrient-packed superfood.

In addition to contributing important nutrients, nuts can aid in weight management and play a key role in balanced and healthy diets. Recent studies show that frequent nut consumption may have health-protective benefits and positive impacts on body weight when consumed as part of a low-calorie diet (11, 12). These benefits can be attributed to increased feelings of fullness from the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats provided by nuts and nut butter as compared to less nutritious snacks high in refined carbohydrates (13).

Good Fats for Life

Fats are crucial to so many functions in the body. Different fats offer different advantages, whether it’s supplying medium-chained triglycerides or monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The variety of good-for-you oils and fats included in Isagenix products are carefully selected, based on sound nutrition science, to provide optimum benefits for health.

References

  1. Zhu Y, Bo Y, Liu Y. Dietary total fat, fatty acids intake, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies. Lipids Health Dis. 2019;18(1):91. Published 2019 Apr 6. doi:10.1186/s12944-019-1035-2
  2. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvado J et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:1279-90.
  3. Tresserra-Rimbau A, Medina-Remon A, Perez-Jimenez J et al. Dietary intake and major food sources of polyphenols in a Spanish population at high cardiovascular risk: The PREDIMED study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013.
  4. Buckland G, Mayen AL, Agudo A et al. Olive oil intake and mortality within the Spanish population (EPIC-Spain). Am J Clin Nutr .2012;96:142-9.
  5. Mumme K, Stonehouse W. Effects of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015 Feb;115(2):249-63.
  6. Allman-Farinelli MA, Gomes K, Favaloro EJ, et al. A diet rich in high-oleic-acid sunflower oil favorably alters low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and factor VII coagulant activity. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Jul;105(7):1071-9.
  7. Wiege B, Fehling E, Matthäus B, Schmidt M. Changes in Physical and Chemical Properties of Thermally and Oxidatively Degraded Sunflower Oil and Palm Fat. Foods. 2020;9(9):1273. doi:10.3390/foods9091273
  8. Lin L, Allemekinders H, Dansby A, et al. Evidence of health benefits of canola oil. Nutr Rev. 2013 Jun; 71(6): 370–385. Published online 2013 May 2.
  9. May CY, Nesaretnam K. Research advancements in palm oil nutrition. Eur J Lipid Sci Technol. 2014 Oct; 116(10): 1301–1315. Published online 2014 Oct 6.
  10. Gee PT. Analytical characteristics of crude and refined palm oil and fractions. Eur J Lipid Sci Technol. Mar 2007.
  11. Sabaté J, Ang Y. Nuts and health outcomes: new epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1643S-1648S.
  12. Bes-Rastrollo M, Sabaté J, Gómez-Gracia E, Alonso A, Martínez JA, Martínez-González MA. Nut consumption and weight gain in a Mediterranean cohort: The SUN study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Jan;15(1):107-16.
  13. Njike VY, Smith TM, Shuval O, et al. Snack Food, Satiety, and Weight. Adv Nutr. 2016 Sep 15;7(5):866-78.