May 04, 2003
Enova is a soybean/canola combination that has been found to reduce body weight and fat mass via diacylglycerol (DAG), a naturally occurring substance found in many vegetable oils. It promises to heat up the competition in the "healthy oil" category.
The oil in Enova has the same fatty acids as olive oil; Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, and Linolenic acid. Fatty acids are rarely found free in cells; three of them are bound to glycerol as a triacylglycerol lipid in most cooking oils. Most oils also have a few diacylglycerols (DAGs) in them.
These natural DAGs have been extracted and concentrated in Enova. So how does eating DAGs instead of triacylglycerols manage to lower one's weight? When we consume oils they are absorbed through the gut wall and are assembled into little packets with a membrane around them. These packets flow through the blood to every part of the body. They can be picked up by fat cells leading to obesity.
The body has difficulty packing up DAGs in these little packets so they end up going by themselves to the liver where it clears them and burns them for energy, instead of storing them as fat.
Of course just adding Enova to the diet wouldn't cause weight loss unless it replaced other fats. Unlike other designer fats, Enova isn't a "fake fat" that can't be used for cooking. It is useful for baking, sautéing, and frying.
Company literature claims that consuming 20 grams of the oil a day lowers serum triglycerides by about 50% and can lead to lower weight and lower body fat percentage. Enova is one of many new designer oils which are competing for the healthy oil title. California boutique olive oil producers who sell a premium and flavorful oil may have to start stressing the taste instead of the health benefits of their oil.
If this article wasn't technical and dry enough for you go to the Enova site for a full scientific discussion.