Effect of Dietary Oils on Antioxidant Activity in the Serum and Brain

Aim: In this study, we have aimed to study the effects of most commonly consumed oils, namely olive oil, butter, margarine, soybean oil and sunflower oil on serum and brain antioxidant activity (AOA). Material and method: For this purpose totally 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided intro five groups. The groups were fed with a diet cantaining 15% olive oil, butter, margarine, soybean oil and sunflower oil for a period of 2 months. At the end of that period they were decapitated and brains were removed, blood samples were drawn and AOA levels were measured. Results: The brain AOA level of the olive oil group was significantly higher than that of the margarine, sunflower oil and soybean oil groups (p<0.001) and AOA of the butter group was significantly higher than AOA of the sunflower oil (p<0.01) and the soybean oil (p<0.001) groups. Serum AOA levels of the butter (p<0.001) and olive oil (p<0.05) groups were significantly higher than that of the sunflower oil group. Conclusion: As a result, it can be argued that olive oil and butter are the best oils for health in respect to total antioxidant activity.