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Diacylglycerol (DAG) Oil - For Energy Not Body Fat
Diacyglycerol oil, or DAG oil, is a special cooking oil. Conventional oils for cooking are rich in triacylglycerols (TAG) and contain some DAG. DAG oil is a processed combination of canola and soy oil. TAG is stored as body fat but DAG is burnt as energy. Most conventional vegetable oils are made up of triacylglycerols or triglcerides rather than DAG.
When you use DAG oil, less is stored as fat compared to other oils. If you eat too many calories, the excess is stored as fat regardless of whether it is TAG, DAG or another kind of food, but DAG doesn't go straight on to your waistline like TAG does.
This is why DAG oil is so popular with bodybuilders, dieters, and people who are looking for healthy alternatives to other oils, which mean they can carry on making recipes with oil and frying their food in the healthiest way possible.
Since oils are fats, a lot of people are reticent to use too much, in their cooking, although some foods require oil. It is hard to deep fry chicken, for example, without oil. You can sauté or stir-fry in water or broth but it is hard because it evaporates so fast. Fat is essential to health although a lot of people eat too much of it or too much of the wrong type of fat.
Health Benefits of DAG Oil
Diacylglycerol oil is digested the same way as other vegetable oils so it is safe to use and cook with. DAG oil is capable of reducing the blood triglyceride levels after meals. DAG oil can cut cholesterol levels, unlike other cooking oils, making it a possible alternative to higher drug dosages.
It is also believed to increase metabolism, which means your body burns more calories, thereby reducing fat. This oil has a mild flavor and it is light in color. You can use it to make mayonnaise, salad dressings and you can fry in it. There are plenty of recipes for DAG oil because it is so versatile and has such a subtle flavor. DAG oil is suitable for deep-frying. It is also used in some pet food products.
What Happened to Enova Oil?
Enova oil, the brand name for DAG oil, was sold between 2005 and 2009 in the United States. Branded as Econa Cooking Oil in Japan, it was the bestselling cooking oil in the country.
The reason given for its disappearance from the shelves is that there are uncertain health effects of fatty acid glycidyl esters, which are a result of the deodorization process. The main ingredient, which is DAG, is claimed to be totally safe and the company plans to reintroduce the product after they manage to reduce the amount of fatty acid glycidyl esters in it.
Since this oil is not currently available, you can use canola oil or olive oil instead. Canola oil is a good multipurpose oil unless you want the flavor of olive oil in your cooking, in which case use that one.
