Safflower Oil & Diabetes

Safflower oil contains a number of nutrients that may benefit people with diabetes, including vitamin E, an important antioxidant vitamin, Omega 6 fatty acids and phytosterols. Safflower oil may help to reduce inflammation in the body, according to Dr. Frank Sachs of the Harvard School of Public Health, and diabetics who add safflower oil to their daily menu may find that it helps them manage their condition more effectively.

Inflammation

The Harvard School of Public Health finds chronic inflammation to be a condition that relates directly to diabetes. According to Kathryn E. Wellen, Ph.D. of the Harvard School of Public Health's department of genetics and complex diseases, the onset of type 2 diabetes in obese humans corresponds with the activation of inflammatory responses, including insulin resistance. Chronic inflammation in the fat tissues of the body appears to be a response to overnutrition -- such as a high fat, high sugar diet -- which eventually leads to impaired glucose metabolism and diabetes.

Vitamin E

Safflower oil is very high in vitamin E. One tablespoon contains more than 4 mg, which is 30 per cent of the recommended daily allowance. According to a 1999 study led by Sven-Erik Bursell, Ph.D., of the Joslin Diabetes Center, vitamin E demonstrated an ability to reduce arterial damage in diabetics, and significantly increased retinal blood flow in diabetic subjects. The researchers concluded that vitamin E may reduce risks of retinal and kidney damage in diabetic patients.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Safflower oil contains linoleic acid, an Omega 6 fatty acid. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Omega 6 fatty acids may help decrease the symptoms of neuropathy in diabetics. Neuropathy is nerve pain, numbness and tingling symptoms that often affect diabetics as result of high blood glucose levels, inflammation, and damage to the blood vessels.

Phytosterols

High levels of insulin as a result of diabetes often lead to multiple serious complications such as dyslipidemia -- characterized as a high amount of fat in the blood -- and heart disease. Safflower oil contains phytosterols, also known as plant sterols. These compounds have shown some promise in protecting diabetics from the onset of cardiovascular complications. According to a 2010 study by Spanish researchers and published in the journal "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases," subjects with high levels of phytosterols in their blood experienced a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.