Diacylglycerol oil (DAG oil) is a cooking oil in which the ratio of triglycerides (TAGs) to diacylglycerols (DAGs) is shifted to contain mostly DAG, unlike conventional cooking oils, which are rich in TAG. Vegetable DAG oil, for example, contains 80% DAG and is used as a 1:1 replacement for liquid vegetable oils in all applications.
DAGs and TAGs are natural components in all vegetable oils. Through an enzymatic process, the DAG content of a combination of soy and canola oils is significantly increased. Unlike TAG, which is stored as body fat, DAG is immediately burned as energy. With DAG-rich oil containing more than 80% DAG, less of the oil is stored as body fat as compared to traditional oils, which are rich in TAG. Excess calories consumed by the body are converted into fat and stored, regardless if it is consumed as DAG or TAG.
DAG oil was designated as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by an outside panel of scientific experts and their conclusion has been reviewed and accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This GRAS determination is for use in vegetable oil spreads and home cooking oil. In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved DAG oil to manage serum triglycerides after a meal, which leads to less build-up of body fat.
Because DAG oil is digested the same way as conventional vegetable oils, the potential side effects are no different than those of conventional oil. In addition, studies with animals and human subjects have shown no adverse effects from single dose or long-term consumption of DAG-rich oil. It has also been found that fat-soluble vitamins' status is not affected by the consumption of DAG-rich oil.
Studies indicate that DAG oil has numerous health benefits, including reducing post-meal blood triglyceride levels. Clinical studies in Japan have also shown that DAG oil may increase overall metabolism, helping reduce the amount of fat already stored in the body.