Are all saturated fats equally cholesterol elevating?
There is scientific evidence that not all saturated fats are equally cholesterol elevating. Studies have found that, compared to other long chain saturated fatty acids, stearic acid appears to have a neutral effect on total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol1, 2. Studies have found that, compared to palmitic acid, lauric acid and myristic acid increase total blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the ‘good’ cholesterol, and the LDL/HDL ratio in both nonhuman primates, and normo-cholesterolemic men and women who consumed a typical western diet3,4. The myristic acid and lauric acid from coconut oil increased total blood cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides5. Another study found that, in normocholesterolemic primates, dietary palmitic acid and oleic acid produced similar effects on LDL and HDL metabolism6. These findings were confirmed in studies with normolipidemic humans who con
top There is scientific evidence that not all saturated fats are equally cholesterol elevating. Studies have found that, compared to other long chain saturated fatty acids, stearic acid appears to have a neutral effect on total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol1, 2.
