Cocoa butter and inflammation markers after meals in healthy women
What it found
Cocoa butter did not change inflammation markers in the blood after a meal compared with olive oil.
This was measured in ten healthy women.
What they found
Studies in people
Inflammation markers unchanged
Levels of two inflammation markers in the blood stayed about the same whether the women ate cocoa butter or olive oil. One marker dipped at 4 hours then returned to normal by 6 hours.
Blood fats rose equally
Both meals caused blood fat levels to rise over time. There was no difference between cocoa butter and olive oil in how much they rose.
No link between fats and inflammation
The researchers found no connection between the rise in blood fats after eating and any changes in inflammation markers.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that eating a large amount of fat raises blood fats after a meal but may not change inflammation markers.
- They suggest that fat rich in stearic acid does not appear to increase inflammation after eating.
How it was done
Fats rich in stearic acid do not raise cholesterol like other saturated fats, but they may slightly raise inflammation markers when fasting. Scientists wanted to see if this happens after eating too.
Ten healthy women each ate a test meal containing either cocoa butter or olive oil on separate occasions. The meal provided 1 g of fat per kg of body weight, averaging 62 g. Blood samples were taken while fasting and then 4 and 6 hours later.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Only ten women took part, so the results might not apply to men or larger groups.
- The study only looked at what happened over six hours after one meal, not long-term effects.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Copenhagen University, Denmark
The paper
- Title
- Dietary cocoa butter or refined olive oil does not alter postprandial hsCRP and IL-6 concentrations in healthy women
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Tholstrup T, Teng KT, Raff M (2011). Dietary cocoa butter or refined olive oil does not alter postprandial hsCRP and IL-6 concentrations in healthy women. Lipids. doi:10.1007/s11745-011-3526-4PubMed 21287288DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error