Palm olein and blood cholesterol compared with olive oil in healthy men
What it found
In healthy men, palm olein raised total and LDL cholesterol moderately compared with olive oil.
It lowered one type of blood fat called triacylglycerol.
What they found
Studies in people
Total and LDL cholesterol
Both palm olein and lard raised total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared with olive oil.
Blood fats called triacylglycerols
Palm olein led to lower triacylglycerol levels than olive oil. The authors did not expect this result.
Good cholesterol and inflammation
HDL cholesterol, two inflammation markers, insulin, and glucose were about the same across all three diets.
What the authors conclude
- Their results do not support earlier claims that palm olein has a neutral effect on total and LDL cholesterol compared with olive oil in healthy people.
- They conclude that the position of fat within the molecule does not seem to matter for blood cholesterol effects.
- They note that the lower triacylglycerol levels seen after the palm olein diet were unexpected.
How it was done
Earlier work suggested palm olein did not change blood cholesterol compared with olive oil. Scientists thought this might be because of where a specific fat sits inside the molecule.
Thirty-two healthy men each followed three diets for three weeks at a time. They swapped part of their usual fat for palm olein, olive oil, or lard. Each test fat made up about 17% of their daily energy intake.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial only included healthy men, so it cannot show what happens in women or people with existing health conditions.
- Each diet lasted three weeks, so longer-term effects are unknown.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark
The paper
- Title
- Palm olein increases plasma cholesterol moderately compared with olive oil in healthy individuals
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Tholstrup T, Hjerpsted J, Raff M (2011). Palm olein increases plasma cholesterol moderately compared with olive oil in healthy individuals. The American journal of clinical nutrition. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.018846PubMed 22071711DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error