Sunflower and coconut oil ratios in ice cream and later food intake
What it found
In 36 healthy women, eating ice cream made with different ratios of coconut and sunflower oil slightly changed what they ate later.
The effects were small and went in different directions at dinner and snacks.
What they found
Studies in people
Fat eaten at dinner
After the ice cream with the most coconut oil (75% coconut, 25% sunflower), women ate less fat at dinner than after the ice cream with the least coconut oil (25% coconut, 75% sunflower).
High fat savoury snacks
Women also ate less high fat savoury food at dinner after the 75% coconut oil ice cream compared with both other ice creams.
Snack calories
Later in the evening, women ate fewer calories from snacks after the ice creams with less coconut oil (25% and 50% coconut) than after the 75% coconut oil ice cream.
Appetite ratings
There was no difference in how hungry, full or satisfied the women felt across the day after any of the ice creams.
Overall intake
When dinner and snacks were added together, the total calories eaten did not differ between the three ice creams.
Creaminess and thickness
The ice cream with the most coconut oil was rated as creamier and thicker than the others, which might have influenced how much was eaten later.
What the authors conclude
“Eating a standard portion of ice cream containing different ratios of MCTs and LCTs can modestly influence acute food selection and intake, with MCTs manifesting their effect earlier and LCTs later due to differences in the absorption and metabolism of these lipids.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that eating a standard portion of ice cream with different ratios of these fats can modestly affect fat intake and snack selection later.
- They note that high coconut oil (medium chain fats) had an earlier effect, reducing fat intake, while high sunflower oil (long chain fats) had a later effect, reducing snack intake.
- They call for more research with repeated doses to see if these small differences matter for health.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if changing the type of fat in a normal portion of ice cream could affect how much people eat afterwards, without making the food less tasty.
36 healthy women ate a 150g portion of ice cream (10% fat) made with three different ratios of coconut oil to sunflower oil, once a week for three weeks. They then ate a dinner and snacks as they wished, and rated their appetite throughout the day.
What it can’t tell you
- The study only included healthy women, so the results may not apply to men or to people who are overweight.
- The effects were small and only seen after a single dose, so it is not known if they would last or matter over time.
- The study cannot show whether these changes in food intake would affect weight or health in the long run.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Birmingham, UK; University of Liverpool, UK
The paper
- Title
- Coconut and sunflower oil ratios in ice cream influence subsequent food selection and intake
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Rizzo G, Masic U, Harrold JA, Norton JE, Halford JC (2016). Coconut and sunflower oil ratios in ice cream influence subsequent food selection and intake. Physiology & behavior. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.05.040Free full textPubMed 27235735DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error