Butter, coconut oil and olive oil: blood fat changes over 4 weeks
What it found
In 91 healthy adults, butter raised LDL cholesterol more than coconut oil or olive oil, while coconut oil raised HDL cholesterol more than both.
Coconut oil and olive oil had similar effects on LDL cholesterol.
What they found
Studies in people
LDL cholesterol
Butter increased LDL cholesterol more than coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil and olive oil had similar effects on LDL cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol
Coconut oil raised HDL cholesterol more than butter or olive oil.
Total/HDL ratio and non-HDL
Butter increased the total cholesterol to HDL ratio and non-HDL cholesterol more than coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil and olive oil did not differ for these measures.
C reactive protein
Coconut oil lowered C reactive protein compared with olive oil, but not compared with butter.
Weight and body measures
There were no differences in weight, BMI, waist circumference or body fat changes among the three groups.
Blood sugar and pressure
There were no differences in fasting blood glucose or blood pressure changes among the three groups.
What the authors conclude
“These findings do not alter current dietary recommendations to reduce saturated fat intake in general but highlight the need for further elucidation of the more nuanced relationships between different dietary fats and health.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that butter and coconut oil, both predominantly saturated fats, appear to have different effects on blood lipids compared with olive oil, a predominantly monounsaturated fat.
- They say that coconut oil was more comparable to olive oil with respect to LDL cholesterol.
- They state that these findings do not alter current dietary recommendations to reduce saturated fat intake in general but highlight the need for further research on the relationships between different dietary fats and health.
How it was done
High saturated fat intake is linked to higher LDL cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease. The authors wanted to see if different fats with different fatty acid profiles, such as extra virgin coconut oil, have different metabolic effects.
They randomly assigned 96 men and women aged 50 to 75 to eat 50 g daily of extra virgin coconut oil, unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil for 4 weeks. 91 people completed the study. Blood fats, weight, body fat, blood pressure and blood sugar were measured before and after.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a 4-week trial, so it cannot show what would happen over a longer period.
- The study measured blood lipids and other risk factors, not heart disease events, so it cannot show whether these changes affect actual heart disease risk.
- The participants were mostly healthy, white, middle-aged to older adults, so the results may not apply to other groups.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Medical Research Council (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Competing interests: None declared.
- Authors work at
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, UK; University of Cambridge, UK; Aston University, UK
The paper
- Title
- Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Khaw KT, Sharp SJ, Finikarides L, et al (2018). Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women. BMJ open. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020167Free full textPubMed 29511019DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error