CONCLUSIONS Palm oil consumption results in higher LDL cholesterol than do vegetable oils low in saturated fat and higher HDL cholesterol than do trans fat-containing oils in humans .
The effects of palm oil on blood lipids are as expected on the basis of its high saturated fat content , which supports the reduction in palm oil use by replacement with vegetable oils low in saturated and trans fat .
BACKGROUND Palm oil contains a high amount of saturated fat compared with most other vegetable oils , but studies have reported inconsistent effects of palm oil on blood lipids .
OBJECTIVE We systematic ally review ed the effect of palm oil consumption on blood lipids compared with other cooking oils using data from clinical trials .
Trans (elaidic) fatty acids adversely affect the lipoprotein profile relative to specific saturated fatty acids in humans.
Although dietary trans fatty acids can affect  plasma lipoproteins negatively in humans , no direct comparison with specific saturated fatty acids has been reported , even though trans fatty acids were design ed to replace saturates in foods and food processing . In this study , dietary trans 18:1 [ elaidic acid at 5.5 % energy ( en ) ] was specifically exchanged for cis 18:1 , 16:0 or 12:0 + 14:0 in 27 male and female subjects consuming moderate fat ( 31 % en ) , low cholesterol ( < 225 mg/d ) whole food diets  during 4-wk diet periods in a crossover design . The trans-rich fat significantly elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol relative to the 16:0-rich and 18:1-rich fats and uniquely depressed HDL cholesterol relative to all of the fats tested . Trans fatty acids also elevated lipoprotein ( a ) [ Lp(a ) ] values relative to all dietary treatments . Furthermore , identical effects on lipoproteins were elicited by 16:0 and cis 18:1 in these subjects . The current results suggest that elaidic acid , one of the principal trans isomers produced during industrial hydrogenation of edible oils , adversely affects plasma lipoproteins . Thus , the negative effect of elaidic acid on the lipoprotein profile of humans appears to be unmatched by any other natural fatty acid(s )
CONCLUSIONS Palm oil consumption results in higher LDL cholesterol than do vegetable oils low in saturated fat and higher HDL cholesterol than do trans fat-containing oils in humans .
The effects of palm oil on blood lipids are as expected on the basis of its high saturated fat content , which supports the reduction in palm oil use by replacement with vegetable oils low in saturated and trans fat .
BACKGROUND Palm oil contains a high amount of saturated fat compared with most other vegetable oils , but studies have reported inconsistent effects of palm oil on blood lipids .
OBJECTIVE We systematic ally review ed the effect of palm oil consumption on blood lipids compared with other cooking oils using data from clinical trials .