Despite limitations in these data , our NMA findings are in line with existing evidence on the metabolic effects of fat and support current recommendations to replace high saturated-fat food with unsaturated oils
The aim of this network meta- analysis ( NMA ) is to compare the effects of different oils/solid fats on blood lipids .
Behenic acid is a cholesterol-raising saturated fatty acid in humans.
BACKGROUND Dietary behenic acid ( 22:0 ) is poorly absorbed . Because of its low bioavailability compared with other fatty acids and because of its very long chain length , the effect of dietary behenic acid ( behenate ) on serum lipid concentrations in humans is assumed to be neutral . OBJECTIVE The objective was to establish the cholesterol-raising potential of behenic acid by comparing the effects on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations of a specially formulated fat enriched with behenic acid with those of palm oil ( rich in palmitic acid ; 16:0 ) and high-oleic acid sunflower oil ( rich in cis oleic acid ; 18:1 ) . DESIGN In a r and omized , crossover , metabolic-ward study , 7 mildly hypercholesterolemic men were fed 3 natural-food diets supplemented with behenate oil , palm oil , or high-oleic acid sunflower oil .  Mean serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and plasma triacylglycerol fatty acid composition were determined from fasting blood drawn during the final 4 d of each 3-wk diet period . RESULTS Behenate oil produced mean concentrations of total cholesterol ( 5.87+/-0.8 mmol/L ) and LDL cholesterol ( 4.40+/-0.8 mmol/L ) not significantly different from those produced by palm oil ( 5.84+/-0.7 and 4.42+/-0.7 mmol/L , respectively ) but significantly higher than those produced by high-oleic acid sunflower oil ( 5.12+/-0.5 and 3.70+/-0.6 mmol/L , respectively ) . There were no significant differences in triacylglycerol or HDL-cholesterol concentrations . CONCLUSIONS Despite its low bioavailability compared with oleic acid , behenic acid is a cholesterol-raising fatty acid in humans and is therefore not a suitable substitute for palmitic acid in manufactured triacylglycerols
Despite limitations in these data , our NMA findings are in line with existing evidence on the metabolic effects of fat and support current recommendations to replace high saturated-fat food with unsaturated oils
The aim of this network meta- analysis ( NMA ) is to compare the effects of different oils/solid fats on blood lipids .