Postprandial Responses to Meals Enriched With Canola or Coconut Oil in Men and Women With a Risk Phenotype for Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Randomized Crossover Trial

We investigated the metabolic response to meals with canola or coconut oil (rich in unsaturated vs. rich in saturated fatty acids [FAs]). Although the longer-term metabolic effects of these fats are well evidenced, their postprandial effects remain inconclusive. In this randomized crossover trial, 29 participants with increased cardiometabolic risk consumed four isoenergetic meals containing 25 or 50 g (low-fat meals [LFMs], high-fat meals [HFMs]) of canola or coconut oil. Blood samples for analysis of triglycerides (TGs), glucose, insulin, nonesterified FAs (NEFAs), IL-6, and individual FAs were collected in the fasting state and 6 h postprandially (every 0.5-1 h). The incremental areas under the curves (iAUCs) of TGs and IL-6 were higher after canola than after coconut oil. Concentrations of lauric and myristic acid were higher after coconut oil, while concentrations of oleic, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic acid were higher after canola oil. The TG iAUC was higher after HFMs than after corresponding LFMs. NEFAs decreased more after LFMs than after HFMs. The glucose and insulin iAUCs were higher after LFMs than after HFMs. Canola and coconut oil induced different metabolic responses. The manner and strength of the postprandial effects differed depending on the parameter.