Diverse impacts of red palm olein, extra virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil on cardiometabolic risk markers in individuals with central obesity: a randomised trial

Purpose Dietary fats with an abundance of phytonutrients have garnered public attention beyond fatty acids per se. This study was set to investigate the impact of consuming diets with red palm olein (RPOO), extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO, as a control) on cardiometabolic risk biomarkers and lipid profile. Methods We recruited a total of 156 individuals with central obesity, aged 25-45 years, with waist circumference >= 90 cm for men and >= 80 cm for women in a parallel single-blind 3-arm randomised controlled trial. The participants consumed isocaloric diets (similar to 2400 kcal) enriched with respective test fats (RPOO, EVCO or EVOO) for a 12-week duration. Results The mean of the primary outcome plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein was statistically similar between the three diets after a 12-week intervention. EVOO resulted in significantly lower mean LDL cholesterol compared with RPOO and EVCO, despite similar effects on LDL and HDL cholesterol subfractions. The RPOO diet group showed elevated mean alpha and beta-carotenes levels compared with EVCO and EVOO diet groups (P < 0.05), corresponding with the rich carotenoid content in RPOO. Conclusion The three oils, each of which has unique phytonutrient and fatty acid compositions, manifested statistically similar cardiometabolic effects in individuals with central obesity at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases with distinct circulating antioxidant properties.