THE EFFECTS OF A PALM-OIL ENRICHED DIET ON PLASMA-LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS IN HEALTHY-YOUNG MEN

In order to compare the effects of feeding a diet enriched in palm oil, coconut oil, or hydrogenated soybean oil on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in normocholesterolemic subjects, 13 healthy males ages 22 to 43 were randomized to receive a diet in which 35% of energy was derived from fat and in which 50 % of the fat in the diet was derived from the test oil incorporated into muffins or cookies. Each diet was fed for three 3-week test periods to the same individuals with two week washouts between diets. There were no significant changes following three weeks of eating a palm oil-enriched diet in mean cholesterol , LDL cholesterol, apoprotein A or apoprotein B among 9 individuals who completed all three diet periods based on non-parametric statistical analysis. We conclude that palm oil enrichment of the diet in normal individuals does not lead to an increase in plasma cholesterol or LDL cholesterol when fed for a three week period in over twenty times the relative amounts usually found in the American diet. Studies in larger numbers of individuals over longer periods of time must be done to establish the effects of palm oil on cholesterol metabolism in humans.