Effect of ground beef fatty acid composition on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy men

Abstract

Dietary fatty acids reportedly alter atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Oleic acid, the major monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) in beef, may improve blood lipids (AJCN 70:1009, 1999). We sought to compare the effects of MUFA:SAT ratios in ground beef patties with a fixed total fat content of 24 g fat/100 g patty in 25 healthy men. Test beef patty MUFA:SAT was either 1.10 (HI) or 0.71 (LO). Subjects consumed 5 patties per week in a random test‐retest design lasting 5 weeks each separated by 4‐week wash‐out period. We measured metabolic indices and HDL functionality immediately before and at the end of each test. Increased beef consumption per se, and beef MUFA:SAT had no effect on circulating homocysteine, adipokines, or HDL3 apolipoprotein composition. Beef patty MUFA:SAT had no effect, while beef consumption per se increased total HDL (p<0.001), HDL3 (p<0.0001) and atheroprotective HDL3 sphingosine‐1‐phophate (S1P) (p<0.05). Independent of MUFA:SAT, beef consumption also improved insulin sensitivity as judged by reduction in HOMA scores (p<0.05). Interestingly, beef consumption per se caused a decrease in PON1 activity per HDL (p<0.05). We conclude that increased beef consumption improved indices of HDL functionality and insulin sensitivity independent of fatty acid composition. “Funded in part by The Beef Checkoff through the National Cattlemen's Beef Association”