Palmitic Acid Versus Stearic Acid: Effects of Interesterification and Intakes on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers - A Systematic Review.

Merel Van Rooijen,Ronald Mensink

doi:10.3390/nu12030615

Abstract

Fats that are rich in palmitic or stearic acids can be interesterified to increase their applicability for the production of certain foods. When compared with palmitic acid, stearic acid lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, which is a well-known risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), but its effects on other cardiometabolic risk markers have been studied less extensively. In addition, the positional distribution of these two fatty acids within the triacylglycerol molecule may affect their metabolic effects. The objective was to compare the longer-term and postprandial effects of (interesterified) fats that are rich in either palmitic or stearic acids on cardiometabolic risk markers in humans. Two searches in PubMed/Medline, Embase (OVID) and Cochrane Library were performed; one to identify articles that studied effects of the position of palmitic or stearic acids within the triacylglycerol molecule and one to identify articles that compared side-by-side effects of palmitic acid with those of stearic acid. The interesterification of palmitic or stearic acid-rich fats does not seem to affect fasting serum lipids and (apo) lipoproteins. However, substituting palmitic acid with stearic acid lowers LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Postprandial lipemia is attenuated if the solid fat content of a fat blend at body temperature is increased. How (the interesterification of) palmitic or stearic acid-rich fats affects other cardiometabolic risk markers needs further investigation.

Highlights

During the last decades, many studies have been carried out to gain more insight into the effects of dietary fat intake on risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as disturbances in lipid metabolism, glucose-insulin homeostasis, the hemostatic system, or low-grade systemic inflammation
Studies were eligible if they met the following inclusion criteria: human dietary intervention trial comparing diets or meals containing either palmitic or stearic acid mainly at sn-1 and -3 with diets or meals containing higher amounts of palmitic or stearic acid at the sn-2 position or comparing diets or meals that are rich in palmitic acid with diets or meals rich in stearic acid; diets or meals had comparable contents of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); subjects were ≥18 years and apparently healthy; cardiometabolic risk markers were assessed; the articles were published in English and available as full text
The content of palmitic or stearic acid at sn-2 was increased by the interesterification of withexperimental high versusfats, low proportions of stearic acid at sn-2

Summary

Introduction

Many studies have been carried out to gain more insight into the effects of dietary fat intake on risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as disturbances in lipid metabolism, glucose-insulin homeostasis, the hemostatic system, or low-grade systemic inflammation. A well-accepted risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) is low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (LDL-C), which is increased by diets that are rich in saturated and trans fatty acids. In the Western diet, palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0). The effects of palmitic and stearic acids on other cardiometabolic risk markers are less well established. Besides chain length of saturated fatty acids, the positional distribution of fatty acids within the triacylglycerol (TAG) molecule might be important for their metabolic effects [5]. TAG molecules consist of a glycerol backbone to Nutrients 2020, 12, 615; doi:10.3390/nu12030615 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients

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