Stearic acid or palmitic acid as a substitute for trans fatty acids?

Abstract

AbstractThe evidence for unfavourable effects of trans fatty acids on risk of developing coronary heart disease is overwhelming. The food industry must now search for substitutes for trans fatty acids with acceptable nutritional properties which at the same time retain the functionality of fats for baking and margarine manufacture. Comparisons of fats rich in stearic acid with fats rich in mixtures of palmitic, myristic and lauric acids show that fasting total and LDL‐cholesterol levels, postprandial lipaemia and factor VII activation are lower in response to stearic rich fats. All of these effects of stearic acid would be expected to lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease by comparison with palmitic acid. While fasting HDL‐cholesterol levels are higher in response to the saturated fatty acid mixture than in response to stearic acid this is probably due to the lauric acid content of the mixture rather than its palmitic acid content. To date there is no evidence that randomization of stearic acid or palmitic acid caused by interesterification has any effect on risk factors for coronary heart disease although more research is needed. It can be concluded that stearic acid is a better substitute for trans fatty acids than palmitic acid in fats for baking and margarine manufacture.