Tropical Oil Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses

Abstract

The health effects of saturated fat, particularly tropical oil, on cardiovascular disease are unclear. We investigated the effect of tropical oil (palm and coconut oils), lard, and other common vegetable oils (soybean and rice bran oils) that are widely used in tropical and Asian countries on lipid profiles. We performed an umbrella review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane) were searched up to December 2018 without language restriction. We identified nine meta-analyses that investigated the effect of dietary oils on lipid levels. Replacement of polyunsaturated fatty-acid-rich oils (PUFAs) and monounsaturated FA-rich oils (MUFAs) with palm oil significantly increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), by 3.43 (0.44–6.41) mg/dL and 9.18 (6.90–11.45) mg/dL, respectively, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), by 1.89 (1.23–2.55) mg/dL and 0.94 (−0.07–1.97) mg/dL, respectively. Replacement of PUFAs with coconut oil significantly increased HDL-c and total cholesterol –by 2.27 (0.93–3.6) mg/dL and 5.88 (0.21–11.55) mg/dL, respectively—but not LDL-c. Substituting lard for MUFAs and PUFAs increased LDL-c–by 8.39 (2.83–13.95) mg/dL and 9.85 (6.06–13.65) mg/dL, respectively—but not HDL-c. Soybean oil substituted for other PUFAs had no effect on lipid levels, while rice bran oil substitution decreased LDL-c. Our findings show the deleterious effect of saturated fats from animal sources on lipid profiles. Replacement of unsaturated plant-derived fats with plant-derived saturated fats slightly increases LDL-c but also increases HDL-c, which in turn may exert a neutral effect on cardiovascular health.

Guía de práctica clínica mexicana para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las dislipidemias y enfermedad cardiovascular aterosclerótica

“…Diversas RS publicada en años recientes han encontrado resultados similares con beneficios discretos en las cifras de lípidos de las distintas variedades de dietas bajas en grasas saturadas, altas en grasas poliinsaturadas o no saturadas, vegetarianas y dieta mediterránea, entre otras [62][63][64][65][66][67] . Pregunta 8.…”

Are We Nuts Over Coconuts? Studying the Effects of Coconut Oil on Low-Density Lipoprotein and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review

“…A significant number of these deaths is coronary artery disease (CAD), caused by atherosclerotic disease that stems from high lipid levels [ 3 ]. A rise in lipid levels in our blood has been known to be caused by our diet and dietary ingestion of oils and fats [ 4 ]. One of the culprits is saturated fats, whose replacement with unsaturated fats can decrease the risk of developing atherosclerosis [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…A rise in lipid levels in our blood has been known to be caused by our diet and dietary ingestion of oils and fats [ 4 ]. One of the culprits is saturated fats, whose replacement with unsaturated fats can decrease the risk of developing atherosclerosis [ 3 , 4 ]. Hyperlipidemia is one of the most significant modifiable factors in CVD settings [ 5 ].…”

“…Coconut oil has 90% of saturated fat and is hence thought to have an increased effect on serum cholesterol levels [ 4 , 8 ]. However, a recent study suggests that coconut oil may benefit the body in a variety of ways [ 9 ].…”

“…However, a recent study suggests that coconut oil may benefit the body in a variety of ways [ 9 ]. It also has around 62% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which has increased its popularity among consumers due to its effects on health [ 4 , 9 ]. With the increasing popularity of functional medicine, coconut oil usage, especially the virgin and extra virgin varieties, has gained popularity [ 9 , 10 ].…”