Swapping 2% of your diet’s bad fats (trans fats) for healthy oils like soybean or corn oil lowers your cholesterol ratio more than swapping them for bread or pasta.

Scientific Claim

Isocaloric replacement of 2% of dietary calories from trans fatty acids (TFA) with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with a greater reduction in the total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio than replacement with carbohydrates (-0.13 vs. -0.07).

Original Statement

“Isocaloric replacement of TFA (2% calories) by PUFA had twice the effect on total/HDL ratio than by carbohydrate (-0.13 [0.03] vs -0.07 [0.02]).”

From study:Abstract 18256: Importance of Controlling Dietary Intake of Saturated Fat for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Lessons From the Metabolic Ward Studies

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The effect sizes are derived from controlled feeding trials, but original studies’ randomization status is unknown. Thus, the verb 'is associated with' correctly reflects the evidence level under GRADE rules.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Abstract 18256: Importance of Controlling Dietary Intake of Saturated Fat for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Lessons From the Metabolic Ward Studies

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

Replacing a small amount of unhealthy trans fats with healthy fats like those in fish or nuts lowers bad cholesterol more than replacing them with carbs like bread or sugar.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Abstract 18256: Importance of Controlling Dietary Intake of Saturated Fat for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Lessons From the Metabolic Ward Studies

Score: 54

DOI: 10.1161/circ.124.suppl_21.a18256

Similar Assertions

When you replace bad fats and cholesterol in your diet with healthy oils, your overall cholesterol balance improves by about 0.33 points on the ratio scale.

90%

When you swap out 5% of the fat in your diet from butter or meat to oils like sunflower or fish oil, your 'bad' cholesterol goes down by about 20 mg/dL.

85%

Cutting out butter and replacing it with vegetable oil lowers bad cholesterol more than just removing artificial trans fats from your diet.

83%

In a lab diet setting, swapping butter for vegetable oil lowers cholesterol more than just removing artificial trans fats.

80%

Eating foods with artificial trans fats, like some fried or baked goods, is linked to higher bad cholesterol in people on tightly controlled diets.

75%