What fats make your 'bad' cholesterol better?
Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lauric acid increased total cholesterol but still lowered the total:HDL ratio — meaning it improved heart risk markers despite raising 'bad' cholesterol.
Common advice says 'lower total cholesterol = better,' but this shows the ratio matters more — and lauric acid breaks the mold.
Practical Takeaways
Replace trans fats (fried foods, margarine) with olive oil, nuts, or avocado — this has the biggest benefit for your cholesterol ratio.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lauric acid increased total cholesterol but still lowered the total:HDL ratio — meaning it improved heart risk markers despite raising 'bad' cholesterol.
Common advice says 'lower total cholesterol = better,' but this shows the ratio matters more — and lauric acid breaks the mold.
Practical Takeaways
Replace trans fats (fried foods, margarine) with olive oil, nuts, or avocado — this has the biggest benefit for your cholesterol ratio.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
2003
Authors
R. Mensink, P. Zock, A. Kester, M. Katan
Related Content
Claims (6)
Dietary intake of saturated fatty acids increases circulating levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in humans through upregulation of hepatic cholesterol synthesis and reduced LDL receptor expression.
Getting rid of artificial trans fats (like in fried foods) and replacing them with healthy oils or whole grains lowers bad cholesterol ratios more than just cutting butter or cheese.
Some saturated fats like those in meat and dairy don’t change the good-to-bad cholesterol ratio much, but stearic acid (found in cocoa and beef fat) may slightly improve it.
Swapping bad fats like butter for healthier fats like olive oil lowers the ratio of bad cholesterol to good cholesterol, which is good for your heart.
Coconut oil (which has lauric acid) raises both good and bad cholesterol, but because it raises good cholesterol more, the overall ratio gets better.