What's better to eat instead of butter: carbs or olive oil?
Comparison of monounsaturated fat with carbohydrates as a replacement for saturated fat in subjects with a high metabolic risk profile: studies in the fasting and postprandial states.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Replacing saturated fat with olive oil (MUFA) still raised lipoprotein(a) by 11%, and carbs raised it even more (20%).
Most public health advice treats MUFA as universally protective — but this shows even healthy fats may worsen a major genetic risk factor for heart disease.
Practical Takeaways
If you have metabolic risk (high triglycerides, low HDL, insulin resistance), swap butter or cheese for olive oil, avocado, or nuts instead of bread, cereal, or sugary snacks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Replacing saturated fat with olive oil (MUFA) still raised lipoprotein(a) by 11%, and carbs raised it even more (20%).
Most public health advice treats MUFA as universally protective — but this shows even healthy fats may worsen a major genetic risk factor for heart disease.
Practical Takeaways
If you have metabolic risk (high triglycerides, low HDL, insulin resistance), swap butter or cheese for olive oil, avocado, or nuts instead of bread, cereal, or sugary snacks.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
2007
Authors
L. Berglund, M. Lefevre, H. Ginsberg, P. Kris-Etherton, P. Elmer, P. Stewart, A. Ershow, T. Pearson, B. Dennis, P. Roheim, R. Ramakrishnan, R. Reed, K. Stewart, K. Phillips
Related Content
Claims (6)
If you swap out foods like butter and cheese for things like white bread and sugary snacks, it might raise your blood sugar and fat levels after meals, which could make your heart more likely to get sick.
If you swap out butter and fatty meats for foods like olive oil and avocados instead of swapping them for bread or sugar, your blood fat levels drop more — and that’s especially true if you already have health risks like high cholesterol or insulin resistance.
If you're at risk for metabolic problems, swapping butter or fatty meats for olive oil or avocados doesn't drop your 'good' cholesterol as much as swapping them for bread or sugar.
If you swap out butter and fatty meats for bread, pasta, or olive oil, your blood might show higher levels of a type of fat particle called lipoprotein(a), which could be a concern for heart health — carbs raise it more than olive oil.
If you have metabolic issues like high blood sugar or cholesterol, eating foods that swap out butter or fatty meats for carbs (like bread or rice) or for olive oil and avocados doesn’t make a noticeable difference in your blood fat levels after meals.