Macro partitioning
Consuming 50g of extra virgin coconut oil daily for 4 weeks does not significantly increase LDL cholesterol compared to extra virgin olive oil, whereas butter significantly increases LDL cholesterol compared to both oils.
If you are replacing butter with coconut oil in your diet, you likely will not see a negative spike in your LDL cholesterol, and it may behave similarly to olive oil in this regard. However, coconut oil does raise HDL (good cholesterol) more than olive oil or butter. It is not a free pass to eat unlimited fat, but it is not as detrimental to LDL as butter.
LDL-C concentrations were significantly increased on butter compared with coconut oil (+0.42, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.65 mmol/L, P<0.0001) and with olive oil (+0.38, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.60 mmol/L, P<0.0001), with no differences in change of LDL-C in coconut oil compared with olive oil (−0.04, 95% CI −0.27 to 0.19 mmol/L, P=0.74).
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with good compliance and objective biochemical measures, though short duration (4 weeks) and specific population limit generalizability.
Source
Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women
Kay‐Tee Khaw et al. · BMJ Open · 2018
DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020167
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