Butter Worse For Arteries Than Olive Oil

Meals high in saturated fat (SAFA), as opposed to monounsaturated fat (MUFA), may impair artery function. That was the finding of a small study published in the December issue of Diabetes Care:

Differential Effects Of Two Different Isoenergetic Meals One Rich In Saturated And One Rich In Monounsaturated Fat On Endothelial Function In Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Care, December 2008

After 33 participants with type 2 diabetes consumed either a meal high in saturated fat (butter), or high in monounsaturated fat (olive oil), (meals had the same number of calories) their artery function was assessed.

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD):

• Declined by 16.7% after the saturated-fat-rich meal
  
• Increased by 5.2% after the monounsaturated-fat-rich meal

FMD measures the relaxation of an artery due to increased blood flow. FMD is a marker for heart disease risk. As FMD decreases, blood flow is impaired.

The authors concluded:

"Consumption of an SAFA-rich meal is harmful for the endothelium, while a MUFA-rich meal does not impair endothelial function in subjects with type 2 diabetes."

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