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Journal: Nutrition and health 2025;31(2):485-498
PMID: 37461824
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Diet plays a major role in heart health, particularly the type of fat consumed. Butter is high in saturated fat, which may be linked to higher cholesterol levels, while extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, which may protect heart health. However, individuals from different ethnic backgrounds may respond differently to dietary fats. This study was conducted to compare the short-term effects of EVOO and butter on cardiovascular risk markers in European and Chinese men living in the UK.
The results showed that consuming EVOO improved several cardiovascular biomarkers compared to butter. EVOO was associated with more favourable changes in blood lipid profiles, including reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Some differences were observed between European and Chinese participants, suggesting that ethnicity may influence metabolic responses to dietary fats. However, as this was a small pilot study of short duration, the findings should be interpreted cautiously.
In conclusion, replacing butter with extra virgin olive oil may lead to short-term improvements in cardiovascular risk markers. Healthcare professionals can use this evidence to support recommendations that encourage the replacement of saturated fats with monounsaturated fat sources, particularly in diverse populations. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Replacing butter (saturated fat) with olive oil (monounsaturated fat) may improve cardiovascular risk markers such as ABP and MAP.
Responses to EVOO may differ by ethnicity
Introduction –
Diets high in consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) have been associated with better cardiovascular health, attributed to its high oleic acid content and phenolic compounds. However, studies to date have focused on white Caucasian individuals, with very little data from ethnic minority groups. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an intervention supplementing EVOO or butter on cardiovascular biomarkers in European Caucasians and Chinese males.
Methods –
This was a two-arm crossover non-blinded randomised control trial.
34 healthy male participants were supplemented with either 30 ml/day of EVOO or 30g/day butter for 2 weeks given in a canned soup meal.
A two-week washout period was given between treatments where participants were asked not to consume butter or olive oil.
The primary outcome was ambulatory blood pressure (ABP).
Secondary outcomes were serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Results –
EVOO consumption was associated with lower 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) (−4.3 mmHg; P=0.020), daytime SBP (5.528 mmHg; P = 0.008), night-time diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (−3.784 mmHg; p= 0.008), and night-time mean arterial pressure (ABP) (−3.747 mmHg; P= 0.007).
Butter but not EVOO consumption was associated with increased total cholesterol (7.9 mg/dL; P= 0.017) and LDL-c (6.5 mg/dL; P= 0.028).
Ethnic differences in response were also observed with Asian individuals having significantly lower 24-hour SBP (P=0.026) and MAP (P= 0.038), and daytime SBP (P= 0.032) and MAP (P= 0.052). Whilst Europeans showed a lower night-time DBP (p=0.047).
Conclusion -
It was concluded that consumption of EVOO is a healthier fat than butter for cardiovascular health in both Caucasians and East Asians.
EVOO consumption could be recommended to improve the cardiovascular health of healthy Asians and Caucasians.
Improvements may be seen in ABP and blood cholesterol levels.
The consumption of butter may detrimentally affect LDL-c levels.
Further research should extend to investigations in women and those who have poor cardiometabolic health.
Olive oils with differing polyphenol levels could be researched.
Research could consider clinical outcomes and analyse cardiovascular events and progression of hypertension or atherosclerosis.
No dietary interventional studies have reported the impact of olive oil on cardiovascular risk markers in groups of different ethnic origins. We report a pilot randomised controlled trial of an intervention supplementing extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on markers of cardiovascular risk among East Asian Chinese, and European Caucasian individuals. A cross-over, randomised controlled dietary intervention for 2 weeks was undertaken. Thirty-two adults, healthy, individuals of Chinese and European origin took part in this study. 24-h ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and blood lipids, were assessed. Positive benefits of EVOO consumption were observed in all participants. Lower 24-h ambulatory SBP (-4.3 mmHg; = 0.020), and day-time SBP (5.528 mmHg; = 0.008), night-time DBP (-3.784 mmHg; = 0.008) and night-time MAP (-3.747 mmHg; = 0.007) were seen in all participants independently of covariates. In addition, total cholesterol (7.9 mg/dL; = 0.017) and LDL-cholesterol (6.5 mg/dL; = 0.028) were increased with butter but not with olive oil. No significant difference in other cardiovascular risk factors were observed. However, differences were observed between Caucasians and East Asian individuals in the absence of significant differences in lifestyle. This pilot study suggests that consumption of EVOO should be advocated as a healthier dietary fat and recommended to replace butter as a dietary strategy to improve cardiovascular health in both Caucasians and East Asian individuals.
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