Comparison of the Effect of MCFA and LCFA on Postprandial Appetite and Lipemia

Comparison of the Effect of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids and Long-Chain Fatty Acids on Postprandial Appetite and Lipemia

The main objective is to investigate if foods high in coconut oil (MCFA) or palm oil (LCFA) have different impacts on postprandial blood lipid levels and appetite via a visual analog scale (VAS).

Postprandial lipemia has been recognized as a cardiovascular disease risk factor. The rate of postprandial triglyceride production and clearance in the blood, as well as the appetite, are influenced by the quality of the food consumed, such as the length of saturated fatty acids. The study will include 24 healthy adults ranging in age from 18 to 40 years old, of both sexes and it will be conducted at the University of Jordan. The study will involve two experimental test days, each separated by at least a week of washout interval, and each test day will last for 6 hours. All subjects will be randomly assigned to one of the experimental meals using computer-generated tables. Blood serum samples (2 mL) will be taken after an overnight fast and 2, 4, and 6 hours after eating the meals, and blood lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG)] will be examined in a private lab. After that, participants will be allowed an ad libitum intake of standard meals. Each meal will be weighed before and after it is consumed, with the amount of food ingested being calculated.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18-50 years
• Males and females
• Apparently healthy
• Fasting triglyceride (TG) < 2.5 mmol/L or 222 mg/dl at the time of screening.
• Body mass index (BMI) in normal range (18.5-24.9).
• Stable weight for at least 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Consumption of lipid-lowering drugs or any medication that might affect appetite.
• Consumption of any supplement that may affect lipid metabolism or appetite on a regular basis for the past month.
• Regular consumption of two or more fish meals a week over the previous month.
• A history of diabetes, gastrointestinal , liver disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft or established atherosclerotic disease.
• Current smokers
• Pregnant , breastfeeding, postmenopausal or suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Athlete
• Being on a diet or lifestyle changes for the past month.