Although lauric acid was the most potent total and LDL cholesterol–
raising SFA (Table 2 and Figure 3), it actually decreased
total:HDL cholesterol relative to carbohydrates. Thus, the cholesterol-
raising effect of lauric acid is proportionally higher for HDL
than for LDL. The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol was less
affected by the other 3 SFAs, although it was somewhat more
favorably affected by stearic acid than by myristic or palmitic acid.
The HDL cholesterol–raising effects of the various SFAs relative
to carbohydrates decreased with increasing chain length, from
0.027 mmol/L per % of energy for lauric acid to 0 mmol/L per
% of energy for stearic acid. Replacement of the different SFAs
with carbohydrates increased serum triacylglycerol concentrations
to the same extent.