Ácido esteárico y salud cardiovascular

Abstract

Stearic acid (SA), the second most consumed saturated fatty acid (SFA) in the West, is a clear candidate for replacing the trans fatty acids (TFAs) in many processed foods. This would lead to an unprecedented increase in its intake, the effect of which on health is unknown. This is why the Revision, Study and Positioning Group of the Spanish Association of Dieticians-Nutritionists (GREP-AEDN) has gone through the scientific literature which allows it to assess the overall effect of the intake of SA on the lipid profile and on cardiovascular health. Through what is explained in this document, the GREP-AEDN does not consider it reasonable to encourage a considerable increase in the consumption of SA, in spite of its apparent advantages with respect to other SFAs, due to its potential contribution to diabetes and to the little, ambiguous information that exists on the consequences that eating a high amount of SA on a long-term basis can have on certain cardiovascular risk markers.