Excess intake of animal-derived saturated fats is associated with hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease. However, diets rich in unsaturated fats can improve lipid metabolism and reduce disease risk. A study in Scientific Reports investigated the effects of different dietary animal fats compared with olive oil on body composition and plasma lipid profiles in male C57BL/6N mice. Although dietary fat sources had minimal impact on body weight, liver or spleen weight, cow and buffalo milk ghee increased adipose tissue accumulation and feed efficiency compared to the olive oil-fed animals. Plasma triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were comparable across groups, but milk fat had higher values than the other groups. No aortic lesions were observed in the different groups. However, chicken fat might provide greater benefits when compared with other animal fats, as it shows higher unsaturated fatty acid contents, which might be explained by the diet fed to chickens. These results reinforce public health recommendations favoring unsaturated over saturated fats, while showing the potential to optimize animal fat composition through dietary modification strategies.
Original reference: Zommara, M.A. et al Sci. Rep. 15, 29537 (2025)
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
