Saturated Fats, Palm Oil and Cardiovascular Risk: What Does the Evidence Say? A Review

This research examines the scientific debate regarding the impact of saturated fat consumption from palm oil on cardiovascular disease risk. The study aims to synthesize the latest empirical evidence on the influence of palm oil on cardiovascular biomarkers such as LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, and inflammatory indicators. The research employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method based on the PRISMA protocol on 34 scientific articles indexed by ScienceDirect published during the 2021–2025 period. The review results indicate that palm oil consumption tends to increase LDL-C compared to unsaturated oils, but its effect is lower than that of animal fats or trans fats. HDL-C generally remains stable or slightly increases, while triglyceride and inflammation responses vary depending on dietary context, oil processing methods, and population characteristics. These findings suggest that the health impact of palm oil is contextual, thus nutritional policies need to consider dietary patterns, socio-economic factors, and the balance between public health and economic interests in producing countries.