Stearic Acid (C18:0)
CompoundExperimental
A saturated fat from beef fat and cocoa that's notably neutral on LDL.
At a glance
Fine to eat
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Neutral on LDL
Unlike palmitic acid, it doesn't tend to raise LDL.
why ↓
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Becomes oleic acid
The body converts some into the main fat in olive oil.
why ↓
Some human evidenceEarly / limited
How to take it
- Dark chocolate (85%), tallow, butter, beef
Watch out
- High-saturated-fat diets can raise LDL in some people
The Research
Mechanisms, studies and evidence grades for each claim above.
Functions
- Energy source and membrane lipid component
- Can be converted to oleic acid via SCD1 (stearoyl-CoA desaturase)
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Excess effects
Context-dependent — high saturated fat intake patterns may raise LDL in some people, though stearic acid specifically is generally considered more neutral on that axis than other saturated fats (e.g., palmitic acid) when swapped calorie-for-calorie.
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Deficiency effects
No known deficiency syndrome.
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Top foods
- Cocoa / dark chocolate (85% cacao)
- Beef fat / tallow
- Butter and dairy fat
- Beef
- Yogurt
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