Is Palmitic Acid Good or Bad for You and Which Foods Are High in It?

Palmitic acid is a saturated long-chain fatty acid containing 16 carbon atoms. Palmitic acid is naturally present in many plants and animal food sources.

• Palm oil
• Palm kernel oil
• Coconut oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Butter
• Cheese
• Milk
• Meat

Long-chain fatty acids are those that have 13 to 21 carbon atoms. Palmitic acid makes up around 20% to 30% of your body's total fatty acid content. In the U.S., palmitic acid accounts for around 60% of the total saturated fatty acid intake. Your body gets palmitic acid from multiple food sources and produces it internally by breaking down other fatty acids. Your body maintains the required palmitic acid content by modifying its endogenous production based on how much palmitic acid it gets from food sources.

If the palmitic acid content from dietary sources is high, your body cuts down on endogenous production. It ramps it up when the external supply reduces.

Saturated fatty acids like palmitic acid are often thought of as harmful. But your body needs moderate amounts of saturated fatty acids to carry out several cognitive, metabolic, and hormonal functions.

The average intake of palmitic acid is around 20 to 30 grams daily. Your liver plays a central role in controlling your body's palmitic acid levels, making it available for several physiological functions.

• It’s an essential part of the cell membrane, with roughly 20% to 30% of the phospholipids found in the cell membrane containing palmitic acid.
• Palmitic acid plays a vital role in a process called palmitoylation to produce protein structures after reacting with palmitic acid. This increases the ability of the protein to adhere to the cell membrane, which is critical for energy production. It also enhances its movement within the cell.
• The smooth movement of the palmitic acid molecule also helps transport other molecules within the cell.
• Palmitic acid also plays a vital role in respiration. Your lungs utilize palmitic acid to produce surfactants (a mixture of fat and proteins). These surfactants surround the air sacs in the lungs, where oxygen enters the body (called the alveoli). The surfactants prevent the alveoli from sticking together when you exhale and enable a smooth respiratory process.

Although palmitic acid is essential for many bodily functions, evidence indicates too much of it may harm your system. Eating excess palmitic acid or other saturated fatty acids may not be healthy. A spike in palmitic acid levels in your body typically occurs due to an unhealthy diet coupled with a sedentary lifestyle (without physical activity).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart diseases are one of the most common factors that lead to death in men and women in the U.S., with one in five deaths linked to a heart condition. In 2020 alone, heart disease caused 697,000 deaths. This included people of all ethnic backgrounds.

Cardiovascular diseases lead to one death every 34 seconds. Even more concerning is that heart attacks cause a death every 40 seconds in the U.S., and two out of 10 deaths occur in people below the age of 65. You may be wondering what these statistics have to do with palmitic acid. Studies show saturated fatty acids (like palmitic acid) are the leading cause of heart disease in U.S. adults.

A 2017 study found that saturated fatty acids like palmitic acid could increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Another 2017 study revealed that replacing dietary saturated fatty acids with other nutrients like whole grains (without processed carbohydrates) and proteins lowered the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The study also found unsaturated fatty acids to be a preferred option for better heart health.

A separate 2016 study showed palmitic acid increased the risk of heart disease by 18% in both men and women. The study involved over 73,000 women and 42,000 men and recommended replacing palmitic acid with plant proteins or polyunsaturated fat, as this would lower the risk of heart disease by 11% and 12%, respectively.

A 2005 study suggested that eating palmitic acid also increases the risk of obesity and brings about insulin resistance in your system. Insulin resistance is one of the precursors for diabetes as your muscles, fat, and liver stop responding to it and cannot use the glucose in your bloodstream. To counter this, your pancreas produces more insulin causing a spike in your blood sugar levels.

Research also indicates a possible link between high levels of palmitic acid and severe physiopathological conditions like atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. But more research is needed to understand the various mechanisms leading to these conditions, as a 2013 study couldn’t find any link between palmitic acid and cancer.

There are other conflicting reports about the harmful effects of palmitic acid too. A 2015 medical review could not draw a definite conclusion about the harmful effects of palmitic acid on the cardiovascular system. According to the study, palmitic acid intake is linked to favorable changes in the cardiovascular system when it’s one of the main fatty acids in use by individuals. The study compared the effects of palm oil (richest in palmitic acid) to other oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil. All the oils contained mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. According to the study, the serum lipid content after the intake of these oils remained the same.

There’s no outright solution to this question, as more research is needed to understand the exact role of palmitic acid and whether it’s harmful or beneficial to your body. Till then, the best option is to walk the path of moderation. While you can include saturated fatty acids in your diet, you should watch your intake. A 2017 review recommended limiting the intake of fatty acids such as palmitic acid to 10% of your total diet.