Beef fat increases the absorption of beta-carotene compared to sunflower oil

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000 May;71(5):1170-80

Study title and authors:
Intestinal absorption of beta-carotene ingested with a meal rich in sunflower oil or beef tallow: postprandial appearance in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins in women.

Hu X, Jandacek RJ, White WS.
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames 50011-1120, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10799380

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of sunflower oil and beef tallow (dripping) on (i) intestinal beta-carotene absorption and (ii) triglycerides content in lipoproteins (chylomicrons and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol. The study included 11 women who each ingested two different vitamin A-free, fat-rich meals that were supplemented with beta-carotene (47 micromol) and contained equivalent amounts (60 g) of sunflower oil or beef tallow.

The study found:
(a) The appearance of beta-carotene in chylomicrons and in VLDL cholesterol was lower after ingestion with the meal containing sunflower oil than after ingestion with the meal containing beef tallow.
(b) The appearance of triglycerides in chylomicrons and in VLDL cholesterol was higher after ingestion with the meal containing sunflower oil than after ingestion with the meal containing beef tallow. (High levels of triglycerides are associated with heart disease, see here).

The study reveals that beta-carotene absoption is higher in meals rich in beef tallow as compared with a meal rich in sunflower oil.