An expert explains why plant-based cooking oils remain the NLA's recommendation for patients at cardiovascular risk, despite new federal advice.
In an interview with Pharmacy Times for the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) 2026 Fall Clinical Lipid Update, Carol F. Kirkpatrick, PhD, MPH, RDN, FNLA, director of the Idaho State University (ISU) Wellness Center and a clinical associate professor in the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS), discussed where the
Kirkpatrick explained that the NLA issued a press release soon after the guidelines were published, noting broad agreement. Both emphasize whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthful proteins, along with a plant-forward dietary pattern that reduces processed foods in favor of minimally processed options. The main point of divergence, she said, is the guidelines' recommendation to use butter or beef tallow in cooking. Kirkpatrick also noted that the guidelines mention olive oil as a source of essential fatty acids, though she explained that olive oil is not a great source and that essential fatty acids come from other plant-based oils.
The distinction matters because the NLA's recommendations are written specifically for people with dyslipidemia, cardiometabolic health concerns, or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). For these patients, the NLA recommends plant-based oils for cooking instead of butter or beef tallow. Kirkpatrick pointed to studies comparing plant-based oil, butter, and beef tallow, in which butter raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol the most and beef tallow raised it less than butter but more than plant-based oil. Because higher LDL cholesterol levels are a causal factor in atherosclerosis and the development of ASCVD, the NLA could not support beef tallow as a cooking fat.2
She added that plant-based oils offer additional advantages, including more polyphenols and a better fatty acid profile. Outside of cooking fats, Kirkpatrick said the NLA found it was in agreement with most of the new guidance. Pharmacists can continue steering these patients toward plant-based oils.
