Aim To explore the effects of oral fatty loads with different ratios of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on the metabolism of postprandial triacylglycerol in triacylglycerol rich lipoproteins (TGRL) and to find a suitable fatty acid composition ratio used in the oral fatty load. Methods The oral fatty loads with three different fatty acids ratios (1∶1∶1, 1∶1.7∶1.2 and 1∶1.7∶2.3) were carried out in 28 type 2 diabetic patients. There were 9,9,10 patients in the group 1∶1∶1, 1∶1.7∶1.2 and 1∶1.7∶2.3, respectively. All the patients were matched for sex, body mass index and age. Plasma were obtained before and 2, 4, 6 h after the fatty load. TGRL were subfractioned to Sf～400, Sf60～400, Sf 20～60 and Sf12～20 fractions by cumulative floatation in a density gradient from plasma. The whole plasma triacylglycerol (TG) and TGRL subfractions triacylglycerol were determined. Results The postprandial TG peak value of the total plasma TG and TG in four subfractions of TGRL as well as the total TG, Sf>400 TG and Sf 60～400 TG average concentration in all groups were significantly higher than fasting TG, respectively (p<0.05). The total plasma TG in group 1∶1∶1 peaked at 2～4 h after the fatty loads, in group 1∶1.7∶1.2 at 4 h but in group 1∶1.7∶2.3 at 4～6 h. Sf>400 TG peaked at 2～4 h after the fatty loads in both group 1∶1∶1 and group 1∶1.7∶1.2 but 2～6 h in group 1∶1.7∶2.3. Increment of total plasma TG at 2 h was significantly higher in group 1∶1.7∶1.2 than in group 1∶1.7∶2.3. (p<0.05), increment of postprandial average concentration of triacylglycerol in Sf12～20 TGRL was significantly lower in group 1∶1.7∶1.2 than in group 1∶1∶1 and group 1∶1.7∶2.3 (p<0.05). MUFA/PUFA was the important factor influencing the increment of the whole plasma triacylglycerol at 2 h after the fatty load. MUFA/SFA was the important factor influencing the increment of postprandial average concentration of the whole plasma triacylgleycerol. The whole plasma triacylglycerol was determined by Sf>400 triacylglycerol rich lipoproteins triacylglycerol. Conclusions The data showed that the fatty meals with different fatty acids composition ratios led to the different patterns of the whole plasma triacylglycerol and to that of TGRL triacylglycerol. An oral fatty load with a dietary fatty acid composition ratio of 1∶1.7∶1.2 could be used in postprandial lipemia and TGRL study.