Diet-Type (Fats Constant) and Blood Lipids in Man

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Abstract
Controlled experiments were carried out on men with diets differing in the proportions of carbohydrate calories supplied from various food sources. Diets IL and AL provided 13% of calories from protein and 16% from fats and were identical except for 17% of total calories from sucrose and milk carbohydrate in diet AL exchanged for equal calories in carbohydrates in fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes and for the small accompanying exchange of proteins involving 4% of calories. Seven men subsisted on diet AL, then changed to diet IL for 6 weeks each, while 7 matched men made the reverse change. Similarly, two matched groups of 7 men each subsisted in crossover experiments on diets IM and AM which corresponded to diets IL and AL except that total fats provided 31% of calories. Serum cholesterol averages were 16 mg per 100 ml lower on the IL than on the AL diet and 19 mg per 100 ml lower on the IM than on the AM diet and these differences were statistically highly significant. Gas chromatograph analysis of the extracted mixed fats from the diets as fed indicated equality of IL versus AL and of IM versus AM diet in poly-unsaturated fats but the IL and IM diets provided slightly higher amounts of saturated fats than in comparison with the AL and AM diets. These fat differences would, of themselves, produce slight serum cholesterol differences (about 3 mg per 100 ml) in the direction opposite to that observed. It is concluded that sucrose and milk sugar tend to produce higher serum cholesterol values than equal calories of carbohydrates contained in fruits, leafy vegetables and legumes.