Effect of Feeding Different Fat Mixtures Providing the Same Amount of Linoleic Acid, on Serum Cholesterol Levels in Monkeys and Liver Cholesterol Concentration in Cholesterol-Fed Rats

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Abstract
The effect of feeding butterfat, coconut oil and hydrogenated groundnut fat admixed with cottonseed oil providing equal amounts of linoleic acid (7.5%) on serum cholesterol levels of monkeys and liver cholesterol concentration of cholesterol-fed rats was studied. The butterfat blend elevated serum cholesterol of monkeys considerably, coconut oil blend elevated to a less extent, whereas the blend with hydrogenated groundnut fat did not cause appreciable change from the basal value obtained with a low-fat diet period. The total lipid content of the liver of cholesterol-fed rats was greater on butterfat and coconut oil diets than on the hydrogenated fat diet. There was a significantly greater concentration of cholesterol in liver of rats receiving the butterfat diet than on the hydrogenated fat diet despite identical linoleic acid contents in the fat blends. It is shown that besides the presence of medium-chain fatty acids in butterfat and coconut oil, the presence of cholesterol in butter could have also contributed to the higher serum cholesterol levels obtained on the butterfat diet in monkeys. The effect of feeding hydrogenated groundnut fat blended to contain the same level of linoleic acid with three different unsaturated fats, on serum cholesterol levels in monkeys was also studied. Groundnut oil and cottonseed oil when admixed with hydrogenated groundnut fat so as to provide identical levels of linoleic acid, had a greater depressant effect on serum cholesterol than the admixture of safflowerseed oil.