Serum and liver lipids of rats fed cocoa butter, corn oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil and cholesterol.

Abstract Male Wistar rats were fed semipurified diets containing 10% fat and 0.4% cholesterol for three weeks. The fats were cocoa butter, corn oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil. Rats fed corn oil gained more weight than those fed the other fats. Serum cholesterol levels of rats fed cocoa butter or corn oil were similar and significantly lower than those of rats fed palm kernel or coconut oils whose cholesterol levels were also similar. Rats fed cocoa butter had lower liver cholesterol (39–52%) and triglyceride (28–67%) levels than rats fed the other fats. Serum and liver fatty acid spectra resembled those of the dietary fats except for the high levels of arachidonic acid in livers of rats fed cocoa butter. Despite its low iodine value cocoa butter does not exhibit hyperlipidemic properties.