Dietary Fat and Cholesterol Metabolism

Abstract

Data are reported on lipid and cholesterol in liver and serum of rats fed, respectively, 5, 10, and 15% of coconut oil and of cottonseed oil slightly hardened by the addition of some of the completely hydrogenated fat, each with and without 1% cholesterol. When cholesterol was fed the linoleic acid-rich cottonseed oil led to more storage of liver cholesterol ester than did coconut oil. Ten per cent dietary coconut oil showed some tendency to produce higher serum cholesterol levels than did the same percentage of cottonseed oil. The data are discussed in relation to the specific effect of linoleic acid on mobility of cholesterol, and its preferential use in the formation and storage of cholesterol esters.