Effect of Carbohydrate Source on Serum and Hepatic Cholesterol Levels in the Cholesterol-Fed Rat

Abstract

Summary

The comparative effect of sucrose and complex carbohydrates in the form of corn starch and four different modified food starches was studied in the cholesterol-fed rat. Two separate experiments were conducted, one in which the starch was fed in the cooked form, the second in which the starch was fed raw. Sucrose-fed rats had significantly lower serum and hepatic cholesterol levels (p<0.01) and total hepatic lipid than any of the animals fed modified food starches. This finding held true regardless of whether the starch was cooked or raw; however, cholesterol and lipid levels were markedly higher when raw starch was fed. Feeding unmodified corn starch resulted in serum and hepatic cholesterol levels which were significantly lower than those observed with modified food starch, but not significantly higher than the sucrose-fed controls with the exception of hepatic cholesterol which was significantly elevated when raw corn starch was fed.