Digestibility of cocoa butter and corn oil in human subjects: a preliminary study

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 983 - 986
• Main Authors: Mitchell, D C, McMahon, K E, Shively, C A, Apgar, J L, Kris-Etherton, P M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.11.1989; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: ABSORCION DIGESTIVA; ABSORPTION DIGESTIVE; ACEITES VEGETALES; ACIDE GRAS; ACIDOS GRASOS; administration & dosage; Adult; analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; blood; CACAO; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol - metabolism; cocoa products; corn oil; Corn Oil - administration & dosage; Corn Oil - metabolism; Dietary Fats; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Dietary Fats - metabolism; DIGESTIBILIDAD; DIGESTIBILITE; digestibility; EXCRECION; EXCRETION; fatty acids; FECES; Feces - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HECES; HOMBRES; HOMME; HUILE VEGETALE; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Intestine. Mesentery; Lipids; Lipids - analysis; Male; men; metabolism; Plant Oils; Plant Oils - metabolism; Specimen Handling; Vertebrates: digestive system; ZEA MAYS; Human; Cocoa butter; Excretion; Corn oil; Saturated fatty acid; Lipids; Metabolism; Comparative study; Digestibility
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/50.5.983

The comparative absorption of cocoa butter (25.5% C16:0, 34.4% C18:0, 34.4% C18:1, 3.4% C18:2) and corn oil (11.4% C16:0, 2.0% C18:0, 26.4% C18:1, 60.0% C18:2) was assessed in six healthy male subjects. During 3-d experimental diet periods, free-living subjects consumed either cocoa butter or corn oil as virtually the sole source of dietary fat, provided at 40% of the total energy intake in the form of specially formulated cookies. Fat absorption was determined by quantifying total fecal lipid excretion over the 3-d period. Total fecal lipid and fecal fatty acids were determined. The percentage of fat excreted was significantly higher (p less than or equal to 0.001) when subjects consumed the cocoa butter (10.8 +/- 3.2%) vs the corn oil (3.5 +/- 1.0%) diet. These results indicate that the digestibility of cocoa butter is significantly less than corn oil and may explain, in part, previous reports of a neutral effect of dietary cocoa butter on plasma cholesterol concentrations.