EFFECTS OF COCOA BUTTER ON SERUM-LIPIDS IN HUMANS - HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

It has been known for some time that cocoa butter, although rich in sa turated fatty acids, does not raise total serum cholesterol concentrat ions as much as expected from its total saturated fatty acid content. Whether the effect of cocoa butter feeding on low-density-lipoprotein- (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations was also less than predicted by its total saturated fatty acid content needed to be tested. In a recent ex periment cocoa butter did not raise LDL cholesterol as much as predict ed by its total saturated fatty acid content. However, because of its significant palmitic acid content, cocoa butter did raise LDL-choleste rol concentrations more than do most liquid vegetable oils.