EFFECTS OF A MILK CHOCOLATE BAR PER DAY SUBSTITUTED FOR A HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE SNACK IN YOUNG MEN ON AN NCEP AHA STEP-1 DIET/

This study compares the plasma cholesterol response with the isoenerge tic substitution of a milk chocolate bar (46 g) given daily for a high -carbohydrate snack in healthy young men on a Step 1 Diet. Normocholes terolemic men (n = 42) were fed a Step 1 Diet for 21 d (run-in diet) f ollowed by a 27-d experimental period during which they consumed the s ame diet plus either a milk chocolate bar or a high-carbohydrate snack ; after this they consumed the run-in diet for 21 d followed by the ot her snack for 27 d. When subjects consumed a milk chocolate bar instea d of the high-carbohydrate snack, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) chole sterol was 0.08 +/- 0.03 mmol/L higher (P < 0.01) and plasma triglycer ides were 0.06 +/- 0.03 mmol/L lower (P < 0.05). Substitution of a mil k chocolate bar for a high-carbohydrate snack did not adversely affect the low-density-lipoprotein-(LDL) cholesterol response to a Step 1 Di et despite an increase in total fat and saturated fatty acid content o f the diet. This response may be due to stearic acid.