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Chocolate and chocolate-like products: Impact on copper and lipid status of humans and mice and consumption patterns of chocolate foods in the United States of America
Abstract
In study I, a 28-day study was conducted to investigate the effects of chocolate and chocolate-like products on copper status and serum lipid profiles in 15 healthy human adults. Each subject were fed four of the six test chocolate and chocolate-like products. These included milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, imitation white chocolate, imitation chocolate, and carob milk bar. The carob milk bar feeding resulted in a significant (p $<$ 0.05) lower fecal copper loss compared with the other test products. Serum copper levels were not affected by the feeding of test chocolate products. Serum total cholesterol levels were significantly (p $<$ 0.05) increased during the experimental period as compared to pre-study. Serum VLDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly (p $<$ 0.05) raised during experimental period as compared to pre-study. Serum LDL/HDL ratios were not affected by the feeding of chocolate and chocolate-like products. These results indicate that products which seem the same may have differing effects on blood serum lipid levels. In study II, 72 male, weanling, Swiss-White mice were used to determine the effects of hydrogenated vegetable oil and cocoa butter from high and low nitrate containing diets on copper status and liver fat contents of mice. Feeding of cocoa butter tended to result in lower fecal copper excretion and higher copper levels of whole blood and liver of mice as compared to those of hydrogenated vegetable oil. Therefore, cocoa butter might enhance copper absorption in comparison to hydrogenated vegetable oil. However, the feeding of high and low nitrate containing diet did not affect significantly (p $<$ 0.05) the copper status and liver fat contents of mice. In study III, the USDA Nationwide Food Consumption Survey 1987-1988 database was used to assess the intakes of dietary fat, cholesterol and copper and the consumption patterns of chocolate foods in the U.S. population. Fat intakes of adults declined with increasing age. The percentages of calories from fat for all age/gender groups were in the range of 35-38%. Cholesterol intakes of females and children were within the recommended level (300 mg/day). Dietary copper intakes of all individuals were below the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake level. Americans had the highest preference for chocolate cookies. The intakes of dietary fat, cholesterol and copper were positively associated with the consumption amount of chocolate foods.
Subject Area
Nutrition|Food science
Recommended Citation
Joo, Soon-Jae, "Chocolate and chocolate-like products: Impact on copper and lipid status of humans and mice and consumption patterns of chocolate foods in the United States of America" (1993). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9402394.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9402394