The Effect of Starch, Sucrose, Glucose and Fructose on Lipid Metabolism in Rats

Abstract

This study records slower weight gain, greater body and liver fat, higher serum triglycerides and free fatty acids in rats fed a high sucrose diet or a mixture of an equivalent amount of glucose and fructose given as monosaccharides, in comparison to rats on high starch diets. There was no significant difference, however, between rats fed the sucrose-rich diet compared to the glucose/fructose diet. There seems to be good evidence that there is no specific effect of sucrose on lipid metabolism. Rather hypertriglyceridemia is due to the fructose and increased lipogenesis due to the glucose moietyof the sucrose molecule.