The Influence of the Protein Content of the Diet upon Fat Digestibility

Abstract

Comparisons of fat digestibilities in rats receiving diets containing approximately 14 or 30% protein have shown that the lower protein intake is associated with a lower fat digestibility. A well absorbed fat such as lard is influenced only slightly while more poorly digestible fats such as lard containing hydrogenated fat and butterfat are more seriously affected. The differences in digestibility that are brought about by varying the protein intake emphasize the importance of standardizing the basal diet for all measurements of fat digestibility.