A Preliminary Comparative Study on the Effects of Honey and Some Refined Carbohydrates on Rats

Abstract

The effects produced by diets containing refined sugars; sucrose, glucose and fructose albino rues were investigated in comparison to a honey-containing diet The feeding regimen was' started with weanlings, ana was continued to the eleventh week The refined sugars were found to elevate the levels of blood glucose, cholesterol and total sewn lipids. Rats on the sucrose diet had the highest mean blood glucose of 6.77 ± 0.13 nunolflitre which was statistically different (student's t-test at p<0. 05) _from all the other diets. On the other hand, the honey diet gave a blood glucose level of 5.89+0.35, and this was significantly lower than those of the refined sugars. It was the sucrose that gave the highest mean serum cholesterol and total lipids of 140.11±3: 42 and 230. 12±.2. 67 mg/d1 respectively Honey on the other hand did not cause much elevation. Results of this work thus portray the advantage honey may have as a sweetener as compared to the refined sugars.