Lipidemic response in rats fed flaxseed or sunflower oils.
Lipidemic response in rats fed flaxseed or sunflower oils.
Year: 1992
Authors: G S Ranhotra, J A Gelroth, B K Glaser.
Publication Name: Cereal Chem.
Publication Details: Volume 69; Number 6; Page 623.
Abstract:
Flaxseed and sunflower,and blends of the two oils were evaluated in this study for hypolipidemic effects as compared to a hard fat. A level of 14.8% fat was chosen to represent approximately 30% of energy in a human diet. The fatty acid composition of the flaxseed was 9% SFA, 20% MUFA, 16% LA and 55% ALA. The sunflower consisted of 11% SFA, 20% MUFA, 68% LA and 1% ALA. The hard fat contained 98% SFA and 2% MUFA. The blends consisted of 25, 50 and 75% replacement of flaxseed with sunflower to result in different ratios of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids. Hypercholesterolemic rats (10 per group) were used as the test model. Serum TC levels were highly elevated throughout the six week study period in rats fed hard fat. In comparison, in rats fed the flaxseed or sunflower diets, TC levels averaged 18-26% (week 2), 19-28% (week 4), and 21-40% (week 6) of the levels noted in the rats fed hard fat. Within these ranges, flaxseed produced a more significant serum TC lowering effect than did sunflower. All oil based diets also produced lower serum TG levels than did the diet formulated with hard fat. Liver TC levels from flaxseed and sunflower diets were significantly lower than levels observed in rats fed the hard fat diet. However, fatty infiltration of the liver was lower only following diets that contained significant levels of sunflower. The authors concluded that a diet with a proper balance between n-3 and n-6 fatty acids may be more desirable than a diet skewed heavily toward n-6 fatty acids for cholesterol lowering.
