Effect of dietary ghee—the anhydrous milk fat, on blood and liver lipids in rats

Vijaya Kumar, Matam and Sambaiah, Kari and Lokesh, B. R. (1999) Effect of dietary ghee—the anhydrous milk fat, on blood and liver lipids in rats. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 10. pp. 96-104.

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Abstract

Dairy products are important sources of dietary fat in India. Anhydrous milk fat, viz., ghee, is consumed as such in the diet and also is used for frying the dishes. Ghee contains high levels of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol,which are considered risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, ghee, at levels ranging from 0.25 to 10%, was included in a nutritionally balanced AIN-76 diet fed to Wistar rats for a period of 8 weeks. The serum lipid profiles of these animals showed a dose dependent decrease in total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins and very low density lipoproteins cholesterol, and triglyceride levels when ghee was present at levels greater than 2.5% in the diet. Liver cholesterol and triglycerides also were decreased in these animals. When ghee was included as a sole source of fat at a 10% level, polyunsaturated fatty acids in the serum and liver lipids were reduced significantly. Similar results were observed when ghee was subjected to a higher temperature (120°C) to generate cholesterol oxidation products and fed to the animals. Although cholesterol oxidation products were not accumulated in serum, significant amounts were accumulated in liver only when ghee was fed as a sole source of fat at a 10% level. This study revealed that the consumption of ghee up to a 10% level in the diet altered blood lipid profiles in such a manner as not to elevate the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	ghee; saturated fatty acids; cholesterol oxidation products (COPS); blood lipids; liver lipids; essential fatty acids
Subjects:	600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 11 Food Biochemistry 600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 27 Dairy products 600 Technology > 01 Medical sciences > 09 Human Physiology
Divisions:	Dept. of Biochemistry
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	22 Jun 2007 04:07
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 09:28
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/1223

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