Weight Reducing Potential of Dietary Tender Cluster Beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) in High-fat Fed Rats.

Soluble dietary fibre-rich tender cluster beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) were
explored for its potential in weight management in rats maintained on high-fat diet
(HFD). The impact of three dietary levels of cluster beans was examined in terms of
body weight gain, absorption and elimination of dietary fat, accumulation offat in
adipose and influence on lipogenic and lipolytic enzymes. The results indicated the
potential of dietary cluster beans as useful in weight management by lowering fat
absorption, enhanced lipolysis through increased activity of hormone sensitive lipase
causing decreased adipose weight and increased mobilization of accumulated fat. All
these contributed to a reduction in weight gain in animals maintained on HFD by
inclusion of tender cluster beans in the diet. A dietary dose of 15 per cent cluster
bean powder produced the maximum effect with respect to body weight management,
and further increase in the dietary dose did not bring any significantly higher benefit.