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Eating Flaxseed chutney can control cholesterol |
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The Kuvempu University`s Nutraceuticals Research Group has found out the hypocholesterolemic and hepatoprotective effects of flaxseed.
The Davangere based University researchers from the Department of Studies and Research in Biochemistry and Food Technology have worked on the flaxseed chutney to establish its cholesterol reducing properties.
The evidence from animal studies revealed that administration of 15% flaxseed chutney to hypercholesterolemic rats` diet prevented progression of hypercholesterolemia and produced significant reductions in serum total-cholesterol (13.76%), LDL-cholesterol (44.0%) and liver homogenate total-cholesterol (18.02%) without changing HDL-cholesterol levels.
The researchers bought Flaxseed or Linum usitatissimum, brown variety, from the local market of Davangere, Karnataka, and the traditional method was followed to prepare Flaxseed chutney. The major nutritional components of flaxseed include oil, viscous lignan rich fibres (mucilage), protein and minerals, which were analysed by the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS). Flaxseed is the richest source of a linolenic acid, soluble and insoluble fibre and mammalian lignan precursor called secoisolariciresinol diglucoside.
Flaxseed chutney could be stored for months as a food reserve and valued as a source of nutritional compounds, energy and food ingredients on long journeys, stated Dr Basavaraj Madhusudhan, Professor and Coordinator, Nutraceuticals Research Group, Dept of Studies and Research in Biochemistry and Food Technology, Kuvempu University.
Flaxseed chutney supplemented diet of 15 percent was found to be more effective in restoring lipid profile changes in rats fed with cholesterol. The activities of serum marker enzymes glutamateoxaloacetate transminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were elevated significantly in carbon tetrachloride induced rats.
Use of flaxseed chutney resulted in depletion of serum marker enzymes and exhibited recoupment thus showing significant hepatoprotective effect. It was observed that flaxseed chutney supplemented diet could lower the serum cholesterol and as a potential source of antioxidants it could exert protection against hepatotoxic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. However, studies on either clinical or nutritional properties of flaxseed chutney have not been undertaken which deserves special attention.
(Posted on : 30/04/2009)
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| Eating Flaxseed chutney can control cholesterol |
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