Effect of guar gum on the serum lipid profile of Sprague Dawley rats

The aim of the study was to probe the hypocholesterolemic effect of legumes dietary fiber through '' chapaties '' a staple diet of the South Asia. Commercial wheat flour (atta) was blended with legumes i.e. lentil, chickpea and guar gum in various combinations to make composite flour for the preparation of chapaties. Maximum dietary fiber (8.85%) was observed in composite flour with 3g/100g guar gum, which also gave whiter look and puffiness to the end product. Highest percent increase in dietary fiber (35.3%) was in flour with 3g/100 g guar gum followed by guar gum 2g/100 g (24. 1%). The diets prepared from three best selected compositions along with control, were fed to male Sprague Dawley rats for 8 weeks. Lowest serum cholesterol (82.46 mg/dl) was observed in rats fed on guar gum 3g/1 00 g which showed a significant reduction (17.2%) as compared to control. Similarly, in case of LDL and triglycerides, guar gum 3 g/100 g showed highest decline i.e., 29.7% and 28.4% with reference to control, respectively. The present investigation suggests that five chapaties per day prepared from selected compositions provides an extra 5-8 g of dietary fiber that is helpful in lowering cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic individuals. (C) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology.