Effect of type and level of dietary fibre supplements in rats

Both experimental and clinical studies have indicated that a novel source of dietary fibres is potentially hypolipidemic. In the present study, turnip, sugar beet, cabbage and fenugreek green leaves were used as natural new sources of dietary fibres, to examine their effects on nutritional parameters and lipid metabolism in rats fed for 8 weeks comparing with a control diet (fibre-free control). Chemical analyses of the 4 plants revealed that there are differences between the ratios of soluble and insoluble non - starch polysaccharides (NSP) and their monomers constituents. Higher levels of uronic acid were present in soluble fibre (NSP) in all fibre sources than that of insoluble one. Generally, highly significant decrease in the weight gain and food intake of the rats fed the 4 experimental diets after 8 weeks feeding comparing with those fed control diet. Rats fed turnip diet exhibited a highly significant decrease in all the nutritional parameters through the feeding period. Rats fed a diet supplemented with sugar beet fibre, have a highly significant decrease in the value of weight gain, food intake and Dapp over the feeding period. Sugar beet, cabbage and fenugreek green fibre-containing diets had lowering effect on serum total lipid, total cholesterol, LDL-C (except sugar beet) and triglycerides levels than that of control diet fed rats. Supplemented the diet with turnip fibre had only lowering effect on serum triglycerides over the feeding period. Hepatic total lipid and total cholesterol levels were significantly lower when rats fed cabbage and fenugreek green fiber-containing diets. Highly significant decrease in the level of triglycerides was achieved in the liver of rats fed turnip fibre supplemented diet comparing with the experimental period (8 weeks).