Ground chia seed and
chia oil effects
on plasma lipids and fatty
acids in the rat
Ricardo
Ayerza (h) and
Office of Arid Lands Studies
The
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Abstract There
is considerable evidence suggesting that regular consumption of T-3
fatty acids prevents cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and
thrombosis. Most studies, however, have been carried out with fish oils that
are rich in eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid fatty acids, but "–linolenic
fatty acid, which is a precursor of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid, has received little attention. The purpose of the present study was to
assess the effect chia seed, which is the highest known vegetative source of "–linolenic
fatty acid, has on plasma total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL),
low-density lipoprotein, triacylglycerol content, and fatty acid profile when
fed to rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum 3 diets containing equal energy levels derived from
corn oil (T1), chia seed (T2), or chia oil (T3) for 4 weeks. At the end of
the feeding period, 6 rats from each treatment were used for blood analyses.
Blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL, low-density lipoprotein,
triacylglycerol content, and fatty acid composition. Rats fed chia showed a
significant decrease in serum triacylglycerol content, 3 and 2.5 times lower
than the control forT2 and T3, respectively. There was a significant increase
in serum HDL cholesterol content, 21.8% and 51% for T2 and T3, respectively,
with the increase between chia diets being significant (P < 0.05). Total
cholesterol was significantly lower for the T2 diet compared with the T3
diet. Serum fatty acid composition showed a significantly higher a–linolenic
acid content and an improved ratio of T-6/T-3 fatty acids forT2 and T3 compared with T1.
In summary, the chia diets dramatically decreased triacylglycerol levels and
increased HDL cholesterol and T-3 fatty acid contents in rat serum. These
findings suggest that "-linolenic–rich chia oil may be an alternative
to T-3
sources for vegetarians and people allergic to fish and fish products. Nutrition Research,
25:995–1003 (2005). Keywords: Chia; Fatty acids; Linolenic; Rats; T-3;
Cholesterol (Back to
Chia in human and animal nutrition)
(Back to chia nutrition and
chemical composition) (Back to home page)
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