Effects of Whole Wheat Flour and Mill-Fractions on Lipid Metabolism in Rats

Abstract

SummaryEffects on lipid metabolism in rats were studied of (1) commercially available whole wheat flour (WW) and (2) hard-red winter (HRW) whole wheat and mill-fractions in cholesterol-free diets. For similar food intake, dietary WW as compared with white flour (WF) increased bile acid excretion, fecal dry weight, pellet number and size. The activities of hepatic dehydrogenases in the hexose-monophosphate shunt pathway were significantly higher in WW-fed than in WF-fed rats, and malic enzyme activity showed a similar trend. These higher enzyme activities are associated with a trend of higher levels of cholesterol in serum and liver and bigger size of abdominal fat pads. The effects on lipid metabolism varied among fractions of HRW whole wheat and mill-fractions. Cholesterol contents of both serum and liver were higher in rats fed whole wheat and low-grade flour diets than those fed shorts-germ and patent diets. Rats fed bran diet, however, had low serum cholesterol content. The levels of serum and liver t...