Influences of Olive Oil and Ghee (samen balady) on Serum Cholesterol of Jordanians

Abstract

The effects of olive oil (OO) and ghee types (semen balady) on the serum lipid profile were studied in healthy volunteers (11 males, aged 36-44 year; 13 females aged 27-35 year). The 24 subjects ate their habitual diet with OO or ghee of cow milk fat (CMF), ghee of goat milk fat (GMF) or ghee of sheep milk fat (SMF) for 4 wk with 4 wk interval between the four diets. Compared with initial values, OO diet significantly (P<0.05) reduced concentrations of serum total cholesterol (TC, -3.42%) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c, -4.31%). OO caused slight reduction in concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c, -2.86%), and ratios of TC/HDL-c and LDL-c/HDL-c. Whereas ghee types significantly (P<0.05) increased these parameters and the SMF resulted in the highest rise of TC (+11.93%) and LDL-c (+16.16%). The highest rise in concentration of HDL-c (+8.81%) was shown with GMF. Ghee types slightly increased the ratios of TC/HDL-c and LDL-c/HDL-c compared with the initial values. SMF resulted in the highest rise of TC/HDL-c (+0.26) and LDL-c/HDL-c (+0.31) Serum triglycerides level increased (+3.38 %) after OO diet, whereas reduced (about -2.15%) after periods of ghee types. In general, the responses in serum lipids were greater in males than in females in all the four diets.