The protective effect of processed cheese against hyperlipidemia in rats

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of intake of processed cheeses containing different types of fats on plasma lipid profile and lipid peroxidation using hypercholesterolemic rats as an experimental model. This study included three types of processed cheeses: the first two contained vegetable oils and the third contained milk fat only. Five groups of rats (8 animals each) were fed balanced diet (normal), hypercholesterolemic diet (control), and hypercholesterolemic diet containing one of the tested processed cheeses, respectively, for 8 weeks. The body weight and the food intake were recorded and the gain in body weight and food efficiency ratio were also calculated. Blood analysis was carried out at the end of the experiment for total lipids and cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, and plasma malondialdehyde. Feeding the different processed cheeses with hypercholesterolemic diet showed variable reductions in the plasma lipids, except for HDL, which was increased as compared to control. The highest and significant reduction was observed in the group that received processed cheese containing milk fat only. Also, this group showed significant reduction in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that consumption of processed cheeses may improve the markers of cardiovascular diseases, particularly processed cheeses containing milk fat only. Further studies on human subjects are needed to verify the present results and to elucidate the possible mechanisms behind the differential effects on serum cholesterol of cheeses containing different types of fats.