Effects of the physico-chemical properties of three legume fibers on cholesterol absorption in hamsters

The effects of the insoluble dietary fibers (IDFs) prepared from Phaseolus angularis, Phaseolus calcaratus, and Dolichos lablab seeds relative to cellulose as control on cholesterol absorption in hamsters were studied. Test diets which contained 5% of cellulose and the three legume IDFs as the sole source of dietary fiber were fed to male Golden Syrian hamsters for 30 days. Compared to the control diet, all three legume IDF diets significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the levels of serum LDL cholesterol as well as liver cholesterol, but only P. calcaratus IDF diet significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the serum total cholesterol. Moreover, D. lablab IDF diet diet led to a significantly (P < 0.05) higher level of HDL cholesterol relative to the control. In this study, all three legume IDF diets were found to give a significantly (P < 0.05) higher values of HDL total cholesterol ratios. Linear correlations were observed between the HDL total cholesterol ratio and the bulk density, water-holding capacity (WHC), and cation-exchange capacity of the legume IDFs (r = -0.99, 1.00, and 0.95, respectively, P < 0.05). The cholesterol-lowering effects of the three legume IDFs relative to cellulose might partially be due to their indirect influences on lowering the intestinal absorption of cholesterol caused by the above physico-chemical properties. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.