Barley and wheat foods: influence on plasma cholesterol concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men

Article Abstract:

The relationship between high levels of cholesterol in the blood and an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) has been well established. In recent years, research has focused on the influence of diet on fat and cholesterol levels in the blood. Previous studies have shown that dietary fiber, specifically water-soluble fibers such as pectin and gums, can lower blood cholesterol levels. However, insoluble dietary fibers, such as cellulose and lignin, do not lower blood cholesterol. Oat and barley grains are almost 50 percent soluble fiber. Barley contains beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber, while wheat is mostly made of insoluble cellulose fiber. To investigate further the effect of dietary fiber on blood cholesterol levels, 21 men (aged 30 to 59) with mildly elevated blood cholesterol levels (hypercholesteremia) followed a four-week diet that included either barley or wheat. For the second four weeks of the study the two diet groups were switched; those on the barley diet changed to the wheat diet and vice versa. On the barley diet, total cholesterol levels decreased by 6 percent on average, and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased by 7 percent. The wheat diet did not lower blood cholesterol levels. Blood triglycerides and glucose were not altered by either diet. These findings indicate that barley can lower blood cholesterol levels in men with hypercholesteremia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Blood cholesterol, Hypercholesterolemia, Wheat, Barley, Fiber in human nutrition, Dietary fiber

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Effects of fish-oil ingestion on cardiovascular risk factors in hyperlipidemic subjects in Israel: a randomized, double-blind crossover study

Article Abstract:

Fish oil has been recognized as a dietary means for lowering serum triglyceride concentrations in people with hypertriglyceridemia (increased levels of triglycerides). Linoleic acid (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) does not have triglyceride-lowering properties. The effect of fish oil on triglyceride levels was studied in an Israeli population, which consumes a diet high in linoleic acid content. Twenty-seven hyperlipidemic subjects received an eight-week diet that included either 15 grams of fish oil per day, or a mixture of corn oil and olive oil as a control. Incorporation of fatty acids into serum, platelets (cells involved in clotting), and red blood cell lipids was observed in the fish oil group. In addition, researchers observed a 40 percent decrease in serum triglycerides, a 12 percent increase in high density lipoprotein (the beneficial form of cholesterol), and a decrease in plasma viscosity in the fish-oil group. These effects were not observed in the control group receiving corn and olive oils. It is concluded that fish oil is a beneficial treatment for lowering serum triglycerides, even in a population that consumes a diet high in linoleic acid. The observed decrease in plasma viscosity indicates that fish oil may also have a beneficial role in attenuating atherosclerosis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Hyperlipidemia, Fish oils

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