Hypocholesterolemic/hypolipidemic effects of fibre from leafy vegetables (spinach and mustard)

Dietary fibre (DF) prepared from leaves (without stalk) of spinach I and mustard had 88.4 and 86.4% of neutral detergent fibre (NDF). The acid detergent fibre (ADF) value of spinach and mustard was 24.2 and 33.1%. Cellulose contents of the spinach and mustard fibre were 20.6 and 29.4%, respectively The hypocholesterolemic/hypolipidemic effect of these DF has been studied in albino rats. Inclusion of DF from these sources did not affect food intake, gain in body weight or organ weight indices and appeared to be antiatherogenic as is evidenced by increased HDLc/Tc and HDLc/LDLc ratios. The hypocholesterolemic action of these fibres could not be attributed, solely to the bile acid excretion or cholesterol catabolism., No direct correlation between hypocholesterolemic action of fibre and their physiochemical properties like bile acid adsorption or water holding capacity could be deduced.