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'Smart' Fibre Flushes Cholesterol, Study Finds
March 28, 2007
Tailor-made dietary fibre may be able to flush artery-clogging cholesterol from the body and lower the risk of heart disease, according to a new study by University of Guelph researchers.
The study found that a fibre-rich plant extract from a legume grown in India can reduce cholesterol in pigs. The results were published in the March issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
Although the study relied on animal models, the researchers say the result would most likely be the same in people and they hope further studies by human nutritionists will provide confirmation.
They also want to find ways to make homegrown 'smart' fibre that will improve consumers’ heart health and benefit Ontario’s agri-food industry at the same time.
"I think our research will improve quality of life for sure,” said Prof. Ming Fan of the Department of Animal and Poultry Science, one of the lead researchers. "We want to see how nutrition can prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, and how nutrition and diet as a preventive strategy improves heart health.”
