Effect of Quinoa Seeds (Chenopodium quinoa) in Diet on some Biochemical Parameters and Essential Elements in Blood of High Fructose-Fed Rats

Abstract

The effect of Chenopodium quinoa seeds on lipid profile, glucose level, protein metabolism and selected essential elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) level was determined in high—fructose fed male Wistar rats. Fructose decreased significantly LDL [42%, p < 0.01] and activity of alkaline phosphatase [20%, p < 0.05], and increased triglycerides level [86%, p < 0.01]. The analysis of blood of rats fed quinoa indicated, that these seeds effectively reduced serum total cholesterol [26%, p < 0.05], LDL [57%, p < 0.008] and triglycerides [11%, p < 0.05] when compared to the control group. Quinoa seeds also significantly reduced the level of glucose [10%, p < 0.01] and plasma total protein level [16%, p < 0.001]. Fructose significantly decreased HDL [15%, p < 0.05] level in control group but when the quinoa seeds were added into the diet the decrease of HDL level was inhibited. Quinoa seeds did not prevent any adverse effect of increasing triglyceride level caused by fructose. It was shown in this study that quinoa seeds can reduce most of the adverse effects exerted by fructose on lipid profile and glucose level.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), from Nutritional Value to Potential Health Benefits: An Integrative Review

“…The group fed with quinoa showed significantly reduced serum total cholesterol (26%), LDL (57%), TG (11%) and glucose (10%). Fructose significantly decreased HDL (15%) levels in the control group, but when quinoa seeds were added to the diet, the decrease in HDL levels was inhibited [66]. The same research group analyzed fructose administration effects in the same animal groups, and they reported an increase in oxidative stress (high malondialdehyde) in the control group with 31% of its dieting consisting of fructose.…”

Distribution of phenolic antioxidants in whole and milled fractions of quinoa and their inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities

“…Quinoa grains contain various phenolics such as quercetin, kaempferol and rutin and their derivatives, vanillic acid, ferulic acid and ferulic acid-4-glucoside (Gomez-Caravaca, Lafelice, Verardo, Marconi, & Caboni, 2014;Gomez-Caravaca, SeguraCarretero, Fernandez-Gutierrez, & Caboni, 2011;Hirose et al, 2010;Tang et al, 2015). In addition, whole grain quinoa in diet was shown to reduce most of the adverse effects exerted by high fructose on lipid profile and glucose levels in rats (Paśko, Zagrodzi, Bartoń , Chlopicka, & Gorinstein, 2010). Furthermore, consumption of quinoa instead of typical products with or without gluten significantly reduced blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels in normal as well as celiac patients (Berti, Riso, Monti, & Porrini, 2004).…”

Physiological Effects Associated with Quinoa Consumption and Implications for Research Involving Humans: a Review

“…Furthermore, the low internal validity scores were generally Physiological outcomes that were comparatively assessed between animals consuming quinoa and a control diet included weight gain and metabolic outcomes (16 studies), lipid profiles (6 studies) and antioxidant effects (2 studies). Several studies examined a combination of these outcomes, thus explaining the discrepancy between the number of studies included in the review (18) and the number of studies showing physiological outcomes (24).…”

“…None of the included studies were able to demonstrate that quinoa had a significant impact on HDL, while only one study showed that a diet containing quinoa was able to significantly lower LDL levels [24]. Interestingly, this study also had the highest dose of quinoa and was performed over the longest time period.…”

“…Additionally, the cholesterol lowering properties of quinoa were sustained when hypercholesterolemia [27] and oxidative stress [24] were induced through the addition of cholesterol and fructose to the diet respectively. Collectively, this suggests that quinoa may play an active role in the metabolism of cholesterol.…”