Gochujang prepared using rice and wheat koji partially alleviates high‐fat diet‐induced obesity in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare whether gochujang products prepared using giant embryo rice koji (rice gochujang, RG) and wheat koji (wheat gochujang, WG) have anti‐obesity effects on rats fed a high‐fat diet (HFD), who served as a model for obesity. The nutritional composition of RG and WG including proximate constituents, amino acid and fatty acid compositions were investigated. Consequently, the secondary fermented metabolites were analyzed in RG and WG by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Rats were fed a HFD containing 10% RG powder (HFD‐RG) or 10% WG powder (HFD‐WG) for 8 weeks. Body weight gain, weights of liver, epididymal, retroperitoneal, perirenal, and total white fat pads, and levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and leptin were lower in all gochujang groups than in the HFD group. Furthermore, RG and WG treatment decreased the hepatic TG content and lipid accumulation and significantly reduced the size of epididymal adipocytes. These effects are probably mediated through inhibition of hepatic fatty acid synthase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, malic enzyme, and adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activities. The anti‐obesity effect was slightly greater in the HFD‐RG group than in the HFD‐WG group. This effect may be attributed to secondary metabolites, such as capsaicin, genistein, daidzein, soyasaponin, and lysophosphatidylcholines, contained in gochujang prepared using giant embryo rice or wheat koji.

Effects of Miao sour soup on hyperlipidemia in high‐fat diet‐induced obese rats via the AMPK signaling pathway

“…Capsaicin has been reported to inhibit lipid accumulation in fat cells and experimental animals as well as reduce white fat pad mass; thus, capsaicin has anti‐obesity effects (Hwang et al., 2005 ). Son et al reported that the fermented food gochujang, which contains many bioactive compounds such as capsaicin and soybean fermentation products, decreases the body weight gain and weights of the liver and white fat pads in HFD‐fed rats (Son et al., 2020 ). Andrea et al showed that capsaicin improves blood lipid levels and reduces hepatic fat accumulation in Western diet‐fed rats (Andrea et al., 2018 ).…”

Supplementing daidzein in diets improves the reproductive performance, endocrine hormones and antioxidant capacity of multiparous sows

“…Based on this result, it can be speculated that daidzein may help ameliorate TG level. This ameliorating effect has been reported to be related to the suppression of hepatic lipogenic-related enzyme activity to a certain extent ( Son et al., 2020 ). However, studies on bull calves and rats showed that daidzein had no obvious effect on serum TG concentration, perhaps due to the animal species, dose and physiological status of the animals.…”

Chemical Compositions before and after Lactic Acid Fermentation of Isoflavone-Enriched Soybean Leaves and Their Anti-Obesity and Gut Microbiota Distribution Effects

“…However, the anti-obesity effects of fermented SLs and fermented IESLs have not been reported till now; this is the first study to compare and evaluate the anti-obesity effects of UFIESLs and FIESLs. Fermented foods, such as mulberry leaves [ 38 ], Gochujang [ 39 ], barley [ 40 ], celery [ 41 ], and fruits [ 42 ], with diverse microorganism strains [ 43 ], typically have stronger anti-obesity effects due to their production of organic acids, free amino acids, phenolic compounds, and isoflavones (daidzein and genistein) during fermentation [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. Particularly, phenolic compounds in fermented plants are considerably correlated with anti-obesity effects [ 43 ].…”