COMPARATIVE CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING EFFECTS OF BARLEY β-GLUCAN AND BARLEY OIL IN GOLDEN SYRIAN HAMSTERS

The cholesterol-lowering effect of barley and more specifically the contribution of barley fiber and barley oil to cholesterol-lowering was studied in hamsters. This was achieved by comparing a semi-purified diet containing cellulose and peanut oil (control) to a whole barley diet and barley diets from which barley fiber, barley oil, or barley oil and barley fiber were removed. The barley fiber was removed enzymatically and the oil was extracted with hexane. The cholesterol-lowering effect of the barley oil was also tested by adding it in place of peanut oil to the control semi-purified diet. Plasma triglycerides and HDL cholesterol levels were not influenced by dietary treatments. Total plasma cholesterol was lower (P Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.