Cranberry pomace partially ameliorates metabolic factors associated with high fructose feeding in growing Sprague–Dawley rats

The effect of feeding cranberry pomace (CBP) on selected metabolic parameters associated with high fructose feeding (58% by weight) was investigated in growing Sprague–Dawley rats. Compared to a positive control (modified AIN93 diet), high fructose feeding increased fasting plasma insulin, cholesterol, and triacylglycerols (TAG), post-prandial plasma TAG as well as homeostatic assessment models of insulin resistance and β-cell function, but not weight gain, diet intake and efficiency, abdominal fat, oral glucose tolerance, and fasting and post-prandial plasma glucose and cholesterol levels. Inclusion of CBP was effective in minimizing or ameliorating some of the metabolic anomalies, such as increased fasting plasma insulin, cholesterol, and TAG level as well as decreasing insulin resistance, especially when extruded CBP was fed at 3% of the diet. Feeding HF diets was only partially effective in augmenting some of the metabolic factors associated with high fructose feeding, including triacylglycerolemia and insulin resistance, but not weight gain or abdominal obesity. Overall, CBP was effective in minimizing or ameliorating the metabolic anomalies observed in the current study, more so with 3% extruded CBP.