Barley and wheat foods: influence on plasma cholesterol concentrations in hypercholesterolemic men

The relationship between high levels of cholesterol in the blood and an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) has been well established. In recent years, research has focused on the influence of diet on fat and cholesterol levels in the blood. Previous studies have shown that dietary fiber, specifically water-soluble fibers such as pectin and gums, can lower blood cholesterol levels. However, insoluble dietary fibers, such as cellulose and lignin, do not lower blood cholesterol. Oat and barley grains are almost 50 percent soluble fiber. Barley contains beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber, while wheat is mostly made of insoluble cellulose fiber. To investigate further the effect of dietary fiber on blood cholesterol levels, 21 men (aged 30 to 59) with mildly elevated blood cholesterol levels (hypercholesteremia) followed a four-week diet that included either barley or wheat. For the second four weeks of the study the two diet groups were switched; those on the barley diet changed to the wheat diet and vice versa. On the barley diet, total cholesterol levels decreased by 6 percent on average, and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased by 7 percent. The wheat diet did not lower blood cholesterol levels. Blood triglycerides and glucose were not altered by either diet. These findings indicate that barley can lower blood cholesterol levels in men with hypercholesteremia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)