Hypocholesterolemic effect of dietary chicken protein Vs casein rats fed low fat diets

ABSTRACT

Four groups of rats were fed for 7 weeks on one of four diets containing casein or chicken meat at two level of protein 10% or 20%. Results showed that increasing chicken protein level caused a decrease in serum total cholesterol and triacylglycerol, also the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol was increased. Significant negative correlations were found between protein intake and serum total cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. As compared to casein, 20% chicken protein diet induced significantly lower concentration of serum total cholesterol. Also chicken diets at both levels of protein induced significantly lower concentrations of LDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol Ratios of HDL-cholesterol to LDL-cholesterol were 57% [sig.] and 37% higher for rats fed chicken diets than those fed casein diets. Like serum cholesterol, liver and heart cholesterol was decreased by increasing dietary chicken protein. Also liver and heart total cholesterol were significantly lower for rats fed 20% chicken protein than casein group