Amaranth Grain Brings Health Benefits to Young Normolipidemic Rats

This paper reports the impact of an extruded amaranth (Amaranthus spp) supplement on intestinal bile and fatty acids of normolipidemic rats. Forty-eight rats were fed either a control diet AIN 93-G (12 or 18% protein), or one of two levels of supplemental extruded amaranth flour for 48 days. Plasma glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, their fractions, and triacylglycerols, liver weight and lipid content, cecum short-chain fatty acids and fecal excretion of bile acids were determined. While no significant differences in the levels of plasma triacylglycerols, glucose or insulin, and liver parameters due to the diet were detected. Although amaranth promotes reduction of both total and LDL serum cholesterol, increased production of butyric acid in cecum and fecal excretion of deoxycholic acid in the feces. These results suggest that amaranth used routinely as a supplement to the standard casein diet could have a health-promoting value in the normal rat.