Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame) on Postprandial Serum Lipid Responses in Humans

Summary : Seaweed is a popular and traditional Japanese food rich in various minerals and vitamins, as well as dietary fibre. However, its effects on human lipid metabolism are poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the effect of wakame, the Japanese name for the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida , on postprandial serum lipid responses to consumption of a high-fat diet in humans. In a randomized crossover trial, 10 women with nor-molipidemia or mild hypertriglyceridemia were administered a high-fat diet containing approximately 40 . 6 g of lipid with or without 4 g of dried wakame. Serum lipid levels were measured in the fasting state and 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 hours after consuming the high-fat diet. With reference to the control group, intake of wakame suppressed the elevation of serum remnant like particle-cholesterol (RemL-C) (at 6 hours), and lipoprotein (Origin) (at 4 hours) levels. In conclusion, this trial demonstrated that wakame consumption attenuates the postprandial in-crease in serum TG, RemL-C, and CM levels following a fat load, suggesting its potential role in reducing the risk of arteriosclerotic diseases.