Weight Reducing Potential of Dietary Tender Cluster Beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) in High-Fat Fed Rats

Soluble dietary fibre-rich tender cluster beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) were explored for its potential in weight management in rats maintained on high-fat diet (HFD). The impact of three dietary levels of cluster beans was examined in terms of body weight gain, absorption and elimination of dietary fat, accumulation of fat in adipose and influence on lipogenic and lipolytic enzymes. The results indicated the potential of dietary cluster beans as useful in weight management by lowering fat absorption, enhanced lipolysis through increased activity of hormone sensitive lipase causing decreased adipose weight and increased mobilization of accumulated fat. All these contributed to a reduction in weight gain in animals maintained on HFD by inclusion of tender cluster beans in the diet. A dietary dose of 15 per cent cluster bean powder produced the maximum effect with respect to body weight management, and further increase in the dietary dose did not bring any significantly higher benefit.