Decreasing Effect of Kochujang on Body Weight and Lipid Levels of Adipose Tissues and Serum in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet

Effect of kochujang (Korean red pepper soybean paste) on the reduction of body weight and lipid levels of adipose tissues and serum were investigated in the rats fed a high-fat diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for four weeks with diets containing either a normal diet (ND, based on the AIN-76TM diet), high fat diet (HFD, supplemented with 20% corn oil in ND), CK diet (10% commercial kochujang in HFD), TK I diet (10% 0 day (non-) fermented traditional kochujang in HFD), TKII diet (10% 6-month fermented traditional kochujang in HFD), or RPP diet (3% red pepper powder in HFD). CK, TK I and TKII in the diet significantly reduced the body weight gain compared to the control (HFD), whereas red pepper powder had no such effect. TKII supplementation in the high-fat diet reduced epididymal and perirenal fat pad weight significantly (p<0.05). Liver total lipid was lower in TKII diet group than other kochujang and RPP diet groups. TKII and CK decreased the content of triglyceride in epididymal and perirenal fat pad that increased by high-fat diet. The cholesterol content of the perirenal fat pad was the lowest in the TKII diet group. TKII was also effective in lowering serum cholesterol level. These results indicated that properly ripened (fermented for 6-month) traditional kochujang exhibited more suppressive effects on body fat gain and lipid levels of adipose tissue and serum than RPP, commercial kochujang and the kochujang without fermentation.

고지방식이를 섭취한 흰쥐에서 고추장의 체중 및 지방조직과 혈청내의 지질감소효과

고추장은 체중감소 효과를 보였는데 흰쥐를 이용한 식이섭취 실험에서 발효 숙성된 전통고추장이나 공장식 상품고추장은 고지방 식이로 인한 체중 증가를 감소시켜 정상에 가까운 체중을 유지하도록 하였다. 반면에 발효되지 않은 고추장의 경우 고춧가루군과 거의 비슷한 감소효과를 나타내었으며 발효된 전통고추장이나 공장식 상품고추장에 비해서 체중감소효과가 그리 크지 않았다. 발효된 전통고추장은 높은 체중 감소효과와 더불어 부고환 지방 및 신장 주위 지방조직의 총지방, TG, 콜레스테롤의 함량도 낮추는 효과를 나타내었으나 발효되지 않은 고추장식이군은 감소효과가 크지 않아 발효의 유무가 체중감소, 지방조직감소에 큰 변수임을 알 수 있었다.