A class of antioxidants found in oranges, limes and lemons may help prevent the harmful effects of obesity, according to an experiment conducted with mice fed a diet high in these types of citrus fruits. The results of the research – carried out by scientists from the Paulista State University (Brazil) have been presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
“Our results indicate that in the future we may use citrus flavanones , a class of antioxidants, to prevent or delay chronic diseases caused by obesity in humans,” explains Paula S. Ferreira, co-author of the work.
The experts observed the effects of citrus flavanones (specifically from oranges, lemons and limes) in a group of 50 mice without genetic modifications that were fed a high-fat diet. The mice were divided into different categories and, within a month, they were fed a standard diet, a diet high in fat, a diet high in fat but with hesperidin (flavanone from oranges), a diet high in fat plus eriocitrin (lemons) or a diet high in fat and eriodictyol (limes).
Compared to the standard diet, the high-fat diet increased the levels of markers of cell damage by 80% in the blood and 57% in the liver of the mice.
However, hesperidin, eriocitrin, and eriodictyol contributed to a decrease in these levels in the liver by 50%, 57%, and 64%, respectively, compared to the high-fat diet without flavanones.
As with the liver of rodents, their blood lipid peroxidation levels were reduced by 48% with the antioxidant from oranges and 47% with that of lemons.
“Our studies did not show any weight loss due to citrus flavanones. However, even without helping the mice lose weight, it turned them into healthier mice with lower oxidative stress, less liver damage, lower blood lipids and lower blood glucose ”, explains Thais B. Cesar job leader.
