We aimed to assess the effects of minor constituents (MC) from virgin olive oil upon the plasma lipid profile of experimental animals. Therefore, 32 Wistar rats were fed for 6 weeks with one of four different diets with a similar fatty acid composition but different MC: high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO), virgin olive oil (VOO), 400%-MC enriched olive oil (EOO) and MC poor (impoverished) olive oil (IOO). At the end of the week 6 of dietary treatment, blood samples were obtained for analysis of lipid composition. A statistically significant influence was observed upon both total HDL (1.593+/-0.4, 1.204+/-0.212, 0.991+/-0.244 and 0.827+/-0.279 mmol/L for EOO, HOSO, VOO and IOO, respectively, Kruskal-Wallis test, P<0.05) and HDL(2)cholesterol levels (1.16+/-0.26, 0.576+/-0.191, 0.585+/-0.216 and 0.583+/-0.207 mmol/L for EOO, HOSO, VOO and IOO, respectively, Kruskal-Wallis test, P<0.05). No statistically significant effect was observed upon LDL-cholesterol or triglycerides. Thus, MC supplementation has beneficial effects on HDL concentrations in Wistar rats.
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