Effect of a traditional Japanese dish consisting of boiled fish paste on lipid metabolism in rats

We previously showed that the Japanese diet in 1975 was more effective than the modern Japanese diet for preventing obesity. Since one feature of the 1975 Japanese diet was lower meat intake, we hypothesized that replacing sausage, which is widely eaten in modern Japan, with boiled fish paste, which a traditional Japanese dish, will have a beneficial effect on health. SD rats were fedtest diets containing powderedsausage or boiledfish paste for four weeks. The results showedthat, comparedwith the sausage diet, the boiledfish paste diet loweredplasma andhepatic lipidconcentrations, as well as lipidperoxid e levels. Next, we preparedartificial boiledfish paste based on the nutritional balance of protein, fat andcarbohyd rate andsod ium foundin boiledfish paste. SD rats were either fedtest diets mixedwith artificial boiledfish paste or original boiledfish paste for four weeks. The results showed that the original boiledfish paste loweredplasma lipidconcentration andlipidperoxid e levels more than the artificial boiledfish paste. In conclusion, it was shown that changing the diet from sausage to boiledfish paste hada beneficial effect to health by reducing lipidconcentration andlipidperoxid e levels, andthat this effect does not completely dependon the nutritional balance of boiledfish paste.