Antioxidant, Antihypertensive and Lipid Lowering Properties of Fruit Vinegar Beverages

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is ranked as one of top leading causes of death in most industrialized countries. Recent research suggests that fruit vinegar beverages (FVB) possess beneficial effects such as antihypertensive properties, reduction of serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols (TAG). FVB made using apple, blueberry, cranberry and tomato were evaluated for their sensory, antioxidant, antihypertensive and lipid lowering properties. All four treatments demonstrated very high in vitro antioxidant and antihypertensive properties. These FVB were further evaluated for their hypolipidemic and antihypertensive properties using a spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) model with diet-induced hyperlipidemia. All four FVB significantly reduced serum TAG, elevated the high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol compared to the control. Further, all four FVB demonstrated a reduction in the diastolic blood pressure after four weeks of supplementation. Overall, the FVB exhibited lipid lowering effects and antihypertensive properties in vivo. Confirmation of the beneficial effects of FVB using a clinical trial is needed.