Whole-grain and refined wheat flours show distinct metabolic profiles in rats as assessed by a 1H NMR-based metabonomic approach.

The protection against diabetes and cardiovascular disease provided by whole-grain cereal consumption has been attributed to the fiber and micronutrients present in the bran. But exactly how this occurs remains unclear due to both diversity of bran constituents and the complexity of the metabolic responses to each of these constituents. We investigated the metabolic responses of 2 groups of rats (n = 10/group) fed 2 diets, for 2 wk each, in a crossover design. One diet contained 60 g/100 g whole-grain wheat flour (WGF) and the other contained 60 g/100 g refined wheat flour (RF). Markers of oxidative stress [urinary isoprostanes and malondialdehydes (MDA), plasma ferric-reducing ability of plasma, MDA, and vitamins E and C] and lipid status (liver and plasma triglycerides and cholesterol) were measured. Urine samples collected during the feeding periods and plasma and liver samples collected at the end of experiment were analyzed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Metabonomic analyses showed that each group reached a new metabolic balance within 48 h of changing the diet. Urinary excretion of some tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, aromatic amino acids, and hippurate was significantly greater in rats fed the WGF diet. Although the diets did not affect conventional lipid and oxidative stress markers, there were decreases in some liver lipids and increases in liver reduced glutathione and betaine as shown by metabonomic analyses. These suggest that the WGF diet improved the redox and lipid status.