Effect of Feed Fortified with Cooked, Uncooked, and Grilled Groundnut Seeds (Arachis hypogaea) on Lipid Profile of Wistar Rats

Diet contributes to cardiovascular function by regulating blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. This study investigated the effects of diets fortified with cooked, uncooked, and grilled groundnut (A. hypogaea) seeds on the serum lipid profile of Wistar rats. Thirty-five (35) rats were randomly allocated to seven (7) groups (A–G), with five (5) rats per group. Rats in group A served as normal controls (NC), while groups B–G received diets containing a mixture of standard feed and processed groundnut seeds for a period of 28 days. Serum lipid profile data were analysed using standard analytical procedures, and the results were reported as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). The total cholesterol (TC) was significantly higher (P<0.05) in rats fed 50% cooked groundnut (650.82 ± 81.84 mg/dL) and 50% grilled groundnut (643.03 ± 88.95 mg/dL) than in the normal control group (455.96 ± 38.91 mg/dL). In addition, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was also significantly higher (P<0.05) in rats that were fed 30% cooked groundnut (74.38 ± 2.79 mg/dL) and 50% uncooked groundnut (77.84 ± 7.06 mg/dL) than in the normal control group (65.49 ± 0.88 mg/dL). However, no significant differences were observed in triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels among the different groups of rats. Groundnut supplementation affected some of the serum lipid parameters, with the highest HDL-C levels observed in rats fed diets containing 30% and 50% uncooked groundnut. In contrast, total cholesterol increased significantly in the groups receiving 50% cooked and grilled groundnut. These findings suggest that the effects of groundnut on lipid profiles may depend on the processing method and inclusion level. Further studies are needed to establish their implications for cardiovascular health.