Metabolic effects of goat milk yogurt supplemented with yacon flour in rats on high-fat diet

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of addition of yacon flour on the quality parameters of goat milk yogurt and investigate the metabolic effects of its regular consumption on high fat diet-fed Wistar rats (30 days). The formulation containing 7% (w/v) yacon flour had higher nutritional values, acceptable sensory attributes and higher count (107 cfu/g) of viable probiotic microorganisms, with shelf life of at least 30 days. 7% yacon flour addition improved goat yogurt sugar profile, reducing lactose (0.94%) and increasing prebiotic fructooligosacharides (4.55%) content in the final product. Supplementation of goat yogurt + yacon to a high fat diet resulted in lower body weight, body mass index, fasting glucose levels, HOMA-IR and atherogenic indices of rats, improving the effects of goat yogurt or yacon flour alone (P < 0.05). Our results showed conclusive evidence indicating that goat yogurt + yacon is an excellent functional food that avoids the metabolic impact of high fat feeding.