The Potential of Cream Soup Made from a Combination of Black Soybeans (Glycine soja L. merrit) and Red Rice (Oryza nivara) to Improve Lipid Profiles and Control Oxidative Stress among Menopausal Women

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The number of menopausal women is estimated to continue to increase; therefore, as more women experience menopause, more health problems will emerge as a consequence. Black soybeans and red rice are known to have a high antioxidant content that can reduce the effect of free radical damage and prevent degenerative diseases in menopausal women. The objective of this study was to examine the potential of a cream soup made from a combination of black soybeans and red rice to improve lipid profiles [cholesterol total, triglycerides, High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C) and Low Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C)] and control oxidative stress markers [malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] among menopausal women. Materials and Methods: This was an experimental trial with a crossover design. Eight menopausal women in Ciherang village, Dramaga Subdistrict in Bogor, West Java, were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 4) and the treatment group (n = 4) for 2×4-week periods of daily treatment with a 4-week washout period between the intervention periods. The treatment group consumed approximately 50 g of cream soup made from black soybeans and red rice, while the control group consumed cream soup made from white rice. Blood samples were taken in the morning on days 1, 29, 43 and 71 of the intervention and analyzed for serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, MDA and SOD levels. Results: The results showed that the differences in cholesterol and triglyceride levels between the post-and pre-intervention periods in the treatment group were not significantly different from those in the control group. The differences in HDL-C and LDL-C levels between the post- and pre-intervention periods in the treatment group were significantly different from those in the control group. The difference in serum MDA levels between the post- and pre-intervention periods, which had decreased in the treatment group, was significantly different from that in the control group, which had increased (p<0.05). The difference in serum SOD levels between the post-and pre-intervention periods, which had increased in the treatment group, was significantly different from that of the control group, which had decreased (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that a functional cream soup made from a combination of black soybeans and red rice has the potential to improve lipid profiles and control oxidative stress among menopausal women.