The present research project was designed to evaluate the cholesterol lowering potential of different date varieties including one exotic (Ajwa Dates Price in Pakistan) and three Pakistani varieties (Aseel, Khudravi, Hallawi).

The albino rats were divided into six groups on the basis of different diets which includes, control having basal diet, high cholesterol high sucrose diet, high cholesterol high sucrose diet plus Khudravi dates, high cholesterol high sucrose diet plus Hallawi dates, high cholesterol high sucrose diet plus Aseel dates, high cholesterol high sucrose diet plus Ajwa dates to evaluate maximum cholesterol lowering potential of each date variety.

The results showed that Hallawi and Ajwa have lower crude fiber content as 2.02 ± 0.03% and 2.43 ± 0.04% however, lowest crude fat content (0.26 ± 0.01%) was also observed in ajwa. Mineral profile depicted that sodium (9.50–18.00 mg/100 g) was found to be in lesser amount among all varieties whereas, higher amount of potassium (465.00 to 887.20 mg/100 g) depicted that it is suitable for people having hypertension. Higher amount of reducing sugar was also observed in ajwa (79.45 ± 1.22%) followed by Hallawi (77.68 ± 1.42%). Total phenolic contents were found higher in Aseel (291.36 mg/100 g) whereas, minimum was observed in Khudravi (232.64 mg/100 g). Furthermore, date varieties were also examined rat modeling to evaluate their maximum cholesterol lowering efficiency. Ajwa and Hallawi were observed to suppress the cholesterol efficiently as 110 mg/dL and 103 mg/dL respectively. On the basis of chemical profiling and other parameters, two date varieties Ajwa and Hallawi showed almost similar results and found to have maximum serum cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride reduction potential with good kidney and liver functions. Functional date bar was also developed by using Hallawi variety andsubjected to sensory evaluation.

In nutshell, Hallawi date variety was considered as better cholesterol lowering potential among other indigenous varieties and very close to Ajwa variety. So that Hallawi can be used to suppress the deadly effects of obesity and allied discrepancies particularly hypercholesterolemia.

The diseases which are associated with life style are due to the behavioral and dietary risk factors which have hazardous effects on metabolic and physiological conditions of people. According to World health organization (WHO), these diseases are also called the non-communicable diseases (NCD) and death burden was 57 million out of which 36 million were due to NCDs worldwide . In low and middle income countries death rate are due to NCDs and 80% contributing major and frequent cause of adult mortality and morbidity globally . Major types of non-communicable diseases are CVDs, cancer, diabetes, obesity, neurological disorders and respiratory diseases. From past few decades CVDs remain the single largest cause of death representing 30% of all deaths and about 50% of NCDs deaths [3, 4]. Several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are associated with the occurrence of non-communicable metabolic diseases. World health organization (WHO) has prioritized modifiable risk factors including unhealthy diet, less physical activity and metabolic abnormalities like serum lipid disorder to prevent or reduce the occurrence of diseases. Elevation of metabolic risks is directly linked with food we consume and how we utilize that food energy. These foods only provide fats and sugars which only exert unhealthy effects on human health. Consumption of energy dense foods and less physical activities are becoming a leading cause of obesity and other metabolic factors like hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, insulin resistance and many others. Interventions supported by dietary recommendations pose healthier effects in lowering metabolic risks . Diet based therapy includes use of organic foods such as fruits and vegetables due to the presence of phytochemicals (dietary fiber, carotenoids and polyphenols (phenolics and flavonoids) in them which have pharmacological potential against diseases. Date fruit is very much popular among the Muslim community. Pakistan’s commercially important date varieties include Begum Jangi, Aseel, Fasli, Muzawati, Hillawi, Khudravi, Rabai and Dhakki. Global date production was 6.9 million tons and Pakistan is among top ten date producing countries and during the year 2007–08 production of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) in Pakistan was 557.6 thousand . Dates have both nutritious and medicinal benefits and are called “Tree of life” by Arabs. Higher concentration of polyphenols is present in dried fruits and dates with admirable nutritional profile that enhance the lipoproteins in blood and prevent from oxidation . Date fruit contain carbohydrates (44–48%), dietary fiber (9.6%, with 2.5%), minute amount of fat (0.2 to 0.5%), protein (2.3 to 5.6%) and higher amount of macro minerals potassium calcium and vitamins. Its composition makes it suitable to lower the occurrence of certain coronary diseases, diabetes and most important obesity which is a major heath threatening risk factor . It is the need of time to produce foods with high nutritional quality that could be useful in providing the necessary nourishment and combating malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, in this regard development of functional foods containing valuable phytochemicals is of great attention worldwide among diet based therapies . Dates are good options in this regard due to their wide ranging health promoting parameters and are abundantly produced . Considering the aforementioned essentials this project was designed to produce a nourishing date bar with commercial value which surely would have superior nutritional profile and wholesomeness to that of existing products. A date based food bar supplemented with chick peas as a cheap source of high quality protein containing lysine an essential amino acid and 22 other amino acids including 8 essential amino acids present in date flesh. Their low moisture can complement the high moisture content (60%) of date flesh giving the date bar suitable matrix without addition of water externally and thereby increasing storability and nuts can be prepared and utilized to reduce the risk factors of obesity . Keeping in view the above facts, the study was designed to explore the physico-chemical attributes and nutritional profile of different indigenous and exotic date varieties. Bio-efficacy of indigenous and exotic date varieties using rats as model organisms and to develop functional date bar and its sensory evaluation.

The present study was carried out at Institute of Home and Food Sciences Government College University Faisalabad and Food Technology section, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. This study comprises of three phases, physiochemical profiling, functional evaluation and finally bio-efficacy study through rats. The material used and procedures adopted are described as under:

Procurement of raw materials

Four date varieties three indigenous and one exotic were used in the present study. Indigenous varieties includes Hallawi Aseel and Khudravi were collected from Date Palm Research Sub-Station, Jhang-Pakistan and one exotic which is Ajwa was imported from Saudi Arabia. Various analytical and HPLC grade reagents and standards were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (Seelze, Germany), E. Merck (Darmstadt, Germany). Moreover, the male albino rats were purchased from National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad. All the raw materials were analyzed according to the following standard methods as described below.

Moisture content in samples was determined according to the hot air oven method as described in AOAC . Crude protein percentage i