Vegetarian food with a higher content of naturel antioxidants may protect plasma lipoproteins against oxidation and decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular and other free-radical diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between in auro seruan lipid oxidizability and antioxidative Capacity of plasma in vegetariáns (n=33) and nonvegetarians (n=26). The kinetics of conjugated diene formation (lag time and maximal rate of oxidation) were determined as indices of seruan lipid oxidizability and FR,AP (ferric reducing antioxidant power assay) values, as a marker of total plasma antioxidative Capacity. Uric and ascorbic acid levels in plasma were also determined. Because of a significant difference in lag time observed between men and women, the results were also compared between both genders. Vegetarian women had significantly prolonged lag time and increased plasma ascorbic acid levels when comp ared with non-vegetarian women. In vegetarian men a significant decrease in total cholesterol and Uric acid levels as well as FR,AP values were observed in the comparison with non-vegetarian men. A significant positive correlation between FR,AP, uric acid and lag time in both, vegetariáns and non-vegetariáns was found. The results suggest a more favourable effect of a vegetarian diet in vegetarian women, which was manifested by the increase in lipid resistence to oxidation and the values of antioxidative Capacity.

        Key words: vegetariáns, lipid oxidation, FR.AP