Development of functional ingredients for gut health

Microbial reactions in the gut have an essential role not only in gut health, but in general human health. The gut is the site of active fermentation of non-digestible diet components, as well as bioconversions and absorption of plant-derived compounds, such as phenolics. When developing nutritionally designed foods that promote health through gut microbial reactions, three different types of food ingredients can be used: living micro-organisms (probiotics), non-digestible carbohydrates (dietary fiber and prebiotics) and bioactive plant secondary metabolites (e.g. phenolics).     

Dietary influences on nonexercise physical activity and energy expenditure in C57BL/6J mice

It is well established that the lack of physical activity can lead to weight gain or obesity. However, there is limited information on influences of diet components on physical activity. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of major dietary components on energy expenditure by affecting nonexercise physical activity in C57BL/6J mice. All mice were assigned to 1 of the following 4 dietary groups based on their body weight and baseline physical activity; low fat/normal protein, high fat/normal protein, low fat/low protein, or low fat/high protein. After 3 mo, the highest weight gain was observed in animals fed with high-fat/normal-protein diet, and the caloric intake was significantly lower in low-fat/high-protein diet-fed mice compared to other groups. However, there were no significant changes in nonexercise physical activity during experimental periods in all groups. The respiratory quotient and energy expenditure were not significantly different among the dietary groups. These findings suggest that diet-induced obesity is not explainable by levels of physical activity and energy expenditure. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The understanding the link between diet and nonexercise physical activity would provide important knowledge that will potentially assist appropriate food choices to control obesity and its related health problems.     

Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods: The Foods for the Future World

The health and wellness of human beings is largely dictated by the consumption of nutritious foods. Various studies have linked foods as helpful in combating a number of degenerative diseases; as such, a lot of research on functional attributes linked directly to the health benefits of various plant and animal foods have been witnessed in recent years. Although vast number of naturally occurring health-enhancing substances are of plant origin, there are a number of physiologically active components in animal products as well that deserve attention for their potential role in optimal health. Consumption of biologically active ingredients in fruits and vegetables has been linked to help combat diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Lot of research is required to substantiate the potential health benefits of those foods for which the diet–health relationships are not sufficiently validated, and create a strong scientific knowledge base for proper application of naturally present foods in combating various diseases and disorders.     

大学生体育锻炼、合理饮食对健康的影响

随着人们生活水平的提高,越来越多的人面临着亚健康的问题,而亚健康的改善与体育锻炼、合理饮食是密不可分的。大学生是一个特殊的群体,心智处于成熟与未成熟的过度时期,对于自我的调节能力不够完善,使大学生时期成为各种心理问题和身体问题最容易出现的高发期。而体育锻炼与合理饮食对于改善大学生健康问题有着至关重要的作用,合理饮食是健康的基石,而体育锻炼则是固本培元,两者相辅相成,缺一不可。因此本文综述了体育锻炼与合理饮食对于健康的影响与作用,以期为大学生如何拥有健康的体魄提供参考。     

基于白酒风味的现代分析技术及其生物活性研究进展

白酒中风味活性成分与人体健康已成为当今热门话题,而现代分析技术是活性成分研究的重要科学手段。白酒中含有多种风味物质,不同香型酒体中风味成分不同,多数风味成分具有自身的生物活性功能。文章基于不同的现代分析技术探究白酒中所含的风味物质,并介绍了白酒中一些风味成分的生物活性功能和健康作用,同时对其应用前景进行展望,旨在为不同香型白酒中风味活性成分对人体健康影响的研究提供一定理论基础。     

体育运动与膳食联合干预对肥胖大学生健康状况及焦虑情绪的影响分析

分析体育运动与膳食联合干预对肥胖大学生健康状况及情绪管理的支持作用。将65名肥胖大学生分成膳食组、联合组,分别实施单纯膳食干预、体育运动联合膳食干预。联合组干预后脂代谢指标:总胆固醇、甘油三酯指标均低于膳食组(P<0.05)。联合组干预后身体指标:腹部皮褶厚度及BMI均低于膳食组(P<0.05);联合组对健康管理的满意度高于膳食组(P<0.05)。联合组干预后焦虑情绪及生活质量均优于膳食组(P<0.05)。体育运动与膳食联合干预用于肥胖大学生管理,可改善其健康状况,帮助肥胖大学生尽快摆脱焦虑情绪。     

Healthy indexes in public health practice and research: a review

The scientific community has long been interested in the overall quality of diets owing to the fact that it is important for each individual's health through a healthy, varied, and balanced diet. Much research has been conducted on methods used to measure dietary quality. These studies led to the determination of numerous indices, some very simple and some much more complex. Indices that examine diets for several attributes concurrently are able to provide a measure of overall diet quality that is not possible when only single nutrients or food groups are examined. Using these indices, diet quality may be evaluated in relation to nutrient adequacy, compliance with dietary guidelines, or nutrition recommendations, association with risk of chronic diseases, or mortality, and used to assess interventions. However, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration for the design of an index, like the purpose of its use, as well as its simplicity in daily practice. The general purpose of an index is to synthesize a large amount of information into a single useful indicator. The purpose of this review was to present and to critically review the most commonly used dietary indices, and how they reflect various aspects of diet quality. The majority of these indices fail to recognize the various inter-relationships between their components, as well as their accuracy for estimating specific health outcomes. Thus, the development of weighted dietary indices that adequately assess a dietary pattern and its relationship to the burden of a disease is considered essential.     

瓜蒌活性成分作用机制研究进展

瓜蒌是一种葫芦科栝楼属多年生攀缘草本植物，其果实、种子、皮、根富含多糖、氨基酸、黄酮、蛋白质等活性成分，具有改善心血管系统疾病、抗肿瘤、抗氧化、抗衰老、增强免疫等多种功效。近年来，越来越多的研究聚焦于揭示瓜蒌活性成分的药理学作用机制，以期深入了解其在健康维护和疾病防治中的潜力。因此，本综述从瓜蒌果实、种子、皮、根的活性成分及其作用机制方面进行总结，突出其在免疫调节、抗氧化、抗炎症、抗癌、降血糖和心血管健康等方面的重要作用，旨在为瓜蒌各药用部位的资源利用及其在保健食品和药品开发方面，提供一定的理论依据。     

高校大学生营养现状研究

大学生合理饮食对其身心发育、学习工作有积极意义。近几年研究表明,对大学生合理营养态度与营养行为应给予重视。本文主要对大学生平衡膳食和合理运动营养现状研究进行综述,旨在对大学生合理膳食指导提供基础。     

Symposium review: The relevance of bovine milk phospholipids in human nutrition—Evidence of the effect on infant gut and brain development

This paper reflects the concepts reviewed during the presentation in the Joint MILK/Lactation Biology Symposium at the ADSA 2018 Annual Meeting. Our intention is to update the concepts and advances in the area of research regarding milk phospholipids or polar lipid fraction as part of a dairy ingredient used today in nutritional studies that focus on gut health as well as brain development of infants. Although processing advances have allowed the production of novel ingredients rich in milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) components, mostly monitored by phospholipid concentration and presence of membrane proteins, there is wide variability in their composition and structure. Furthermore, we aimed to include in the phospholipid fraction of milk nanovesicles designated as milk exosomes, which are secreted into milk by different secretion mechanisms than those of the fat globules but are also made up of a unique mixture of polar lipids. We consider imperative the study of polar lipid-derived structures from milk regarding composition and structure to gain insights into their biological effect in human health. Nevertheless, and tolerating the differences in composition and concentration of their components, studies supplementing the diet of infants with polar lipids (i.e., MFGM components) have shown significant advances in several areas of human health and well-being. Here we present a summary of the important components of MFGM and milk exosomes as well as an overview of the effects on gut health and brain and cognitive development when added to the diet of infants.     

Effects of Fermented Edible Seeds and Their Products on Human Health: Bioactive Components and Bioactivities

There is a long history of using fermentation in food production. Edible seeds, such as certain beans and cereal grains, are important in the human diet and provide many health benefits. Various microbes, such as lactic acid bacteria, molds, and yeasts, considered as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) microbes, are commonly used to ferment edible seeds and their products. Fermentation can change bioactive components and produce new bioactivities. In order to highlight the importance of fermentation on bioactive components and bioactivities in edible seeds, this review, therefore, summarizes recent relevant studies and discusses fermentation procedures and influences of fermentation on their bioactive components and bioactivities. Overall, fermented edible seeds and their products contain enhanced bioactive components, especially γ‐aminobutyric acid and natural phenolics, and they possess versatile bioactivities, such as antioxidant and anti‐cancer effects, and, therefore, can be recommended as an important part of the human diet, or they can be developed into functional foods to help in the prevention of certain chronic diseases.     

Improving public health?: The role of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetable beverages

Recent evaluations of diet quality in the UK reveal that two thirds of people still do not consume the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Fruit and vegetables contain high concentrations of bioactive compounds including antioxidants which may be beneficial to health. The precise nature of the health benefits which are to be gained from the consumption of antioxidant-rich foods is yet to be fully elucidated. There has been a visually evident increase in the number of beverages which use their antioxidant capacity as a marketing tool in recent years. This poses the question as to whether or not this is an entirely positive change. The aims of this review are to 1) summarise the current evidence supporting the health benefits of antioxidant-rich foods in CVD, cancer, neurological decline and diabetes, 2) summarise the antioxidant components of commonly consumed beverages, 3) investigate the emergence of new and novel beverage ingredients within the context of functional foods and 4) establish the potential role of antioxidant-rich beverages in human health. In conclusion, the evidence for specific health benefits which can be attributed to the antioxidant content of foods is still limited. However, antioxidant rich foods are most commonly from plant sources which contain a number of healthy components which make them a positive addition to the diet. Many compounds which display antioxidant activity (such as polyphenolic compounds) also have many other positive effects in the human system and therefore if consuming them on the basis of their antioxidant content increases consumption, then this can be viewed as a positive change in diet. Furthermore, the synergistic and interactive effects of antioxidant combinations from a mixed diet has not been adequately simulated in a research setting and the true nature of these interactions remains largely unknown.     

Overweight--an actual problem in modern world

It is estimated that by 2020 two-thirds of the global burden of disease will be attributable to chronic noncommunicable diseases, most of them strongly associated with diet. The nutrition transition towards refined foods, foods of animal origin, and increased fats plays a major role in the current global epidemics of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, among other noncommunicable conditions. The epidemics cannot be ended simply by encouraging people to reduce their risk factors and adopt healthier lifestyles. The WHO worked out some possible measures for the development of a coordinated global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. A concerted multi-sectoral approach, involving the use of policy, health education and trade mechanisms, is necessary to address these matters.     

膳食干预联合运动对超重肥胖大学生身体机能与素质的影响评价研究

分析膳食干预联合运动在超重肥胖大学生健康管理中的运用。选择107例接受干预的超重肥胖大学生为研究对象,分成对照组与联合组,分别实施常规干预、膳食联合运动干预。联合组干预后肥胖相关指标、身体机能与素质指标、脂代谢指标及依从性均优于对照组（P<0.05）。膳食干预联合运动方法的应用,可有效改善超重肥胖大学生的身体机能,提高其身体素质,为其健康管理提供良好支持。     

A critical review of the relationship between dietary components,the gut microbe Akkermansia muciniphila,and human health

Abstract

The human gut contains trillions of microorganisms with a great diversity that are associated with various health benefits. Recent studies have reported an increasing correlation between diet, gut microbiota, and human health, indicating rapid development in the field of gut health. Diet is an important factor that determines the gut microbiota composition. The gut comprises great diversities of microbes involved in immune modulation and other functions. In particular, Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucin-degrading bacterium is believed to have several health benefits in humans. Several studies have evaluated the prebiotic effects of various dietary components on A. muciniphila and their association with various ailments, such as diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Hence, this review aims to provide a plausible mechanistic basis for the interactions between dietary components, and A. muciniphila and for the therapeutic benefits of this interaction on various illnesses.     

中药生物转化技术研究进展

中药生物转化是我国传统中药优势和现代生物技术的成功融合,较传统的物理、化学炮制中药更能较好地改变药性、提高疗效、降低毒副作用、扩大适应症。用生物转化的方法处理中药中的化学成分,修饰它们的结构或活性位点,获得新的活性化合物用于新药或保健食品的开发,对充分发挥我国中药的资源优势,获得具有自主知识产权的健康产品具有十分重要的意义。该文概述了近些年中药生物转化技术的应用,并对相关的传统转化技术演变和当代转化技术发展进行了总结,为中药生物转化技术的推广提供了参考和依据。     

Invited review: Dairy intake and bone health: a viewpoint from the state of the art

The aim of this review was to focus on the complex relationships between milk and dairy products intake and bone health, with particular emphasis on osteoporosis. The literature was extensively examined to provide an objective overview of the most significant achievements on the subject. Osteoporosis can be defined as a disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk. Although the major determinants of peak bone mass and strength are genetic, major factors during childhood and adolescence may affect the ability to achieve peak bone mass. These include nutrition, particularly calcium and protein intake, physical activity, endocrine status, as well as exposure to a wide variety of risk factors. The role of calcium intake in determining bone mineral mass is well recognized to be the most critical nutritional factor to achieve optimal peak bone mass. The greatest amount of dietary calcium is obtained from milk and dairy foods, which also provide the human diet with vitamin D (particularly for products fortified with vitamin D), potassium, and other macro- and micronutrients. Although studies supporting the beneficial effects of milk or calcium on bone health are predominant in the literature, perplexity or discordance on this subject was expressed by some authors. Discordant data, mainly on the risk of fractures, provided limited proof of the unfavorable effect of dairy intake. More often, discordant works indicate no effect of dairy consumption on bone safety. Some considerations can be drawn from this viewpoint. Milk and dairy products are an optimal source of calcium as well as of other limiting nutrients (e.g., potassium and magnesium), with important effects on bone health. Bioactive components occurring in milk and dairy products may play an essential role on bone metabolism, as shown by in vivo and in vitro studies on colostrum acidic proteins and milk basic proteins. Calcium intake positively affects bone mass and is crucial in childhood and youth for correct bone development. In elderly people, calcium intake as well as vitamin D availability should be carefully checked. As a general conclusion, calcium is essential for bone health, although it will not prevent bone loss due to other factors; in this context, milk and dairy foods are bioavailable, relatively inexpensive sources of calcium for the human diet.     

L-theanine,unique amino acid of tea,and its metabolism,health effects,and safety

Tea has been a very popular beverage around the world for centuries. The reason that it is delicious, enabling hydration, showing warming and relaxing effect can be mentioned why it is consumed so much in addition to its prominent health effects. Although the catechins and caffeine are the primary bioactive components that are related with the health effects of the tea, the health effects of theanine amino acid, which is a nonproteinic amino acid special to tea, has become prominent in recent years. It has been known that the theanine amino acid in tea has positive effects especially on relaxing, cognitive performance, emotional status, sleep quality, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and common cold. The results of acute and chronic toxicity tests conducted on the safety of theanine express that L-theanine is reliable in general even if it is consumed too much with diet. However, it has not revealed a clear evidence-based result yet regarding theanine metabolism, health effects, and its safety. Within this frame, chemical structure of theanine, its biosynthesis, dietary sources, metabolism, health effects, and safety are discussed in present study.     

乳清蛋白的组成及其主要保健功能

乳清蛋白氨基酸组成合理、消化吸收率高,同时在消化过程中产生多种生物活性多肽,具有增强体质、提高免疫力、抗疲劳、抗氧化、抑菌抗病毒、降血脂、降血压、降血糖、抗癌等多种保健功能。本文就乳清蛋白的组成成分及其保健功能进行了综述。     

Cereal Grains: Their Impacts on Health and Food Safety

This review will discuss the beneficial effects of a diet rich in whole cereal grains in the prevention of chronic dis- eases and physiological effects in humans. In most cultures cereal grains provide energy and nutrients to humans and animals. Although …