Epidemiological evidence for the impact of whole grains on health

Current dietary advice suggests consumers increase consumption of whole‐grain products because of their potential role in prevention of chronic disease. Whole grains are important sources of nutrients that are in short supply in our diet, including dietary fiber, resistant starch, trace minerals, certain vitamins, and other compounds of interest in disease prevention, including phytoestrogens and antioxidants. Despite dietary recommendations to increase intake of whole grains, little epidemiological evidence is available to support the physiological importance of whole‐grain intake. Most epidemiological studies focus on nutrients, rather than whole foods, so little attempt has been made to evaluate the contribution of whole grains in disease. Further, studies on vegetarians that show decreased risk of degenerative diseases are unable to separate the contribution of fruit and vegetable intake when compared with whole‐grain intake and protection from disease. The few epidemiological studies that have evaluated a role for whole grains suggest that they may have an important role in disease prevention and deserve more study.     

The role of milk in the British diet

Milk and foods made from milk have been part of the British diet for the last 3500 years. They constitute one of the four main food groups that together comprise a healthy balanced diet, providing significant amounts of protein and most micronutrients, including calcium, B-group vitamins (particularly riboflavin and B₁₂, but also thiamin, niacin, B₆ and folate), vitamin A, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Milk and dairy foods can increase the nutrient density of the diet and play a pivotal role in ensuring that dietary intakes are nutritionally adequate. They can also help to improve bone and dental health and possibly protect against hypertension and colon cancer.     

Anticancer potential of dietary vitamin D and ascorbic acid: A review

Cancers have been the leading cause of death worldwide and poor diet and physical inactivity are major risk factors in cancer-related deaths. Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals appear to have preventive properties against cancer. One important mechanism by which dietary changes can exert preventive effects on cancer is via the modulation of micronutrient concentrations in target tissues. Many of these micronutrients are available in the form of dietary supplements, and the intake of these supplements is prevalent in various parts of the world. However, in most cases, it is not known which micronutrient (or combination of micronutrients) is best when it comes to lowering the risk of cancer. The present review illustrates the effect of vitamin D and ascorbic acid intake on preventing cancer.     

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.     

Importance of maternal diet in the training of the infant's immune system during gestation and lactation

Latest forecasts predict that half of the European population will be allergic within the coming 15 years, with food allergies contributing substantially to the total burden; preventive measures are urgently needed. Unfortunately, all attempted alimentary strategies for primary prevention of allergic diseases through allergen avoidance so far have failed. This also holds true for the prevention of food allergies in breastfed infants by the common practice of excluding certain foods with allergenic potential from the maternal diet. As a preventive measure, therefore, exclusion diets should be discouraged. They can exhaust nursing mothers and negatively impact both their nutritional status as well as their motivation to breastfeed. A prolonged exclusion diet may be indicated solely in cases of doctor-diagnosed food allergy following rigid medical tests (e.g. double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges). Indicated cases usually involve exclusion of only a few food items. Continued breastfeeding is generally important for many aspects of the infant's health, including the training of the infant's immune responses to foreign compounds and avoidance of overshooting inflammatory responses. Recent studies suggest that the presence of maternal dietary proteins in amniotic fluid, cord blood, and human milk might support the induction of tolerance towards solid foods in infants. These are exactly the same species of proteins or remnants thereof that, in comparatively few cases, trigger allergic responses. However, the insight that the proteins of maternal dietary origin in human milk are more likely to be cure (or, more precise, directing prevention) than curse has still largely evaded the attention of health care professionals consulted by worried breastfeeding mothers. In this paper, we summarize recent literature on the importance of exposure to dietary proteins in the establishment of immunological tolerance and hence prevention of allergic disease. Multiple organizations have used the scientific knowledge to build (local) guidelines (e.g. AAAAI, EAACI, BSACI) that can support health care professionals to provide the best strategy to prevent the onset of allergic diseases. We thus hope to clarify existing confusion about the allergenic propensities of dietary proteins during early life, which has contributed to exaggerated fears around the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.     

The imprecision of micronutrient requirement values: the example of vitamin D

Food, not nutrients, is the fundamental unit in nutrition. Nutrient requirement values and recommended daily intakes have long been determined and organized in tables by several regulators. These figures, however, overlook the complexity of mixing different foods in a diet and the mediation by human gut microbiota on digestion, metabolism, and health. The microbiome molecular mechanisms and its potential influence on nutrient requirements are far from clear. Guidelines should depend on the sort of intake, along with the dietary habits, rather than focusing on single nutrients. Despite many decades of attempts to investigate the proximate nutrient composition of foods consumed by different world populations, there are still neither standardization of food composition databases nor harmonized dietary intake methods of assessment of nutrients. No all-inclusive attempt was yet made to emphasize the requirements of the various micronutrients, phytonutrients, and non-nutrients on gut microbiota and vice versa, and thereafter reflected into dietary guidelines. New multifaceted methods have been advanced to reevaluate the way nutrients and nutrient requirements are assessed within the intricate biological systems. Our main goal here was to enhance the fact that existing food guidelines hold inherent strengths and limitations but fail, in many aspects, namely, in not taking into account essential geographical, ethnic and cultural differences, and the different stages of life, infant nutrition, and the microbiota impact on several micronutrient requirements. Vitamin D is given as an illustration on present inaccuracy of its requirements. Defining dietary reference intakes is therefore an ongoing process specific for each population.     

Role of nutrition and microbiota in susceptibility to inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory conditions, which are increasing in incidence, prevalence, and severity, in many countries. While there is genetic susceptibility to IBD, the probability of disease development is modified by diet, lifestyle, and endogenous factors, including the gut microbiota. For example, high intakes of mono‐ and disaccharides, and total fats consistently increases the risk developing both forms of IBD. High vegetable intake reduces the risk of UC, whereas increased fruit and/or dietary fiber intake appears protective against CD. Low levels of certain micronutrients, especially vitamin D, may increase the risk of both diseases. Dietary patterns may be even more important to disease susceptibility than the levels of individual foods or nutrients. Various dietary regimes may modify disease symptoms, in part through their actions on the host microbiota. Both probiotics and prebiotics may modulate the microflora, and reduce the likelihood of IBD regression. However, other dietary factors affect the microbiota in different ways. Distinguishing cause from effect, and characterizing the relative roles of human and microbial genes, diet, age of onset, gender, life style, smoking history, ethnic background, environmental exposures, and medications, will require innovative and internationally integrated approaches.     

Dietary fiber in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome: a review

Inclusion of fiber in the diet has been linked to the prevention of a range of illnesses and conditions. This review contains several ideas about the possible benefits of dietary fiber intake in patients with metabolic syndrome. The principal beneficial effects of a fiber-rich diet in these patients are: prevention of obesity, improved glucose levels, and control of the profile of blood lipids. We now also know that dietary fiber may favor the control of arterial blood pressure. Animal experiments have also shown the benefit of different types of fiber on these variables. Of particular relevance are the studies using obese Zucker rats, which present similar anomalies to those seen in patients with metabolic syndrome. There is therefore a growing interest in discovering new sources of natural fiber. Some of these different kinds of fiber may then be used as functional ingredients to obtain foods with properties that are beneficial to health.     

Relevance of functional foods in the Mediterranean diet: the role of olive oil,berries and honey in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is a well-known dietary pattern associated with longevity and improvement of life quality as it reduces the risk of the most common chronic pathologies, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), that represent the principal cause of death worldwide. One of the most characteristic foods of MedDiet is olive oil, a very complex matrix, which constitutes the main source of fats and is used in the preparation of foods, both raw as an ingredient in recipes, and in cooking. Similarly, strawberries and raspberries are tasty and powerful foods which are commonly consumed in the Mediterranean area in fresh and processed forms and have attracted the scientific and consumer attention worldwide for their beneficial properties for human health. Besides olive oil and berries, honey has lately been introduced in the MedDiet thanks to its relevant nutritional, phytochemical and antioxidant profile. It is a sweet substance that has recently been classified as a functional food. The aim of this review is to present and discuss the recent evidence, obtained from in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies, on the potential roles exerted by these foods in the prevention and progression of different types of cancer and CVDs.     

The powerful story against cardiovascular diseases: Dietary factors

Cardiovascular diseases are the underlying cause of most deaths worldwide, and they are expected to rise in the following years. Cardiovascular diseases include diseases that affect the heart, cerebral, and peripheral vessels, resulting in ischemia. On the basis of cardiovascular disease pathophysiology, there are lipoprotein metabolism abnormalities, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, endothelium damage, and atherothrombosis. Modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular health and diseases are blood pressure, blood lipid profile, oxidative stress, inflammation, and other factors (smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus). Atherosclerotic plaque development, vascular calcification, and vascular stiffness are caused by a long-term endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory response, which can be prevented and controlled by the diet. Fat and cholesterol are the commonly considered dietary factors in the association of the nutrition and the cardiovascular disease, although other macronutrients, especially carbohydrates and proteins, also have major effects. Nowadays, other macronutrients and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) have roles in regulating the indicated processes (blood pressure, calcification, oxidative stress, inflammation, etc.) in cardiovascular disease prognosis. Other dietary compounds (sterols, stanols, polyphenols, carotenoids, etc.) that exist in small amounts in foods might have a role in regulating these mechanisms as well. There are also new insights about walnuts, garlic, ginger, and hawthorn as parts of a healthy diet against cardiovascular diseases. So far, there have not appeared any reviews that combine the impact of a wide variety of dietary components on cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the novel nutritional targets and interventions that focus on nutrients and other dietary compounds on potential mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases are discussed in this review.     

Evidences of the cardioprotective potential of fruits: the case of cranberries

Eating a healthy balanced diet, is one of the most important and relevant ways to delay and prevent various health complications including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among the nutritional factors that have been investigated in recent years, dietary fat intake may be the one that has been most targeted. However, there is also clear epidemiological evidence that increased fruits and vegetables intake can significantly reduce the risk of CVD, an effect that has been suggested to be resulting to a significant extent, from the high polyphenol content of these foods. Numerous polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids have been identified as having strong antioxidant properties. Most interesting is the fact that, in addition to being one of the largest groups of antioxidant phytochemicals, flavonoids are also an integral part of the human diet as they are found in most fruits and vegetables. Cranberries are one of the most important sources of flavonoids that have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Thus, consumption of cranberries or their related products could be of importance not only in the maintenance of health but also in preventing CVD. The following review will present evidences supported for the most part by clinical observations that cranberries can exert potentially healthy effects for your heart.     

膳食因素防治阿尔兹海默症的研究进展

随着世界人口老龄化的日益严重,阿尔茨海默症已成为危害老年人健康的重大疾病之一。目前,与生活方式相关的因素如膳食营养、运动在阿尔茨海默症的预防和治疗上引起了人们的广泛关注,大量体内外实验表明,膳食营养干预在防治阿尔茨海默症方面具有重要的意义。本文主要从植物多酚、维生素、脂肪酸及饮食结构等方面综述近年来膳食因素在该疾病防治中的研究进展情况。     

Means of Delivering Recommended Levels of Long Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Human Diets

ABSTRACT:  n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) of marine origin have been shown to be essential for brain development and cognitive function. In addition to their essentiality, the scientific literature is full of evidence to suggest that regular consumption and/or dietary supplementation with long chain n-3PUFA give several health benefits including: prevention of cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, dyslexia, and depression. Long chain n-3PUFA intake in the Western countries, including Australia, has been shown to be inadequate. This is largely due to the fact that the Western populations do not eat seafood on a regular basis because of its cost and availability, and many individuals do not like the flavor/taste/odor of seafood. Foods fortified with long chain n-3PUFA could play an important role in meeting the demands for optimal health. Marine n-3PUFA are not likely to compete with saturated, monounsaturated, and n-6PUFA as a major source of dietary fat; however, increasing the intake of foods containing marine n-3PUFA is an important strategy for the prevention of chronic illnesses. Recent developments in food technology allow fortification of foods, such as bread, dairy products, eggs, pasta, biscuits, margarines, and other spreads, without the undesirable fish odor/taste and with reasonable shelf life. There is a need to increase the amount of long chain n-3PUFA consumed per serve and optimize their bioavailability. This article reviews the foods fortified with marine n-3PUFA and their role in meeting daily requirements, and highlights the need for further research in this important area of functional foods.     

Purification and Use of Glycomacropeptide for Nutritional Management of Phenylketonuria

ABSTRACT:  Individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine (Phe) and must adhere to a low-Phe diet in which most dietary protein is provided by a Phe-free amino acid formula. Glycomacropeptide (GMP) is the only naturally occurring protein that does not contain Phe, and is of interest as a source of protein for dietary management of PKU. However, commercially available GMP contains too much Phe from residual whey proteins and does not contain adequate levels of all the indispensable amino acids to provide a nutritionally complete protein. The aim of this study was to increase purity of GMP and develop a mass balance calculation for indispensable amino acid supplementation of GMP foods. Cation exchange chromatography, ultrafiltration/diafiltration, and lyophilization were used at the pilot plant scale to decrease Phe. Enough purified GMP (5 kg) was manufactured to provide 15 PKU subjects with a 4-d diet in which the majority of protein was from GMP foods. A mass balance was used to supplement GMP foods so that all indispensable amino acids met or exceeded the daily recommended intake. GMP foods were tested in a human clinical trial as a replacement for the traditional amino acid formula. Nutritionally complete GMP foods created with high purity GMP provide individuals with PKU with more options to manage PKU, which may lead to improved compliance and quality of life.     

膳食纤维与肠道微生物互作调节食物过敏的研究进展

食物过敏的发病率逐步上升,遗传之外的影响因素如饮食受到密切关注.其中,高膳食纤维的食物摄入可能通过与肠道菌群互作和调节肠道黏膜免疫的方式来诱导口服耐受和降低食物过敏发生率.本文在阐述膳食纤维、肠道菌群和食物过敏三者的联系及研究现状的基础上,重点讨论膳食纤维通过调节肠道菌群影响食物过敏的发病机制,旨在为研究过敏人群的合理...     

Fish consumption and cardiovascular disease related biomarkers: A review of clinical trials

The purpose of this review is to collect and compare fish intervention studies. Prospective studies have outlined the beneficial effect of frequent fish consumption on cardiovascular incidents that is attributed to n-3 fatty acids incorporated in fish, mainly eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. This outcome triggered clinical trials to examine the effect of either fish intake or consumption of n-3 fatty acids via capsules on biomarkers related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The absence of a recent review focusing on clinical trials regarding fish intake and not n-3 fatty acids supplements rendered necessary the composition of this article. In total, 28 studies on healthy volunteers were found to meet the inclusion criteria. With EPA and DHA intake varying between 0.03 to 5 g per day, biomarkers, such as triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and platelet aggregation, tended to ameliorate when daily intake exceeded 1 g per day, while the most common inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein, was not affected. In all, fish consumption gives promising results; yet fish micronutrients, total diet fat, as well as other dietary habits may also affect biomarkers. Therefore, all these factors should be considered in future clinical trials in order for one to draw more reliable conclusions.     

拥有全面营养的谷类食品(英文)

从一万年前生长在Crescent 地区的野生草类首次被驯化,到了解到它们全面的潜在营养价值,谷类谷物对现代人类进展而言仍然是必不可少的。世界上十二种最主要的作物中,有五种谷类 - 大米、小麦、玉米、大麦、高粱,仅此五类就占世界人口消耗热卡的一半以上。科学机构已经开始了解到谷类食品在热量能源之外的重要作用。包含全谷类食品的平衡膳食的重要性不能被过分强调。全谷类食品是食物碳水化合物、微量营养素和植物固醇的来源。一个例子是谷物糊粉层,在许多植物甾醇方面尤其丰富,并有潜在的抗氧化性质。另一个例子是麸皮中的可溶和不可溶的细胞壁成分,它是食物纤维的重要来源。在文献中提供了证实高纤维和全谷物食品在保持身体健康和预防的严重疾病的科学证据。膳食因素被认为可以影响人的体重和人体的防病的总体状况。这个会议将会总结复合糖的关系,全谷类产品和防止某些疾病包括二型糖尿病和冠心病等疾病。     

Polyphenols: food sources,properties and applications – a review

There is currently much interest in phytochemicals as bioactive compounds of food. The roles of fruit, vegetables and red wine in disease prevention have been attributed, in part, to the antioxidant properties of their constituent polyphenols (vitamins E and C, and the carotenoids). Recent studies have shown that many dietary polyphenolic constituents derived from plants are more effective antioxidants in vitro than vitamins E or C, and thus might contribute significantly to the protective effects in vivo. Polyphenols are abundant micronutrients in our diet, and evidence for their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases is emerging. Dietary polyphenols show a great diversity of structures, ranging from rather simple molecules (monomers and oligomers) to polymers. Higher‐molecular‐weight structures (with molecular weights of ～500) are usually designated as tannins, which refers to their ability to interact with proteins. Among them, condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) are particularly important because of their wide distribution in plants and their contributions to major food qualities. This paper focuses on polyphenols; we illustrate their sources from food, properties and their beneficial uses.     

Dietary lipids and their oxidized products in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the commonest form of dementia in the elderly, characterized by memory dysfunction, loss of lexical access, spatial and temporal disorientation, and impaired judgment. A growing body of scientific literature addresses the implication of dietary habits in the pathogenesis of AD. This review reports recent findings concerning the modulation of AD development by dietary lipids, in animals and humans, focusing on the pathogenetic role of lipid oxidation products. Oxidative breakdown products of ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-6 PUFAs), and cholesterol oxidation products (oxysterols), might play a role in favoring β-amyloid deposition, a hallmark of AD's onset and progression. Conversely, ω-3 PUFAs appear to contribute to preventing and treating AD. However, high concentrations of ω-3 PUFAs can also produce oxidized derivatives reacting with important functions of nervous cells. Thus, altered balances between cholesterol and oxysterols, and between ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs must be considered in AD's pathophysiology. The use of a diet with an appropriate ω-3/ω-6 PUFA ratio, rich in healthy oils, fish and antioxidants, such as flavonoids, but low in cholesterol-containing foods, can be a beneficial component in the clinical strategies of prevention of AD.     

Nutrition in the genomics era: cardiovascular disease risk and the Mediterranean diet

The effect of dietary changes on phenotypes (i.e., plasma lipid measures, body weight and blood pressure) differs significantly between individuals. This phenomenon has been more extensively researched in relation to changes in dietary fat and plasma lipid concentrations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to other pathological conditions. Although common knowledge associates low fat diets with reductions in total and plasma LDL cholesterol, the clinical evidence shows dramatic inter-individual differences in response that are partially due to genetic factors. The discovery of the cardioprotective and other healthy properties of the Mediterranean diet has popularized the consumption of Mediterranean products such as olive oil. Molecular, clinical, and epidemiological studies have begun to shed some light about how various components of this diet may protect the cardiovascular system and to decrease the risk of other diseases such as cancer. However, it is also possible that the right combination of genetic, cultural, socioeconomic factors is needed to achieve full benefit. It has been proposed that the Mediterranean diet may be closer to the ancestral foods that were part of human development and our metabolism may have evolved to work optimally on such a diet rather than with the current diets richer in saturated fat and highly refined and processed foods. Therefore, it is possible that alleles that are associated with increase disease risk may be silenced in the presence of that more ancestral and traditional diet and lifestyle. This knowledge may provide the basis for successful public health as well individual approaches for disease prevention.