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Topic Review
Gymnema inodorum
Gymnema inodorum (GI) is an indigenous medicinal plant and functional food in Thailand that has recently helped to reduce plasma glucose levels in healthy humans. It is renowned for the medicinal properties of gymnemic acid and its ability to suppress glucose absorption. However, the effects of gymnemic acids on adipogenesis that contribute to the accumulation of adipose tissues associated with obesity remain unknown. The present study aimed to determine the effects of gymnemic acids derived from GI tea on adipogenesis. We purified and identified GiA-7 and stephanosides C and B from GI tea that inhibited adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. These compounds also suppressed the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparγ)-dependent genes, indicating that they inhibit lipid accumulation and the early stage of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Only GiA-7 induced the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) and pparγ coactivator 1 alpha (Pgc1α), suggesting that GiA-7 induces mitochondrial activity and beige-like adipocytes. This is the first finding of stephanosides C and B in Gymnema inodorum. Our results suggested that GiA-7 and stephanosides C and B from GI tea could help to prevent obesity.
  • 4.8K
  • 21 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Hydroxycinnamic Acids
Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are important natural phenolic compounds present in high concentrations in our food products. Dietary intake and nutritional importance of HCAs is briefly described along with their pharmacokinetic properties, which have a high impact on HCAs to reach the target tissue in order to exert their biological activities. A range of health beneficial effects were observed for HCAs and in recent years, also for their metabolites formed in gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys. Therefore, metabolism is of high importance since HCAs’ metabolites could retain, enhance or lose the biological activity of corresponding parental HCAs. The biological activities and health benefits of HCAs' metabolites are also briefly reviewed.
  • 4.8K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Foods with Function Claims (FFC)
A new type of foods with function claims, called Foods with Function Claims (FFC) in Japan, was introduced in April 2015. The FFC allows manufactures to submit labeling to the Secretary-General of the Consumer Affairs Agency in Japan that indicates the food is expected to have a specific effect on health.
  • 4.7K
  • 10 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Insulin Effects on Target Tissues
Glucose levels in blood must be constantly maintained within a tight physiological range to sustain anabolism. Insulin regulates glucose homeostasis via its effects on glucose production from the liver and kidneys and glucose disposal in peripheral tissues (mainly skeletal muscle). Blood levels of glucose are regulated simultaneously by insulin-mediated rates of glucose production from the liver (and kidneys) and removal from muscle; adipose tissue is a key partner in this scenario, providing nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) as an alternative fuel for skeletal muscle and liver when blood glucose levels are depleted. During sleep at night, the gradual development of insulin resistance, due to growth hormone and cortisol surges, ensures that blood glucose levels will be maintained within normal levels by: (a) switching from glucose to NEFA oxidation in muscle; (b) modulating glucose production from the liver/kidneys. After meals, several mechanisms (sequence/composition of meals, gastric emptying/intestinal glucose absorption, gastrointestinal hormones, hyperglycemia mass action effects, insulin/glucagon secretion/action, de novo lipogenesis and glucose disposal) operate in concert for optimal regulation of postprandial glucose fluctuations. The contribution of the liver in postprandial glucose homeostasis is critical. The liver is preferentially used to dispose over 50% of the ingested glucose and restrict the acute increases of glucose and insulin in the bloodstream after meals, thus protecting the circulation and tissues from the adverse effects of marked hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia.
  • 4.5K
  • 03 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Vitamin D in Dairy Products
The term Vitamin D was created in 1922, describing a vitamin able to promote calcium deposition. Vitamin D in nature is available as ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) or cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).
  • 4.5K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
The Potent Phytoestrogen 8-Prenylnaringenin
8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is a prenylated flavonoid, occurring, in particular, in hop, but also in other plants. It has proven to be one of the most potent phytoestrogens in vitro known to date, and in the past 20 years, research has unveiled new effects triggered by it in biological systems. These findings have aroused the hopes, expectations, and enthusiasm of a “wonder-drug” for a host of human diseases. However, the majority of 8-PN effects require such high concentrations that they cannot be reached by normal dietary exposure, only pharmacologically; thus, adverse impacts may also emerge.
  • 4.4K
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Xylitol’s Benefits to Skin
Xylitol has been widely documented to have dental health benefits, such as reducing the risk for dental caries. In skin, xylitol has been reported to improve barrier function and suppress the growth of potential skin pathogens. 
  • 4.3K
  • 06 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Ultra-processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods were first defined by Dr. Carlos Monteiro in 2009 through the NOVA classification. Briefly, they are characterized in their formulation by the addition of cosmetic ingredients and/or additives for mainly industrial use - and having undergone an excessive processing  - to imitate, exacerbate, mask or restore sensory properties (aroma, texture, taste and color). It can also be very denaturing technological processes directly applied to the food (cooking-extrusion, puffing, etc.). They are food and drink products that have undergone specified types of food processing, usually by transnational and other very large 'Big food' corporations. These foods are designed to be 'convenient, eaten on the go, hyperpalatable and appealing to consumers, and, most importantly, the most profitable segment of Big Food companies’ portfolios because of these foods’ low-cost ingredients'. The NOVA-derived Siga score propose a complementary definition more focused ont the degradation of the food/ingredient matrix effect: "An ultra-processed food is characterized by the presence in its list of ingredients of at least one substance that is itself ultra-processed, called a marker of ultra-processing (MUP). These MUPs are obtained by synthesis, or by a succession of physical, chemical and/or biological processes applied to natural raw materials and which lead to a strong degradation compared to their original matrix".
  • 4.2K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Biological Melatonin versus Synthetic Melatonin
Melatonin dietary supplements are widely consumed worldwide, with developed countries as the largest consumers, with an estimated annual growth rate of approximately 10% until 2027, mainly in developing countries. The wide use of melatonin against sleep disorders and particular problems, such as jet lag, has been added to other applications, such as anti-aging, anti-stress, immune system activation, anticancer, and others, which have triggered its use, normally without a prescription. The chemical industry currently covers 100% of the needs of the melatonin market.
  • 4.1K
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Carbohydrates, Deep and REM Sleep
Carbohydrate quantity was shown to affect sleep architecture, and especially N3 and REM sleep stages. Alterations in both quantity and quality of carbohydrate intake showed a significant effect on sleep initiation. Variations in carbohydrate quality significantly affected measures of sleep continuation. Further studies are needed to assess the effect of long-term carbohydrate interventions on sleep. 
  • 4.0K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Bergamot Oil: Botany, Production, Pharmacology
Bergamot essential oil (BEO) is the result of the mechanical manipulation (cold pressing) of the exocarp (flavedo) of the hesperidium of Citruslimon (L.) Osbeck Bergamot Group (synonym Citrus × bergamia Risso & Poit.), resulting in the bursting of the oil cavities embedded in the flavedo and the release of their contents. It is chemically dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons (i.e., limonene), but with significant percentages of oxygenated monoterpenes (i.e., linalyl acetate) and of non-volatile oxygen heterocyclic compounds (i.e., bergapten). 
  • 4.0K
  • 13 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Magnesium and Stress
Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences.  Clinical and pre-clinical evidence suggest that stress could increase magnesium loss, causing a deficiency; and in turn, magnesium deficiency could enhance the body’s susceptibility to stress, resulting in a magnesium and stress vicious circle.
  • 3.9K
  • 20 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Dietary Fibre from Virgin Sugarcane
Prebiotic dietary fibre (DF) has gained significant research attention owing to its reported potential in conferring health benefits through modulating gut microbiota composition and their metabolic activities. Complex dietary fibres from whole-plant sources are becoming recognised as vital parameters in influencing the gut microbial diversity in contrast to isolated or purified DF forms. In this entry, we review the recent evidence from in-vivo and clinical studies to support the significant prebiotic capacity of whole-plant virgin processed sugarcane fibre in countering gut inflammation and undesirable digestive symptoms.
  • 3.9K
  • 16 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Naturally Occurring Hydroxycinnamic Acids
Naturally occurring hydroxycinnamic acids, namely ferulic, para-coumaric, caffeic, sinapic acids, and 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid are present in significant quantities in the cell wall of plants. They can make up about a third of the phenolic compounds in our diet, hence the interest in their potential biological activity and properties. Methods of synthesis and properties of natural and synthetic hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives are reviewed in detail.
  • 3.8K
  • 10 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Food Composition Databases
Food databases (FDB), or more correctly food composition databases, contain detailed information on the nutritional composition of foods and on other relevant compounds (e.g., polyphenols, phytic acid). Food components primarily determine nutritional features and, in some cases, quality aspects. For example, polyphenols, which are abundant in plants, are often associated to bitter taste and astringency sensation of foods, while acting in favour of food safety by inhibiting foodborne pathogens and spoilage microbes.
  • 3.7K
  • 13 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Saudi Arabia’s Healthy Food Strategy
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a leading country worldwide in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which alone can explain 73% of mortality in the country. In response to the heavy burden of NCDs, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), in collaboration with other government entities, developed a healthy food strategy (HFS) aimed at enhancing healthy lifestyles and reducing the intake of salt, sugar, saturated fatty acids (SSF) and trans fatty acids (TFA). The objectives of the HFS, to facilitate consumers’ identification of SSF and reduce the SSF and TFA content in food items, were addressed in collaboration with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors of the food industry. These reforms included voluntary and mandatory schemes to display nutrition information in food and beverage establishments, display allergens on food menus, encourage the adoption of front of pack nutrient labels (FoPNLs) on food products, ban the use of partially hydrogenated oils and establish limits for sodium composition in breads and selected food products. 
  • 3.7K
  • 22 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Resveratrol in Kidney Disease
Different diseases and disorders that affect the kidneys include, but are not limited to, glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones, renal fibrosis, sepsis, and renal cell carcinoma. Kidney disease tends to develop over many years, making it difficult to identify until much later when kidney function is severely impaired and undergoing kidney failure. Epidemiological studies have suggested that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with health benefits including protection against kidney disease and renal cancer. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in grapes and berries, has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer properties.
  • 3.7K
  • 13 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Fungal Pigments
Fungi can produce a large diversity of pigments. Based on their chemical structures, fungal pigments are broadly grouped into carotenoids, melanin, polyketides, and azaphilones etc. These pigments differ in many aspects, including colouration and physical and chemical properties such as molecular size, structure, hydrophobicity, reactivity and biological roles. While the same fungus may be able to produce different pigments, structurally similar pigments can be produced by fungi in evolutionarily divergent lineages. Some of these pigments play positive roles in human welfare, including vitamin precursors, antibiotics, immunomodulators and colourants. However, when present in human fungal pathogens, these pigments can also enhance the virulence and pathogenicity of these organisms. While significant progresses have been made for understanding fungal pigments, much remains unknown, including the structure-function relationships and the genes and metabolic pathways involved in their synthesis for the majority of fungal pigments.
  • 3.6K
  • 25 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Creatine in Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome
Post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) is a widespread chronic neurological disease with no definite etiological factor(s), no actual diagnostic test, and no approved pharmacological treatment, therapy, or cure. 
  • 3.5K
  • 10 Feb 2021
Topic Review
The Effects of Stevia Consumption on Gut Bacteria
Stevia, a zero-calorie sugar substitute, is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In vitro and in vivo studies showed that stevia has antiglycemic action and antioxidant effects in adipose tissue and the vascular wall, reduces blood pressure levels and hepatic steatosis, stabilizes the atherosclerotic plaque, and ameliorates liver and kidney damage. 
  • 3.4K
  • 19 Apr 2022
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