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Topic Review
Oral Bioavailability of Ellagic Acid
Ellagic acid, a polyphenolic compound present in fruit and berries, has recently been the object of extensive research for its antioxidant activity, which might be useful for the prevention and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative disorders. Its protective role justifies numerous attempts to include it in functional food preparations and in dietary supplements, and not only to limit the unpleasant collateral effects of chemotherapy. However, ellagic acid use as a chemopreventive agent has been debated because of its poor bioavailability associated with low solubility, limited permeability, first pass effect, and interindividual variability in gut microbial transformations. To overcome these drawbacks, various strategies for oral administration including solid dispersions, micro and nanoparticles, inclusion complexes, self-emulsifying systems, and polymorphs were proposed. Here, we listed an updated description of pursued micro and nanotechnological approaches focusing on the fabrication processes and the features of the obtained products, as well as on the positive results yielded by in vitro and in vivo studies in comparison to the raw material. The micro and nanosized formulations here described might be exploited for pharmaceutical delivery of this active, as well as for the production of nutritional supplements or for the enrichment of novel foods.
  • 3.4K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Micronutrients
Minerals and trace elements are micronutrients that are essential to the human body but present only in traceable amounts. Nonetheless, they exhibit well-defined biochemical functions. Deficiencies in these micronutrients are related to widespread human health problems such as diabetes, insulin resistance, improper immune function, bone health and brain development. The levels of trace elements may vary considerably among different populations, contingent on the composition of the diet and location. Local differences in selenium, zinc, copper, iron, chromium and iodine in the diet can affect physiological functions leading to malnourishment. Inadequate supply of a number of minerals and trace elements including iodine, selenium, zinc, calcium, chromium, cobalt, iron, boron and magnesium and in a few cases, excess of essential trace elements may lead to imbalances in glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance. Changes in these micronutrient levels in the serum and urine of subjects may signal towards metabolic changes, oxidative stress and other disease-related complications. Adequate supplement of the micronutrients may eliminate or protect against certain diseases such as heart disease.
  • 3.4K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
The 4R’s in Post-Exercise Recovery
A 4R’s approach to optimizing post-exercise recovery has been introduced: (i) Rehydration—a fundamental process that will depend on the athlete, environment and sports event; (ii) Refuel—the consumption of carbohydrates is not only important to replenish the glycogen reserves but also to contribute to the energy requirements for the immune system and tissue reparation. Several bioengineered carbohydrates were discussed but further research is needed; (iii) Repair—post-exercise ingestion of high-quality protein and creatine monohydrate benefit the tissue growth and repair; and (iv) Rest—pre-sleep nutrition has a restorative effect that facilitates the recovery of the musculoskeletal, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. Nutritional consultancy based on the 4R’s is important for the wise stewardship of the hydration, feeding, and supplementation strategies to achieve a timely recovery. 
  • 3.3K
  • 25 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Molecular Components of Grape Seeds and Grape Marc
Nutritional interventions may highly contribute to the maintenance or restoration of human health. Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are one of the oldest known beneficial nutritional components of the human diet. Their high polyphenol content has been proven to enhance human health beyond doubt in statistics-based public health studies, especially in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  • 3.3K
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Biomedical Effects of Graviola
A member of the Annonaceae (Custard-apple family), Annona muricata, commonly known as soursop, graviola, paw-paw, or “guanabana”, is a tree native to Central America and West Indies that is abundant at altitudes lower than 900 m above sea level.
  • 3.3K
  • 03 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Trimethylglycine (betaine)
Trimethylglycine (i.e. glycine betaine or betaine)  
  • 3.3K
  • 10 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Minerals’ Role in Human Nutrition
Micronutrients such as selenium, fluoride, zinc, iron, and manganese are minerals that are crucial for many body homeostatic processes supplied at low levels. The importance of these micronutrients starts early in the human life cycle and continues across its different stages.
  • 3.3K
  • 02 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Vitamin C Deficiency
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that must be obtained through the diet in adequate amounts to prevent hypovitaminosis C, deficiency and its consequences—including the potentially fatal deficiency disease scurvy. Global vitamin C status and prevalence of deficiency has not previously been reported, despite vitamin C’s pleiotropic roles in both non-communicable and communicable disease. This entry highlights the global literature on vitamin C status and the prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and deficiency. Related dietary intake is reported if assessed in the studies. Overall, the entry illustrates the shortage of high quality epidemiological studies of vitamin C status in many countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries. The available evidence indicates that vitamin C hypovitaminosis and deficiency is common in low- and middle-income countries and not uncommon in high income settings. 
  • 3.2K
  • 27 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Phenolic Antioxidants and Human Health
Consumers increasingly prefer and seek food and beverages, which, due to their natural characteristics, bring health benefits, both in the prevention of diseases and in their curative power. In this way, the production of nutraceutical foods and beverages gains more and more importance in the market. On the other hand, and because the eyes also eat, producing attractive foods due to their color, texture, appearance, and sensory characteristics is a permanent challenge in the food industry. Being able to gather healthy and attractive items in a single food is an even greater challenge. The long list of benefits associated with phenolic compounds, such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiaging properties, among others, fully justifies their use in the enrichment of various food products. 
  • 3.2K
  • 14 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Nutrition Composition and Bioactivity of Mangrove Fruit Extract
Mangroves are halophile plants with vital economic and ecological services. Some mangrove fruits are edible and contain treasury compounds with ethnomedicinal properties. The levels of primary metabolites such as carbohydrates, protein, and fat within mangrove fruit are acceptable for daily intake. The mangrove fruits are rich in phenolic compounds, limonoids, and their derivatives, as the compounds show antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activity.
  • 3.2K
  • 13 May 2022
Topic Review
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is responsible for a large part of many health benefits associated with Mediterranean diet as it is a fundamental ingredient of this diet. The peculiarities of this golden highly valued product are in part due to the requirements that must be met to achieve this title, namely, it has to be obtained using exclusively mechanical procedures, its free acidity cannot be greater than 0.8%, it must not show sensory defects and it has to possess a fruity taste. All these characteristics are key factors to EVOO quality, thus the chemical composition of these many health-promoting compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids (which are also the major compounds, especially oleic acid), as well as minor components such as tocopherols or phenolic compounds (which behave as natural antioxidants) must be preserved. Due to the presence of all these compounds, the daily consumption of EVOO entails health benefits such as cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor properties or acting as regulators of the intestinal microbiota, among others. Taking all together, conserving EVOO chemical composition is essential to preserve its properties, so it is worth to control certain factors during storage like exposure to light, temperature, oxygen presence or the chosen packaging material, to maintain its quality and extend its shelf-life until its consumption.
  • 3.2K
  • 05 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Health Benefits of Indigenous Durian
Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) is an energy-dense seasonal tropical fruit grown in Southeast Asia. It is one of the most expensive fruits in the region. It has a creamy texture and a sweet-bitter taste. The unique durian flavour is attributable to the presence of fat, sugar, and volatile compounds such as esters and sulphur-containing compounds such as thioacetals, thioesters, and thiolanes, as well as alcohols.
  • 3.1K
  • 06 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Properties of Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are a subgroup of flavonoids, which are a prevalent and numerous class of secondary plant metabolites, that all share the C6-C3-C6 flavan or 2-phenyl-benzodihydorpyrane skeleton.
  • 3.1K
  • 14 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Almond By-Products
Almond (Prunus dulcis(Mill.) D. A. Webb, Prunus amygdalus Batch, or Amygdalus communis L.) constitutes the most produced nut worldwide, thanks to its exceptional nutritional composition, including low sugar content, high levels of proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as health-enhancing phytochemicals.
  • 3.0K
  • 18 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Diospyros kaki L. (Persimmon)
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) is a member of the Ebenaceae family and is a very popular and important fruit in East Asian countries, being widely produced in China, South Korea, and Japan. The name “persimmon” (Diospyros) originates from the Greek dióspuron, which means “food of Zeus”, while “kaki” comes from the Japanese kaki (柿).
  • 3.0K
  • 08 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Complementary Foods
Food safety is imperative, especially for infants and young children because of their underdeveloped immune systems. This requires adequate nutritious food with appropriate amounts of macro- and micronutrients. Currently, a well-established system for infant food is enforced by the regulatory bodies, but no clear system exists for complementary food, which is consumed by children from the age of 6 month to 24 months. As the child grows beyond 6 months, the need for nutrients increases, and if the nutritional needs are not fulfilled, it can lead to health problems, such as stunted growth, weak immune system, and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, it is important to have regulatory bodies monitoring complementary food in a similar capacity as is required for infant formula. 
  • 3.0K
  • 23 Sep 2021
Topic Review
CYP2E1
CYP2E1 is one of the fifty-seven cytochrome P450 genes in the human genome and is highly conserved. CYP2E1 is a unique P450 enzyme because its heme iron is constitutively in the high spin state, allowing direct reduction of, e.g., dioxygen, causing the formation of a variety of reactive oxygen species and reduction of xenobiotics to toxic products.
  • 2.9K
  • 02 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Beneficial Biological Effects of Helichrysum italicum
Helichrysum italicum (family Asteraceae), due to its various beneficial biological effects, represents an important plant in the traditional medicine of Mediterranean countries. There is a renewed interest in this medicinal plant, especially in investigations involving the isolation and identification of its bioactive compounds from extracts and essential oils, as well as in experimental validation of their pharmacological activities. The research is focused on the beneficial biological effects of Helichrysum italicum extracts, essential oils, and their major bioactive polyphenolic compounds, ranging from antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic activities to their antiviral, antimicrobial, insecticidal, and antiparasitic effects.
  • 2.9K
  • 08 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation
Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation (CLGI) can be formally defined as a pathological state lacking overt inflammation, but characterized by continuous and unresolved activation of inflammation mediators. It results in increased production of cytokines, reactive oxygen species, macrophage infiltration, adipocyte imbalance, or vascular damage; these effects are associated with metabolically active tissues such as adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and the liver, implicating CLGI in metabolic diseases. Age-related immunosenescence and the accumulation of cellular debris are also part of CLGI evolution in older people.
  • 2.9K
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Astaxanthin on Human Skin Ageing
Skin ageing is becoming a global challenge due to longer human longevity and intensive ultra-violet rays contributed to the ozone layer destruction, attracting greater scientific interests in developing nutricoesmetic products, especially from natural functional ingredients with lower side-effects. Astaxanthin, a carotenoid with high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which could be extracted from the byproduct of processed crustaceans, prevented skin photoaging and age-related skin diseases in the animal models. But these byproducts are generally discarded as marine waste, losing potentially valuable ingredients, and causing serious environmental problems by accumulating high amounts of organic materials. ASX may have cosmetical potential to prevent or reverse human skin ageing, which has been evaluated in several previous papers. Here, we conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to help clarify its human skincare effects, which promote marine waste recycling, environmental protection, and sustainable development.   
  • 2.9K
  • 09 Sep 2021
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