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Topic Review
Southeast Asian Diet
There is a significant degree of dietary diversity across and within the various Southeast Asian countries. This is due to a myriad of factors such as a degree of past and present foreign influence, a history of maritime trade, and an abundance of local ingredients available in the region. Social stratification coupled with the many distinct ethnicities, cultures, religions further complicate meal practices by impacting the choice of foods, the structure of meals, as well as the patterns of eating behaviour. This level of variability can make it difficult for consumption patterns to be accurately defined and may reduce the effectiveness of population-wide nutrition surveillance.
  • 2.8K
  • 30 Oct 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. 
  • 2.7K
  • 10 Feb 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".
  • 2.6K
  • 29 Oct 2020
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.
  • 2.4K
  • 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.
  • 2.4K
  • 25 Nov 2020
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. 
  • 2.3K
  • 06 Oct 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). 
  • 2.2K
  • 13 Apr 2022
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. 
  • 2.3K
  • 28 Sep 2021
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.
  • 2.3K
  • 03 Mar 2021
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.
  • 2.2K
  • 28 Oct 2020
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