An Overview of Global Flavonoid Intake and its Food Sources

Dietary patterns and food availability differ greatly between regions and countries around the world. As a result, there is a large variability in the intake of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses, and subsequently in their major food sources. However, we need to be aware of certain methodological issues when we compare studies on flavonoid intake

Polyphenols as Suitable control for Obesity and Diabetes

Modern life is characterized by physical inactivity and poor food choices, which is often a prerequisite for unhealthy weight gain and overweight/obesity. These factors unlock the emergence of a number of diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular problems, different types of cancer, etc. The pursuit of scientists to seek strategies to prevent, relieve and cure the patient leads to the usage of natural compounds of potential beneficial effect. Polyphenols are a large group of naturally occurring secondary metabolites mainly found in plants and beverages. The presence of these secondary metabolites seems to decrease the manifestation of miscellaneous disease-causing symptoms. The purpose of this review is to synthesize information about polyphenols and their potential in controlling obesity and diabetes. Polyphenols are considered as health-beneficial sources and thus could be involved in novel strategies for preventing diabetes and obesity complications

Functional foods : a conceptual model for assessing their safety and effectiveness

This report shows that the product-diet dilemma can be solved by developing a predictive model. The model integrates food intake data, dynamic consumption patterns and the production chain model and combines them with a risk-benefit approach

Nutritional and Phytochemical Content of High-Protein Crops

The authors acknowledge support from the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) via their strategic research and partnership programs.Peer reviewedPostprin

Fortification and health: challenges and opportunities.

Fortification is the process of adding nutrients or non-nutrient bioactive components to edible products (e.g., food, food constituents, or supplements). Fortification can be used to correct or prevent widespread nutrient intake shortfalls and associated deficiencies, to balance the total nutrient profile of a diet, to restore nutrients lost in processing, or to appeal to consumers looking to supplement their diet. Food fortification could be considered as a public health strategy to enhance nutrient intakes of a population. Over the past century, fortification has been effective at reducing the risk of nutrient deficiency diseases such as beriberi, goiter, pellagra, and rickets. However, the world today is very different from when fortification emerged in the 1920s. Although early fortification programs were designed to eliminate deficiency diseases, current fortification programs are based on low dietary intakes rather than a diagnosable condition. Moving forward, we must be diligent in our approach to achieving effective and responsible fortification practices and policies, including responsible marketing of fortified products. Fortification must be applied prudently, its effects monitored diligently, and the public informed effectively about its benefits through consumer education efforts. Clear lines of authority for establishing fortification guidelines should be developed and should take into account changing population demographics, changes in the food supply, and advances in technology. This article is a summary of a symposium presented at the ASN Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2014 on current issues involving fortification focusing primarily on the United States and Canada and recommendations for the development of responsible fortification practices to ensure their safety and effectiveness

The role of metabolism (and the microbiome) in defining the clinical efficacy of dietary flavonoids

At a population level there is growing evidence for the beneficial effects of dietary flavonoids on health. However there is extensive heterogeneity in the response to increased intake, which is likely mediated via wide inter-individual variability in flavonoid absorption and metabolism. Flavonoids are extensively metabolized by phase I and II- (which occurs predominantly in the gastrointestinal tract and liver) and colonic microbial- metabolism. A number of factors, including age, gender and genotype may impact on these metabolic processes. In addition food composition and flavonoid source is likely to affect bioavailability and emerging data suggest a critical role for the microbiome. This review will focus on the current knowledge for the main sub-classes of flavonoids, including anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and flavanones, where there is growing evidence from prospective studies for beneficial effects on health. Identifying key factors governing metabolism, and understanding if differential capacity to metabolize these bioactive compounds impacts on health outcomes, will help establish how to optimize intakes of flavonoids for health benefits and in specific subgroups. We identify research areas which need to be addressed in order to further understand important determinants of flavonoid bioavailability and metabolism and to advance the knowledge base required to move towards the development of dietary guidelines / recommendations for flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods

Phytochemicals for Improving Aspects of Cognitive Function and Psychological State Potentially Relevant to Sports Performance

Subjective alertness and optimal cognitive function, including in terms of attention, spatial/working memory and executive function, are intrinsic to peak performance in many sports. Consumption of a number of plant-derived ‘secondary metabolite’ phytochemicals can modulate these psychological parameters, although there is a paucity of evidence collected in a sporting context. The structural groups into which these phytochemicals fall—phenolics, terpenes and alkaloids—vary in terms of the ecological roles they play for the plant, their toxicity and the extent to which they exert direct effects on brain function. The phenolics, including polyphenols, play protective roles in the plant, and represent a natural, benign component of the human diet. Increased consumption has been shown to improve cardiovascular function and is associated with long-term brain health. However, whilst short-term supplementation with polyphenols has been shown to consistently modulate cerebral blood-flow parameters, evidence of direct effects on cognitive function and alertness/arousal is currently comparatively weak. Terpenes play both attractant and deterrent roles in the plant, and typically occur less frequently in the diet. Single doses of volatile monoterpenes derived from edible herbs such as sage (Salvia officinalis/lavandulaefolia) and peppermint (Mentha piperita), diterpene-rich Ginkgo biloba extracts and triterpene-containing extracts from plants such as ginseng (Panax ginseng/quinquefolius) and Bacopa monnieri have all been shown to enhance relevant aspects of cognitive function and alertness. The alkaloids play toxic defensive roles in the plant, including via interference with herbivore brain function. Whilst most alkaloids are inappropriate in a sporting context due to toxicity and legal status, evidence suggests that single doses of nicotine and caffeine may be able to enhance relevant aspects of cognitive function and/or alertness. However, their benefits may be confounded by habituation and withdrawal effects in the longer term. The efficacy of volatile terpenes, triterpene-rich extracts and products combining low doses of caffeine with other phytochemicals deserves more research attention

Onions: a source of flavonoids

Flavonoids are a large and diverse group of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant effects, and onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the richest sources of dietary flavonoids. Flavonoid content is affected by endogenous factors—genotype and agro-environmental conditions. Considerable research has been directed toward understanding the nature of polyphenols in different products and the factors influencing their accumulation. This review examines the impacts of pre- and postharvest factors on onions’ flavonoid content, highlighting how this knowledge may be used to modulate their composition and the potential use of onion by-productsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Role of flavonoids and nitrates in cardiovascular health

CVD remain the leading cause of death globally. Effective dietary strategies for their reduction are of high priority. Increasing evidence suggests that phytochemicals, particularly dietary flavonoids and nitrates, are key modulators of CVD risk reduction through impact on multiple risk factors. The aim of this review is to explore the evidence for the impact of flavonoid- and nitrate-rich foods and supplements on CVD risk, with specific reference to their importance as mediators of vascular health and platelet function. There is accumulating evidence to support benefits of dietary flavonoids on cardiovascular health. Dose-dependent recovery of endothelial function and lowering of blood pressure have been reported for the flavanol (-)-epicatechin, found in cocoa, apples and tea, through production and availability of endothelial nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, flavonoids, including quercetin and its metabolites, reduce in vitro and ex vivo platelet function via inhibition of phosphorylation-dependent cellular signalling pathways, although further in vivo studies are required to substantiate these mechanistic effects. Hypotensive effects of dietary nitrates have been consistently reported in healthy subjects in acute and chronic settings, although there is less evidence for these effects in patient groups. Proposed mechanisms of actions include endothelial-independent NO availability, which is dependent on the entro-salivary circulation and microbial conversion of dietary nitrate to nitrite in the mouth. In conclusion, flavonoid- and nitrate-rich foods show promising effects on vascular function, yet further randomly controlled studies are required to confirm these findings and to determine effective doses

Epigenetic activities of flavonoids in the prevention and treatment of cancer

Aberrant epigenetic modifications are described in an increasing number of pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obesity and cancer. The general reversibility of epigenetic changes makes them an attractive and promising target e.g. in the treatment of cancer. Thus, a growing number of epigenetically active compounds are currently tested in clinical trials for their therapeutic potential. Interestingly, many phytochemicals present in plant foods, particularly flavonoids, are suggested to be able to alter epigenetic cellular mechanisms. Flavonoids are natural phenol compounds that form a large group of secondary plant metabolites with interesting biological activities. They can be categorized into six major subclasses, which display diverse properties affecting the two best characterized epigenetic mechanisms: modulation of the DNA methylation status and histone acetylation. High dietary flavonoid intake has strongly been suggested to reduce the risk of numerous cancer entities in a large body of epidemiological studies. Established health-promoting effects of diets rich in fruit and vegetables are faced by efforts to use purified flavonoids as supplements or pharmaceuticals, whereupon data on the latter applications remain controversial. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of current research on flavonoids to further elucidate their potential in cancer prevention and therapy, thereby focusing on their distinct epigenetic activities