Apple as a Source of Dietary Phytonutrients: Bioavailability and Evidence of Protective Effects against Human Cardiovascular Disease

The dietary consumption of fruit and vegetable is associated with a lower incidence of degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Most recent interest has focused on the bioactive phenolic compounds in vegetable products. All varieties of apple contain several antioxidants and polyphenols that possess many biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties. The review describes the nutritional properties of apples and their derivatives, with a particular attention to polyphenol compounds. Moreover, the health benefits of apples and the potential molecular mechanisms against cardiovascular disease are reviewed

Alimentazione e salute: ruolo dei polifenoli contenuti nei legumi nella prevenzione delle patologie dismetaboliche.

ALIMENTAZIONE E SALUTE. RUOLO DEI POLIFENOLI CONTENUTI INLEGUMI E CEREALI NELLA PREVENZIONE DELLE PATOLOGIEDISMETABOLICHE. L’alimentazione svolge un ruolo fondamentale nel mantenimento della salute. Un effetto protettivo è attribuito ai fitonutrienti (polifenoli) ed alle fibre. Tra i meccanismi molecolari alla base della insorgenza di patologie dismetaboliche, un ruolo importante è attribuito alla qualità e quantità dei carboidrati, oltre all’Indice Glicemico (IG) ed al Carico Glicemico (GL) della dieta. Il concetto di GI fu coniato per la prima volta nel 1981 da Jenkins. L’IG consente di classificare gli alimenti che contengono carboidrati in base all’incremento della glicemia post-prandiale. La ricerca si è prefissa di indagare la relazione tra fitonutrienti e IG in alimenti contenenti farine di legumi e cereali. A tale scopo sono stati valutati i livelli di polifenoli e flavonoidi di alcuni legumi del Repertorio Regionale (RR) della Biodiversità Agraria della Regione Marche. Tra le varietà di legumi iscritti nel repertorio della regione Marche ci sono la Fava di Fratte Rosa (PU), Cece Quercia di Appignano (MC) e Cicerchia di Serra dei Conti (AN). Tutti i legumi studiati sono ottime fonti di polifenoli e flavonoidi. Inoltre l’analisi nutrizionale nei prodotti derivati ottenuti con farine di legumi, ha evidenziato che tutti i prodotti mantengono delle interessanti proprietà (livello maggiore di proteine, fibre e polifenoli) rispetto alla pasta di controllo ottenuta con farina di frumento. Le peculiarità nutrizionali si riflettono in valori minori sia dell’IG che del GL. I legumi sono tra gli alimenti con l’indice glicemico piu’ basso e sono raccomandati nella alimentazione dei diabetici. La ricerca ha permesso di acquisire dati utili sulle proprietà nutrizionali di prodotti alimentari ottenuti con farine di legumi del Repertorio della Biodiversità Agraria delle Marche. I dati contribuiscono alla conoscenza delle potenzialità delle farine di legumi e al loro valore aggiunto come ingredienti funzionali per la preparazione di prodotti alimentari con peculiari aspetti nutrizionali e salutistici.FOOD AND HEALTH. ROLE OF POLYPHENOLS AND GLYCEMIC INDEX IN THE PREVENTION OF DISMETABOLIC DISEASES. Nutrition plays a key role in human health. A protective effect is attributed to phytonutrients (polyphenols) and to dietary fibers. Among the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of dysmetabolic diseases, an important role is deserved to quality of carbohydrates, and to dietary Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL). The concept of glycemic index was introduced by Jenkins in 1981 and allows to classify different foods according to their post-prandial increase of glycemia. The research aimed to investigate the relationship between phytonutrients and GI in foods containing legumes and cereals. Therefore the levels of polyphenols and flavonoids of some legumes of the Regional Repertory (RR) of the Agricultural Biodiversity of the Marche Region were evaluated. Among legumes included in RR there are Fava di Fratte Rosa (PU), Cece Quercia di Appignano (MC) and Cicerchia di Serra dei Conti (AN). All the studied legumes are excellent sources of polyphenols and flavonoids. In addition, the nutritional analysis in products obtained with legume flours has shown that all the products retain interesting properties (higher level of proteins, fibers and polyphenols) compared to the reference product obtained with wheat flour. The nutritional properties of products obtained using legume flours reflect in lower values of GI and GL compared with the reference. Legumes are among the lowest glycemic index (GI) foods, they have been recommended in national diabetes mellitus (DM) guidelines. Our data contribute to increase the knowledge of the nutritional properties of legume flours and their added value as functional ingredients for the preparation of food products with healthy properties

Review of the health benefits of Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) polyphenols

The dietary consumption of legumes is associated with a lower incidence of chronic degenerative diseases. Among legumes, a growing interest is devoted to Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), also known as broad bean. Faba bean nutritional properties have been previously studied and several polyphenols (mainly flavonoids) have been evaluated in broad bean extracts. In our study, the literature on polyphenol content in different varieties of Faba bean and on factors that modulate their levels was reviewed. Also, data on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the main polyphenols contained in Faba bean were reviewed. The molecular mechanisms, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties, by which Faba bean polyphenols could be involved in the protection against the development of human diseases are described

Relationship of fruit and vegetable intake to dietary antioxidant capacity and markers of oxidative stress: A sex-related study

Oxidative stress contributes to the development of chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables contain several phytonutrients (carotenoids, polyphenols) that exert antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to investigate sex differences in fruit and vegetable intake, and the relationship to plasma levels of carotenoids as well as to total antioxidant capacity (pTAC). We studied also sex differences in the relationship between fruit and vegetables intake and plasma levels of lipid hydroperoxides, as well as of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)

Polyphenol content and glycemic load of pasta enriched with Faba bean flour

Background: Legumes contain elevated levels of health functional components. The objective of the present paper was to evaluate the nutritional properties and the post-prandial glycaemic responses of pasta obtained using 35% Vicia Faba (VF) bean flour, which is an important source of fiber and phytochemical compounds. Results: Protein and fiber content were higher in VF pasta compared with durum wheat semolina (DWS) pasta. The total phenol content in VF pasta was about two fold higher compared to that of DWS pasta. A higher total flavonoid content, higher antioxidant activity against peroxyl radicals evaluated by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay was also observed in VF pasta. The comparison of post-prandial increase of glucose after VF intake or DWS demonstrated significant differences and VF pasta exhibited a lower glycemic index value, a lower glycemic load and higher glycemic profile compared with DWS pasta. Conclusion: The results suggest that enrichment with 35% Vicia faba bean has potential health benefits and that VF flour can be used as an ingredient to prepare added-value products