Functional role and mechanisms of sialyllactose and other sialylated milk oligosaccharides
Human milk is a rich source of oligosaccharides. Acidic oligosaccharides, such as sialyllactose (SL), contain sialic acid (SA) residues. In human milk, approximately 73% of SA is bound to oligosaccharides, whereas only 3% is present in free form. Oligosaccharides are highly resistant to hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract. Only a small portion of the available oligosaccharides in breast milk is absorbed in the neonatal small intestine. SL and sialylated oligosaccharides are thought to have significant health benefits for the neonate, because of their roles in supporting resistance to pathogens, gut maturation, immune ...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - May 14, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Sandra JM Bruggencate, Ingeborg MJ Bovee‐Oudenhoven, Anouk L Feitsma, Els Hoffen, Margriet HC Schoterman Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Food‐and‐beverage environment and procurement policies for healthier work environments
The importance of creating healthier work environments by providing healthy foods and beverages in worksite cafeterias, in on‐site vending machines, and at meetings and conferences is drawing increasing attention. Large employers, federal and state governments, and hospital systems are significant purchasers and providers of food and beverages. The American Heart Association, federal government, and other organizations have created procurement standards to guide healthy purchasing by these entities. There is a need to review how procurement standards are currently implemented, to identify important minimum criteria for e...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - May 6, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Christopher D Gardner, Laurie P Whitsel, Anne N Thorndike, Mary W Marrow, Jennifer J Otten, Gary D Foster, Jo Ann S Carson, Rachel K Johnson Tags: Nutrition Science ↔ Policy Source Type: research
Dietary factors affecting polyphenol bioavailability
While many epidemiological studies have associated the consumption of polyphenols within fruits and vegetables with a decreased risk of developing several chronic diseases, intervention studies have generally not confirmed these beneficial effects. The reasons for this discrepancy are not fully understood but include potential differences in dosing, interaction with the food matrix, and differences in polyphenol bioavailability. In addition to endogenous factors such as microbiota and digestive enzymes, the food matrix can also considerably affect bioaccessibility, uptake, and further metabolism of polyphenols. While dieta...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - May 1, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Torsten Bohn Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Eggs: the uncracked potential for improving maternal and young child nutrition among the world's poor
Eggs have been consumed throughout human history, though the full potential of this nutritionally complete food has yet to be realized in many resource‐poor settings around the world. Eggs provide essential fatty acids, proteins, choline, vitamins A and B12, selenium, and other critical nutrients at levels above or comparable to those found in other animal‐source foods, but they are relatively more affordable. Cultural beliefs about the digestibility and cleanliness of eggs, as well as environmental concerns arising from hygiene practices and toxin exposures, remain as barriers to widespread egg consumption. There is a...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - May 1, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Lora L Iannotti, Chessa K Lutter, David A Bunn, Christine P Stewart Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Time‐restricted feeding and risk of metabolic disease: a review of human and animal studies
Time‐restricted feeding (TRF), a key component of intermittent fasting regimens, has gained considerable attention in recent years. TRF allows ad libitum energy intake within controlled time frames, generally a 3–12 hour range each day. The impact of various TRF regimens on indicators of metabolic disease risk has yet to be investigated. Accordingly, the objective of this review was to summarize the current literature on the effects of TRF on body weight and markers of metabolic disease risk (i.e., lipid, glucoregulatory, and inflammatory factors) in animals and humans. Results from animal studies show TRF to be associ...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - April 16, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Jeff Rothschild, Kristin K Hoddy, Pera Jambazian, Krista A Varady Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Factors that affect zinc bioavailability and losses in adult and elderly populations
The most widely used method for estimating dietary zinc requirements is the factorial approach, in which it is assumed, in adults, that the physiological zinc requirement is the lowest intake that replaces endogenous zinc losses. Presented here are the results of two reviews: a narrative review of zinc losses from the human body and a systematic review of factors affecting zinc bioavailability in adult and elderly populations. The narrative review presents data on losses from integumental and excretory routes, obtained from 29 papers published up to April 2013. The systematic review includes a total of 87 publications desc...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - April 16, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Silvia Bel‐Serrat, Anna‐Louise Stammers, Marisol Warthon‐Medina, Victoria Hall Moran, Iris Iglesia‐Altaba, Maria Hermoso, Luis A Moreno, Nicola M Lowe, Tags: Lead Article Source Type: research
Design and analysis of clinical trials of nutrients: Author Reply
(Source: Nutrition Reviews)
Source: Nutrition Reviews - April 16, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Robert P Heaney Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Design and analysis of clinical trials of nutrients: Commentary
(Source: Nutrition Reviews)
Source: Nutrition Reviews - April 1, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Adrian R. Martineau Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Novel roles of holocarboxylase synthetase in gene regulation and intermediary metabolism
The role of holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) in catalyzing the covalent binding of biotin to the five biotin‐dependent carboxylases in humans is well established, as are the essential roles of these carboxylases in the metabolism of fatty acids, the catabolism of leucine, and gluconeogenesis. This review examines recent discoveries regarding the roles of HLCS in assembling a multiprotein gene repression complex in chromatin. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that the number of biotinylated proteins is far larger than previously assumed and includes members of the heat‐shock superfamily of proteins and proteins c...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 28, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Janos Zempleni, Dandan Liu, Daniel Teixeira Camara, Elizabeth L Cordonier Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Nutritional constituents and health benefits of wild rice (Zizania spp.)
Wild rice (Zizania spp.) seems to have originated in North America and then dispersed into Eastern Asia and other parts of the world. Nutritional analysis shows that wild rice is rich in minerals, vitamins, protein, starch, dietary fiber, and various antioxidant phytochemicals, while it is low in fat. Wild rice has been recognized as a whole grain by the US Food and Drug Administration; in the North American marketplace it is currently sold as and considered to be a health‐promoting food. Recent scientific studies have revealed antioxidant and lipid‐lowering properties of wild rice, while others have documented cardiov...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 28, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Gangadaran Surendiran, Maha Alsaif, Fatemeh Ramezani Kapourchali, Mohammed H Moghadasian Tags: Lead Article Source Type: research
Potential of long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in melanoma prevention
The possible antineoplastic activity of dietary long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n‐3 PUFAs) has been supported by ample preclinical studies that have identified a number of molecular factors and pathways affected by these fatty acids and involved in cell growth, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. The aim of this critical review is to assess the current state of knowledge on the potential anticancer effects of LC n‐3 PUFAs against malignant melanoma, one of the most common cancers among Western populations. The results of preclinical as well as human observational and interventional studies investi...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 25, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Simona Serini, Elena Fasano, Leonardo Celleno, Achille Cittadini, Gabriella Calviello Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Effects and mechanisms of ginseng and ginsenosides on cognition
Reviewed here is the existing evidence for the effects of ginseng extracts and isolated ginsenosides relevant to cognition in humans. Clinical studies in healthy volunteers and in patients with neurological disease or deficit, evidence from preclinical models of cognition, and pharmacokinetic data are considered. Conditions under which disease modification may indirectly benefit cognition but may not translate to cognitive benefits in healthy subjects are discussed. The number of chronic studies of ginseng effects in healthy individuals is limited, and the results from acute studies are inconsistent, making overall assessm...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 25, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Imogen Smith, Elizabeth M Williamson, Sophie Putnam, Jonathan Farrimond, Benjamin J Whalley Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Beyond the Paleolithic prescription: Commentary
(Source: Nutrition Reviews)
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 25, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Frits AJ Muskiet, Pedro Carrera‐Bastos Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
The role of Yogurt in improving the quality of the American diet and meeting dietary guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend three daily servings of low‐ or nonfat dairy products, yet two‐thirds of individuals in the United States do not meet that goal. Including low‐ or nonfat yogurt as part of an overall healthful diet can be a positive step toward meeting the DGA recommendations. Yogurt naturally contains calcium and potassium, and some products are fortified with vitamin D. All of these nutrients were identified in the DGA as “nutrients of concern,” because typical intake falls far short of recommended intakes. Yogurt can also be an excellent source of high‐quality protein, whi...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 6, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Densie Webb, Sharon M Donovan, Simin Nikbin Meydani Tags: Special Article Source Type: research
Bioavailability of iron, zinc, and provitamin A carotenoids in biofortified staple crops
International research efforts, including those funded by HarvestPlus, a Challenge Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), are focusing on conventional plant breeding to biofortify staple crops such as maize, rice, cassava, beans, wheat, sweet potatoes, and pearl millet to increase the concentrations of micronutrients that are commonly deficient in specific population groups of developing countries. The bioavailability of micronutrients in unfortified staple crops in developing regions is typically low, which raises questions about the efficacy of these crops to improve population ...
Source: Nutrition Reviews - March 1, 2014 Category: Nutrition Authors: Michael R La Frano, Fabiana F Moura, Erick Boy, Bo Lönnerdal, Betty J Burri Tags: Lead Article Source Type: research
