Antioxidant Compounds and Health Benefits of Mediterranean Functional Food

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural and Synthetic Antioxidants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 2426

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Guest Editor
Department of Medical, Movement and Well-Being Sciences (DiSMMeB), University of Naples “Parthenope”, Via Medina 40, 80133 Napoli, Italy
Interests: antioxidants; apoptosis; human biochemistry; Mediterranean diet; nutraceutical; nutrition; oxidative stress; polyphenols; sport performance
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many of the characteristic components of the traditional Mediterranean diet are known to have positive effects on health and well-being, and can be considered functional foods. Vegetables, fruits and nuts are all rich in phenols, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, phytosterols and bioactive compounds providing health benefits. Olive oil is known for its high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and is a good source of phytochemicals such as polyphenolic compounds, squalene and α-tocopherol. Olive oil may have health benefits, including the reduction in coronary heart disease risk, the prevention of several types of cancers, and the modification of the immune and inflammatory responses. The polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish effectively regulate hemostatic factors, protect against cardiac arrhythmias, cancer and hypertension, and play a vital role in the maintenance of neural functions and the prevention of certain psychiatric disorders. Mediterranean functional foods are rich in vitamins, organic acids (such as hydroxycinnamic, hydroxybenzoic, citric and succinic acids), coumarins, terpenoids and flavonoids (including flavanols, flavanones, flavones and anthocyanins). The bioactive compounds present in these dietary items have been extensively studied in recent decades as potential molecules capable of interfering with the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with several diseases. The biological properties of Mediterranean functional foods range from antioxidant and anti-inflammatory to antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects.

In this Special Issue, we aim to gather the latest scientific data relating to the health properties of Mediterranean functional foods in order to explore their biological properties (such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, cardio-protective and anti-obesity properties). This Special Issue of Antioxidants welcomes the submission of research articles, review articles, systematic reviews, meta-analysis and communications.

Dr. Stefania D'Angelo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • antioxidants
  • anti-inflammatory
  • anti-obesity
  • functional food
  • human health
  • Mediterranean diet
  • nutraceuticals
  • nutrition
  • oxidative stress
  • phytochemicals
  • polyphenols

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1061 KiB  
Article
Obesity and Skin Carotenoid Score in Children from Center–Southern Italian Regions
by Giuseppina Augimeri, Giovanna Caparello, Fabrizio Ceraudo, Francesca Meringolo, Ludovica Mazzitelli, Maria Vittoria Iovino, Giuseppe Morino and Daniela Bonofiglio
Antioxidants 2025, 14(4), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14040448 - 8 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Childhood obesity represents a public concern worldwide. Evidence indicates that fruits and vegetables (FV) consumed as part of the daily diet reduce the global burden of obesity. Indeed, FV are rich in bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, which exert health benefits as very potent [...] Read more.
Childhood obesity represents a public concern worldwide. Evidence indicates that fruits and vegetables (FV) consumed as part of the daily diet reduce the global burden of obesity. Indeed, FV are rich in bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, which exert health benefits as very potent natural antioxidants. Here, we compared the anthropometric characteristics and the skin carotenoid content between two schoolchildren populations from Southern and Central Italy to evaluate their dietary habits. A sample of 121 and 124 schoolchildren from primary schools in Central and Southern Italy, respectively, was recruited. All participants underwent anthropometric measurements and assessment of the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) by the KIDMED questionnaire and the skin carotenoid score by Veggie Meter®. The mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in participants from Central Italy than in those from Southern Italy. A significantly higher percentage of overweight and obesity was found in the overall sample from Southern than in Central Italy. The adherence to the MD was in the average range for both populations, with no gender-related differences. The carotenoid score was higher and negatively correlated with BMI in the schoolchildren from Central Italy. In multiple regression analyses, skin carotenoids were positively associated with the consumption of fruit in the entire sample. This study suggests the importance of increasing FV intake, particularly in Southern Italy, as a strategy for preventingof obesity during the whole lifespan. Further studies are essential to better understand the influence of skin carotenoids on different variables and their potential role as indicators of health status in children. Full article
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21 pages, 1799 KiB  
Article
Mediterranean Diet and Olive Oil Redox Interactions on Lactate Dehydrogenase Mediated by Gut Oscillibacter in Patients with Long-COVID-19 Syndrome
by Amanda Cuevas-Sierra, Victor de la O, Andrea Higuera-Gómez, Lourdes Chero-Sandoval, Begoña de Cuevillas, María Martínez-Urbistondo, Victor Moreno-Torres, Ilduara Pintos-Pascual, Raquel Castejón and J. Alfredo Martínez
Antioxidants 2024, 13(11), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13111358 - 6 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Chronic viral inflammation is associated with oxidative stress and changes in gut microbiota. The Mediterranean diet (MD), with recognized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, modulates gut microorganisms, specifically on the interaction between extra virgin olive oil, a key component of the MD with well-documented [...] Read more.
Chronic viral inflammation is associated with oxidative stress and changes in gut microbiota. The Mediterranean diet (MD), with recognized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, modulates gut microorganisms, specifically on the interaction between extra virgin olive oil, a key component of the MD with well-documented antioxidant effects. This study investigated the influence of adherence to MD and antioxidant-rich foods (extra virgin olive oil) on biochemical, inflammatory, and microbiota profiles in patients with chronic inflammation defined as a prolonged inflammatory response due to immune dysregulation following the acute phase of the viral infection. Participants were classified into low (n = 54) and high (n = 134) MD adherence groups (cut-off of 7 points based on previous studies utilizing the same threshold in the assessment of MD adherence). Gut microbiota was sequenced using the 16S technique, and the adherence to MD was assessed using a validated questionnaire for a Spanish population. High adherence to the MD was linked to significant improvements in inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, including reductions in LDL-cholesterol, glucose, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, an indicative of redox balance, as well as a significant higher consumption of antioxidant foods. Moreover, gut microbiota analysis revealed distinct compositional shifts and a lower abundance of the Oscillibacter genus in the high adherence group. Notably, a significant interaction was observed between MD adherence and extra virgin olive oil consumption, with Oscillibacter abundance influencing LDH levels, suggesting that the MD antioxidant properties may modulate inflammation through gut microbiota-mediated mechanisms. These findings provide new evidence that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can reduce inflammatory markers in patients with long-COVID-19, a population that has not been extensively studied, while also highlighting the potential role of the bacterial genus Oscillibacter in modulating this effect. Full article
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