Search Results (4)

Globally, about one million tonnes of tea products, which contain high concentrations of catechins and their derivatives, are wasted annually. Therefore, green tea waste catechins (GTWCs) are worth extracting, processing, protection, and delivery to the human body. In this study, GTWCs were extracted using a green method and then encapsulated in both single- (SLLs) and double-layer liposomes (DLLs). The encapsulated extracts were subsequently incorporated into a fresh green kiwifruit juice. SLLs and DLLs containing GTWCs had a size of about 180 and 430 nm with a zeta potential of −35 and +25 mV, respectively. Electron microscopy illustrated the separation of the SLLs and fibre in kiwifruit juice and attraction of the DLLs to this fibre. Liposomal GTWCs were effectively maintained in the kiwifruit juice during the 28 days of storage (4 °C), demonstrating the effectiveness of this delivery system for high-value bioactives (i.e., catechins) from such a by-product (i.e., green tea waste). Full article

With the growing popularity of the concept of healthy diet, modern obesity treatment is gradually shifting from surgical or pharmacological treatment to nutritional intervention. As a safe and effective measure, natural product interventions are a potential strategy of obesity management. The present study aimed to develop a kind of functional food rich in bioactive compounds (chenpi, kiwifruit, and pectin as raw materials) and investigate their bioactive effects on a mouse model. For development of functional kiwifruit jelly with chenpi (FKJ), the results of single-factor and response surface experiments showed that the optimized formulation was composed of a 30.26% addition of chenpi, 35% addition of kiwifruit juice, and 2.88% addition of pectin. The FKJ obtained with the optimal formulation could be used as a 3D printing raw material to print the desired food shapes successfully. For bioactivity evaluation of FKJ, the results with a mouse model showed that the food intake, liver weight, and adipose tissue weight were significantly decreased after administration of FKJ with dose-dependent effect compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the serum levels of several inflammatory factors (TG, IL-6, and TNF-α) were decreased and the activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes (SOD, GSH-PX, and CAT) were increased. In short, a functional kiwifruit jelly with chenpi was developed in this study. It is a functional snack food rich in active phenolic compounds, low in calories, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and prevents fat accumulation. FKJ could well meet the needs of modern people for nutrition and health and also promote the processing and utilization of natural products, and has good development prospects in the functional food industry. Full article

Kiwifruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and other functional components, and it has long been used as a functional food to treat intestinal ailments such as constipation. The current research made full use of the kiwifruit, the juice was prepared by microencapsulation, and the dietary fiber in kiwifruit pomace was modified by enzymatic hydrolysis and grinding, then, the two were mixed to obtain an ultra-micro kiwifruit powder (UKP). In addition, the laxative effect of the UKP was verified by a diphenoxylate induced constipated mice model. The results demonstrated that compared with the raw samples, the retention rate of vitamin C, lutein and catechin in UKP were 83.3%, 81.9% and 88.3%, respectively, thus effectively avoiding the loss of functional components during the processing of kiwifruit. Moreover, α-amylase, protease and the ball milling process effectively reduced the size of dietary fiber in kiwifruit pomace, and its water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC) and swelling capacity (SWC) were enhanced by 1.26, 1.65 and 1.10 times, respectively. Furthermore, to analyze the laxative effect of the UKP, a constipation mice model was established by diphenoxylate treatment (5 mg·kg⁻¹, i.g.) for the last week, with or without UKP supplementation (2.4 g·kg⁻¹ B.W. per day) for 4 weeks. The results demonstrated that UKP significantly increased feces condition (fecal output and dejecta moisture content, gut transit (the intestinal propulsion rates) and substance P (SP) levels in portal vein plasma, and it decreased the whole gut transit time and mucinogen granules secreted by goblet cell in constipated mice. Full article

This narrative review explores the relationship between sleep and nutrition. Various nutritional interventions have been shown to improve sleep including high carbohydrate, high glycaemic index evening meals, melatonin, tryptophan rich protein, tart cherry juice, kiwifruit and micronutrients. Sleep disturbances and short sleep duration are behavioural risk factors for inflammation, associated with increased risk of illness and disease, which can be modified to promote sleep health. For sleep to have a restorative effect on the body, it must be of adequate duration and quality; particularly for athletes whose physical and mental recovery needs may be greater due to the high physiological and psychological demands placed on them during training and competition. Sleep has been shown to have a restorative effect on the immune system, the endocrine system, facilitate the recovery of the nervous system and metabolic cost of the waking state and has an integral role in learning, memory and synaptic plasticity, all of which can impact both athletic recovery and performance. Functional food-based interventions designed to enhance sleep quality and quantity or promote general health, sleep health, training adaptations and/or recovery warrant further investigation. Full article