Search Results (3,564)

Pteridium aquilinum is a globally distributed plant species, highly adaptable to various environments and historically significant as a food source for both animals and humans. This study evaluated the in vivo effects of aqueous extracts from Pteridium aquilinum rhizomes and freeze-dried fiddleheads in a transgenic mouse model of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-induced cancer. Rhizome extract was administered in drinking water at concentrations of 0.0125, 0.025, and 0.05 g/mL for 28 days across six experimental groups (n = 5): G1 (wild-type, control), G2 (wild-type, 0.05 g/mL), G3 (HPV, control), G4 (HPV, 0.0125 g/mL), G5 (HPV, 0.025 g/mL), and G6 (HPV, 0.05 g/mL). Freeze-dried fiddleheads were incorporated into the diet at concentrations of 12.5%, 25%, and 50%, also using six groups (n = 5). Humane endpoints, body weight, and food and water consumption were monitored weekly. The rhizome extract was associated with more pronounced biological effects compared to fiddleheads, particularly at the histological and molecular levels. Conversely, freeze-dried fiddleheads were better tolerated. The results indicate that rhizomes were associated with great biological impact under the present experimental conditions, particularly in HPV16 transgenic mice, highlighting a potential synergistic effect with HPV. The potential risks associated with Pteridium aquilinum consumption, as well as preparation methods, should be carefully considered, even for rhizomes which are often regarded as less harmful than other plant parts. Full article

Background/Objectives: Evidence on the associations between adherence to different plant-based diet indices and depression in young adults remains limited. This study aimed to analyze the associations of overall, healthy, and unhealthy plant-based diet indices with depressive symptoms in university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with self-reported data from university students in Cuenca, Spain. Adherence to the overall plant-based diet index (PDI) and to the healthy (hPDI) and unhealthy (uPDI) plant-based diet indices were calculated using data from a 137-item food-frequency questionnaire. Mild-to-severe depression was defined as a Beck Depression Inventory II score > 13 points. Linear and logistic regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related confounders. Results: A total of 392 students (mean age: 20.9 ± 2.4 years; 70.4% female) were included. The prevalence of mild-to-severe depression was 36.0%. Higher hPDI and overall PDI scores were associated with lower depressive symptom scores, whereas uPDI scores showed a positive but non-significant association after full adjustment. In logistic regression analyses, high adherence to the hPDI was associated with lower odds of mild-to-severe depression (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.28–0.95; p-for-trend = 0.030). In contrast, higher uPDI adherence was associated with greater odds of depression, although the association was attenuated after adjustment for lifestyle-related variables. Conclusions: Greater adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with lower depressive symptoms and lower odds of mild-to-severe depression among university students. These findings highlight the importance of plant food quality, rather than plant-based diets per se, in relation to depression in young adults. Full article

Background/Objectives: Red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic properties. This study evaluated the effects of two beetroot cultivars (Boldor and Wodan) on blood serum parameters, body composition, and organ weights in male WKY rats fed a low-protein diet (LPD, 8.8% protein). Methods: Five-week-old male rats were maintained on an LPD for 8 weeks and subsequently continued on the LPD diet supplemented with 4% dried beetroot for 45 days. The experimental diets included beetroot from the Boldor and Wodan cultivars, either treated or untreated with a plant growth stimulator during cultivation. Results: Foliar application of the selenium-based plant growth stimulator did not significantly increase selenium or other element concentrations in beet roots. Elemental analysis showed higher levels of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, As, Cd, and Sb in the Wodan group, while Boldor increased Cr, Pb, and As; Ni and Se remained unchanged. Beetroot supplementation significantly affected 14 of the 30 measured biochemical parameters, including biomarkers of liver function (ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, albumin, and total protein), renal function (uric acid), pancreatic activity (amylase and lipase), electrolyte balance (sodium, potassium, and chloride), mineral metabolism (calcium), inflammatory status (CRP), and nutritional metabolism (iron). Conversely, no significant effects were observed on lipid profile parameters or biomarkers of cardiac and skeletal muscle injury. Among the beetroot cultivars evaluated, Wodan exerted distinct effects relative to Boldor, resulting in higher circulating total bilirubin and potassium concentrations, alongside reduced uric acid and lipase levels in treated rats. Boldor supplementation significantly increased body weight gain and fat mass, with a trend toward higher lean mass, and increased kidney weight. Wodan did not significantly affect body weight but increased kidney and spleen mass. Feed intake was similar across groups. No changes in cardiovascular function were observed ex vivo. Conclusions: Beetroot supplementation modulated multiple metabolic and physiological biomarkers in rats fed a low-protein diet, with distinct cultivar-specific effects, underscoring the importance of cultivar selection for optimizing functional dietary interventions. Full article

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, lipotoxicity, dysregulated adipogenesis, and alterations in the gut microbiota, which collectively contribute to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic complications. In this context, dietary patterns rich in bioactive compounds have gained relevance as potential strategies to modulate these interconnected pathways. Objective: To assess the potential of the Milpa Diet (a sustainable, plant-dominant Mesoamerican eating pattern centered on the ancient three sisters’ polyculture of maize, beans, and squash, along with chili) as a culturally relevant, multi-axis functional dietary pattern, and to evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity-associated with metabolic dysfunction. Methods: A scoping review of preclinical and clinical studies was conducted using Medline via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The ChEMBL database was also used to identify chemical structures. The search focused on evidence related to inflammation, oxidative stress, adipogenesis, lipotoxicity, mitochondrial function, and gut microbiota modulation in the context of the main foods of the Milpa Diet, including maize, legumes, chili peppers, nopal, and quelites. Studies were selected based on peer-review status and their relevance to molecular, metabolic, and functional outcomes. Results: The current evidence shows that the core components of the Milpa Diet provide dietary fiber and a broad range of bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, capsaicinoids, phenolic acids, pigments, and vitamins, which exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These compounds have been associated with modulation of adipogenesis and lipotoxicity, preservation of mitochondrial function, and favorable regulation of gut microbiota composition and activity, collectively influencing metabolic pathways relevant to obesity. Conclusions: Overall, mechanistic and emerging clinical evidence suggests that the Milpa Diet represents a multi-axis nutritional strategy with potential to mitigate obesity-related metabolic dysfunction through coordinated effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, adipogenesis, lipotoxicity, mitochondrial function, and gut microbiota regulation. Although comprehensive clinical trials evaluating this dietary pattern as an integrated intervention remain limited, current evidence supports its relevance for future translational research, public health strategies, and the development of sustainable dietary models aimed at improving metabolic health. Full article

The gut microbiota and its metabolites, as components of the gut–bone axis, play a pivotal role in regulating skeletal homeostasis through the bidirectional communication network. In this systematic review, evidence was collected from mainstream databases following standardized inclusion/exclusion criteria for screening, to comprehensively retrieve and screen eligible studies from multiple mainstream databases according to standardized inclusion and exclusion criteria, and systematically summarize current research progress on plant-derived bioactive compounds targeting the gut–bone axis for skeletal health regulation. This review systematically explores the underlying mechanisms of the gut–bone axis and critically evaluates the regulatory effects and therapeutic potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds. Particular attention is given to targeted interventions involving prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and plant-rich diets or functional foods. Among these interventions, synbiotics represent the most successful strategy and show the most prominent therapeutic possibilities in bone-related disorders. Different from single prebiotics (only nourish endogenous intestinal microbes), individual probiotics (easy to be degraded in gastrointestinal tract with poor colonization) and ordinary plant-rich diets (unfixed effective dosage and weak targeting property), synbiotics combine prebiotic carriers and viable probiotic strains to produce complementary advantages, which is the core reason for its outstanding therapeutic prospect against bone diseases. Synbiotics exert synergistic effects on gut microecology, mineral absorption, and immune regulation, leading to more robust and consistent improvements in bone health than single prebiotics, probiotics, or general plant-rich diets. They have been verified in preclinical and clinical studies to ameliorate osteoporosis and related skeletal diseases via the gut–bone axis. These strategies offer novel insights into the prevention and treatment of bone metabolic disorders, such as osteoporosis, by targeting the gut–bone axis with phytochemicals. Key outcomes of this review include that synbiotics, soy isoflavones, naringin, curcumin, and resveratrol effectively improve bone mineral density, restore gut microbiota balance, and inhibit pathological bone resorption via the gut–bone axis. Collectively, the above bioactive substances realize bone protection mainly by reshaping gut flora, elevating mineral uptake and suppressing excessive osteoclast activity. Representative cases include soy isoflavones mitigating estrogen-deficient bone loss in OVX models, naringin improving the trabecular microarchitecture, and probiotic BL-11 promoting longitudinal bone growth in children. Future directions will focus on clarifying dose–response relationships, developing standardized synbiotic formulations, constructing microbiome-guided precision diets, and conducting large-sample randomized controlled trials to translate plant-derived compounds into clinical therapies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutrition plays a core role in chronic disease management, and there is growing interest in the health impact of plant-based diets (PBDs) in people with overweight or obesity. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence on the health effect of PBDs compared to omnivorous diets in overweight or obese individuals. Methods: We searched the databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception to 3 January 2024. Two review authors independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, evaluated the risk of bias, and rated the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021225525. We used random-effects meta-analysis to analyze data. Results: Of 2664 records identified, 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and six ongoing studies met the inclusion criteria. The available evidence suggests little to no difference between plant-based and omnivorous diets for body weight, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, serum glucose, serum insulin, insulin sensitivity, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and body fat mass. Plant-based diets may slightly reduce LDL cholesterol. They may also reduce BMI and HbA1c, although the certainty of the evidence is very low. Longer-duration dietary interventions (14 weeks or more) showed greater improvements in BMI, LDL cholesterol and HbA1c. Conclusions: Plant-based diets may represent a dietary option for people with overweight or obesity and may support modest improvements in selected cardiometabolic outcomes, although the available evidence is limited and uncertain. Most outcomes showed little or no difference between PBDs and comparison diets, while the observed effects on BMI and HbA1c were supported by very low certainty evidence. Full article

This study identified δ¹⁵N stable isotope ratios as a robust tracer for fishmeal inclusion in aquaculture feeds. δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values from fish muscle samples derived from feeding trials with seven species (n = 3–5 fish per diet group) were evaluated (+/−0.1‰ for both δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C; ~1% relative to % N and % C) to verify whether the presence or absence of fishmeal (FM) in feeds could be detected. C and N isotopic data were also analyzed for feed in two of the trials. δ¹³C signatures did not differ consistently across diet groups for each species examined, with mean δ¹³C values for all species investigated being −20.2‰ ± 1.3. In contrast, a strong δ¹⁵N distinction was discerned between FM- and non-FM-fed fish for both muscle and feed samples, with FM-fed groups presenting higher values (p < 0.01) than non-FM-fed groups (range 0.8 to 9.5‰). Dietary ingredients other than FM (e.g., fish oil and algal oil) did not impact the δ¹⁵N isotopic fingerprint, although the addition of poultry byproduct meal to plant-based salmon diets caused an average 0.3‰ difference in δ¹⁵N values. The findings are not absolute as CN isotopes can be used to detect large but not small differences in feed components. Additional research on threshold levels, ingredient sourcing, and species differences is warranted to refine the method to enhance industry transparency and seafood consumer confidence. Full article

Dietary fibre (DF) and bioactive compounds (BCs) are essential components of a healthy diet and are abundant in plant-rich dietary patterns. Increasing evidence demonstrates that their combined and synergistic actions significantly influence human health, largely through their effects on the gut microbiota. This review highlights the need for more precise terminology regarding DF and BCs, as inconsistent use of these terms can create confusion among both consumers and researchers. The DF complex encompasses all non-digestible food components that have a positive effect on human health, together with the BCs associated with them, recognising that DF often serves as a carrier for these compounds throughout the digestive tract. Although recommended intakes for BCs have not been established, intake levels observed in populations adhering to healthy dietary patterns may serve as useful reference points. Updated data on the intake and estimated intestinal bioaccessibility of polyphenolic compounds in the contemporary Spanish diet are presented. Full article

Background/Objectives: More than half of all pregnant women in the United States exceed gestational weight gain (GWG) recommendations, which is associated with negative maternal and child health outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between prenatal diet quality, measured with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2020, and odds of excessive GWG among a predominantly Latina sample living in the US. Methods: This was a secondary data analysis from a longitudinal study and included 118 pregnant women between the ages of 18 and 45. Logistic regression models were used to investigate if higher scores of the HEI components were associated with a reduced risk for excessive GWG. Results: About 17% of the sample was classified with inadequate GWG, 22% with adequate GWG, and 61% with excessive GWG. The mean total HEI score for the total sample was 54.1 out of 100. (Higher total HEI scores suggest better dietary quality.) When compared with the scores of the inadequate and excessive GWG groups, the adequate GWG group had significantly higher total HEI scores (58.4) (p < 0.05), as well as specific HEI component scores: Greens and Beans (3.5) and Seafood and Plant Proteins (3.5) (p < 0.01). A higher score on these HEI components was associated with a lower risk of excessive GWG. Conclusions: Meeting the recommended daily servings of greens and beans, as well as seafood and plant proteins, may help reduce the risk of excessive GWG. Full article

Growing concerns about health and sustainability have increased interest in meat consumption and reduction. Emotions evoked during the consumption of meat and plant-based alternatives can significantly shape choices. This review examines theoretical and empirical evidence on emotions experienced during the consumption of meat and plant-based alternatives. Drawing on practice theory and the theory of constructed emotion, it proposes a mechanism through which emotions evoked during consumption influence subsequent decisions to consume or reduce meat. This narrative review first defines emotions and examines their role in meat consumption and reduction and then evaluates studies on emotions elicited by tasting meat and plant-based alternatives. The findings suggest that discussions around meat consumption evoke emotions of both positive and negative valence, which may create cognitive dissonance. However, during actual meat consumption, emotions of positive valence are most commonly reported. In contrast, plant-based alternatives tend to elicit emotions of negative valence, particularly when their sensory characteristics differ substantially from those of meat. This review hypothesises that emotions experienced during meat consumption generate prediction errors that update the brain’s internal model, thereby reinforcing or adjusting subsequent attitudes and choices. This mechanism is conceptualised as the Consumption-Emotion-Update (CEU) framework. Understanding how consumption-evoked emotions shape food choice behaviour may inform strategies aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable diets. Full article

Sleep and dietary behavior are deeply conserved biological processes that co-evolved under ecological pressures shaping human anatomy, metabolism, immunity, cognition, and life history strategies. Major transitions in human dietary ecology, including plant-dominant hominin foraging, increased meat consumption, control of fire and cooking, agricultural domestication, industrialization, and postindustrial globalization, restructured nutrient intake, pathogen exposure, microbial ecology, metabolic demands, and temporal organization of behavior. Emerging evidence from evolutionary genomics, chronobiology, neuroendocrinology, and microbiome science indicates that sleep–feeding interactions represent a conserved adaptive regulatory module optimized for fluctuating energy availability and strong photoperiodic entrainment. Modern environments characterized by widespread availability of highly palatable, energy-dense foods rich in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and multiple industrial additives, together with artificial light at night, continuous caloric access, sedentary behavior, and psychosocial stress produce a profound evolutionary mismatch destabilizing circadian–metabolic homeostasis. This mismatch is characterized by circadian disruption, temporal misalignment of feeding and sleep behaviors, and, in many populations, insufficient sleep duration. Within this conceptual landscape, the emerging framework of “evolutionary chrononutrition” proposes that metabolic health and sleep integrity depend not only on what humans eat, but critically on when food is consumed in relation to endogenous circadian architecture shaped across deep evolutionary time. This review synthesizes anthropological, physiological, and molecular evidence to develop an integrative evolutionary framework linking sleep and diet to contemporary cardiometabolic, neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and psychiatric disorders, with particular emphasis on how each major dietary transition plausibly altered sleep duration, architecture, circadian timing, neuroendocrine regulation, and the temporal alignment between feeding behavior and biological rhythms. Full article

Background: Foods containing essential elements are important to human health. There is concern regarding micronutrient deficiency in the African population, and there is a need to identify foods that can address this public health issue. This study focuses on the determination of essential elements (EEs) in four African food categories: plant-based agricultural products (PBAPs), spices (SPs), fishery products (FPs), and non-food items/additives (NFAs) on sale in the UK market. Methods: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for measuring trace essential elements (TEEs—Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) and major essential elements (MEEs—Na, Mg, K, Ca) in the four categories of the African foods. Results: Mean concentrations (µg/g) for the TEEs were Cu 5.3, 7.3, 23.5, and 7.4; Fe 79.0, 263, 107.7, and 1311.3; Mn 23.4, 28.5, 15.9, and 47.4; Se 0.3, 0.1, 1.6, and 0.6; Zn 8.9, 11.4, 26.8, and 6.2 (PBAPs, SPs, FPs, NFAs, respectively). Mean concentrations of the MEEs (mg/g) were Na 0.6, 11.2, 13.3, and 32.9; Mg 1.6, 1.9, 2.4, and 5.5; K 9.2, 14.6, 9.6, and 8.3; Ca 4.1, 3.3, 27.5, and 127.8. All elements were below the upper intake limits (ULs) established by WHO/EFSA. When expressed as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (%RDA) for adult males/females, 100% or more of the requirement was achieved for Cu (107.1%) and Ca (112.8%) in FPs. Excess index (EI), hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values for all TEEs were <1, indicating there is no non-cancerogenic health concern across all food categories. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that African foods available in the UK are substantial sources of essential micronutrients. The fishery products contain high levels of nutrients that are often deficient in African diets. However, before recommending these foods for nutritional interventions, a comprehensive risk–benefit assessment, considering potential toxic metal contamination and microbial hazards must be undertaken. Future studies should expand the sample pool to include a broader range of African foodstuffs and national representation, coupled with integrated risk-benefit analyses. Full article

Obesity has emerged as a significant global public health challenge, yet the clinical utility of existing anti-obesity drugs is often constrained by limited efficacy and adverse safety profiles. Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf., a traditional medicinal plant, has shown potential in modulating glucose and lipid metabolism; however, its specific anti-obesity mechanisms remain poorly characterized. In this study, the chemical profile of the 60% ethanol-eluted fraction of R. tanguticum (RTE) was characterized via UPLC-QTOF/MS, followed by network pharmacology analysis to predict regulatory targets and enriched pathways. Subsequently, a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model was established to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of RTE by monitoring body weight, Lee’s index, fat-to-body weight ratio, serum lipid profiles, and liver histopathological changes. A total of 14 major compounds, primarily anthraquinone glycosides, were identified. Integrated network analysis identified 10 hub targets, including TNF, EGFR, and TP53. In vivo experiments demonstrated that RTE significantly attenuated body weight gain and reduced Lee’s index, fat-to-body ratios, and serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C. Furthermore, RTE treatment markedly alleviated hepatic steatosis and inflammatory infiltration in obese mice. These findings suggest that RTE exerts potent anti-obesity effects through a multi-target and multi-pathway mechanism that regulates lipid metabolism and suppresses inflammation. This study improves our understanding of the pharmacological value of R. tanguticum and provides a scientific basis for its development as a functional food ingredient or therapeutic agent against obesity. Full article

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has emerged as a promising dietary strategy for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This narrative review provides a comprehensive synthesis linking the biological pathways of the MedDiet with established clinical evidence. Adherence to this traditional dietary pattern—characterized by a high intake of fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, and healthy fats—has demonstrated significant benefits in terms of glycemic control, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic health. Mechanistically, the review explains how the MedDiet improves health by modulating key physiological processes, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways, the regulation of branched-chain amino acid metabolism, the enhancement of short-chain fatty acid production via gut microbiota modulation, and upregulated incretin effects. Importantly, this review explains how the MedDiet complements modern medications, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. By integrating molecular mechanisms with human clinical outcomes, this narrative review addresses multiple aspects of the MedDiet in both the prevention and management of T2DM including glycemic control, weight management, and cardiovascular risk reduction, rendering it a valuable dietary strategy for both the prevention and treatment of this chronic condition. Full article

Understanding dietary patterns and trophic (food) resources partitioning among sympatric mesocarnivores is important for explaining species coexistence through niche differentiation and their roles in ecosystem functioning. We analyzed the feeding ecology and dietary overlap of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) and jungle cat (Felis chaus) using scat analysis in the Kuno–Chambal ravine landscape of central India. We collected a total of 117 scat samples (96 golden jackal, 21 jungle cat) between February 2024 and April 2025 and analyzed them using micro-histological methods to quantify prey composition, frequency of occurrence, and relative biomass. We identified twenty-three prey items from the golden jackal diet. The golden jackal exhibited a generalist feeding strategy characterized by extensive use of livestock carrion (FO > 90%), contributing ~80% of prey biomass, and supplemented by plant resources (FO > 60%) and small prey (FO ~ 40%). The jungle cat consumed sixteen prey items and showed a strong dietary association with small mammals, particularly rodents (FO > 95%) and black-naped hare, which together contributed ~80% of its biomass. Standardized niche breadth was higher for the jungle cat (0.60 ± 0.07) than the golden jackal (0.37 ± 0.03), with a non-significant dietary overlap (Pianka index = 0.45). The high diversity of rodents (n = 11) in the diet of both mesocarnivores suggested their ecological importance in regulating rodent populations and golden jackals, enhancing ecosystem cleaning through their scavenging activity. Full article