Effects of acute intake of grape/pomegranate pomace dietary supplement on glucose metabolism and oxidative stress in adults with abdominal obesity.

A controlled acute, cross-over clinical study (NCT02710461) was performed in order to evaluate the effects on glucose metabolism of a grape/pomegranate pomace dietary supplement in subjects with abdominal obesity (aged 40-60, n = 20). A standard 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was administered alone, together with or 10 h after the consumption of 10 g of the dietary supplement, rich in both extractable (0.4 g) and non-extractable (1.4 g) polyphenols. The dietary supplement did not ameliorate glucose or insulin at any sampling time. No improvement in antioxidant capacity was observed in plasma or urine, concordant with no increased urine polyphenol excretion. A tendency towards improved insulin sensitivity was observed when the product was consumed 10 h before glucose solution. These results suggest that a single realistic dose of grape/pomegranate pomace is not able to clearly improve glucose metabolism; chronic intake remains to be evaluated.

Obtainment and characterization of a potential functional ingredient from olive.

Current olive oil production methods generate huge amounts of polluting waste, containing most of the health-related compounds in olive. Here, a new product is obtained from olive after pitting, drying and oil extraction, without generating waste. Its characterization showed the presence, within a single matrix, of more than 90% of the polyphenols present in olive, including hydroyxtyrosols (commonly not transferred to olive oil), dietary fiber, oleic acid and polyalcohols. This product is a potential new functional ingredient, consumption of which may lead to additive and/or synergic activities among its constituents; some of which already have approved health claims. Additionally, the olive oil obtained exhibits profiles of fatty acids and phenolic compounds similar to those of commercial olive oil. The procurement of this potential functional ingredient may represent a new approach to the revalorization of olive that additionally decreases waste.

Contribution of Macromolecular Antioxidants to Dietary Antioxidant Capacity: A Study in the Spanish Mediterranean Diet.

Epidemiological and clinical studies show that diets with a high antioxidant capacity, such us those rich in plant food and beverages, are associated with significant decreases in the overall risk of cardiovascular disease or colorectal cancer. Current studies on dietary antioxidants and dietary antioxidant capacity focus exclusively on low molecular weight or soluble antioxidants (vitamins C and E, phenolic compounds and carotenoids), ignoring macromolecular antioxidants. These are polymeric phenolic compounds or polyphenols and carotenoids linked to plant food macromolecules that yield bioavailable metabolites by the action of the microbiota with significant effects either local and/or systemic after absorption. This study determined the antioxidant capacity of the Spanish Mediterranean diet including for the first time both soluble and macromolecular antioxidants. Antioxidant capacity and consumption data of the 54 most consumed plant foods and beverages were used. Results showed that macromolecular antioxidants are the major dietary antioxidants, contributing a 61% to the diet antioxidant capacity (8000 µmol Trolox, determined by ABTS method). The antioxidant capacity data for foods and beverages provided here may be used to estimate the dietary antioxidant capacity in different populations, where similar contributions of macromolecular antioxidants may be expected, and also to design antioxidant-rich diets. Including macromolecular antioxidants in mechanistic, intervention and observational studies on dietary antioxidants may contribute to a better understanding of the role of antioxidants in nutrition and health.

Regular consumption of an antioxidant-rich juice improves oxidative status and causes metabolome changes in healthy adults.

An improvement in oxidative status is associated with a reduction in the incidence of several chronic diseases. However, daily intake of antioxidants in Western diets is decreasing. This study evaluates the effect of daily consumption of an antioxidant-rich juice (ARJ) on oxidative status, cardiovascular disease risk parameters, and untargeted plasma and urine metabolomes. Twenty-eight healthy young adults participated in an 8-week clinical trial by drinking 200 mL of ARJ (pomegranate and grape) daily. At the end of the study, the subjects showed a significant decrease (-29%) in plasma lipid oxidation (malondialdehyde concentration), and a significant increase (+115%) in plasma antioxidant capacity. Plasma and urine metabolomes were also significantly modified and some ions modified in urine were identified, including metabolites of polyphenols, ascorbic acid and biliary acids. No significant changes were observed in lipid profile, inflammation, blood pressure or glycaemia. These results show that incorporating antioxidant-rich beverages into common diets may improve oxidative status in healthy subjects.

Grape antioxidant dietary fiber inhibits intestinal polyposis in ApcMin/+ mice: relation to cell cycle and immune response.

Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that fiber and phenolic compounds might have a protective effect on the development of colon cancer in humans. Accordingly, we assessed the chemopreventive efficacy and associated mechanisms of action of a lyophilized red grape pomace containing proanthocyanidin (PA)-rich dietary fiber [grape antioxidant dietary fiber (GADF)] on spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis in the Apc(Min/+) mouse model. Mice were fed a standard diet (control group) or a 1% (w/w) GADF-supplemented diet (GADF group) for 6 weeks. GADF supplementation greatly reduced intestinal tumorigenesis, significantly decreasing the total number of polyps by 76%. Moreover, size distribution analysis showed a considerable reduction in all polyp size categories [diameter <1mm (65%), 1-2mm (67%) and >2mm (87%)]. In terms of polyp formation in the proximal, middle and distal portions of the small intestine, a decrease of 76, 81 and 73% was observed, respectively. Putative molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibition of intestinal tumorigenesis were investigated by comparison of microarray expression profiles of GADF-treated and non-treated mice. We observed that the effects of GADF are mainly associated with the induction of a G1 cell cycle arrest and the downregulation of genes related to the immune response and inflammation. Our findings show for the first time the efficacy and associated mechanisms of action of GADF against intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice, suggesting its potential for the prevention of colorectal cancer.

Non-extractable polyphenols, a major dietary antioxidant: occurrence, metabolic fate and health effects.

Current research on dietary antioxidants misses the so-called non-extractable polyphenols (NEPP), which are not significantly released from the food matrix either by mastication, acid pH in the stomach or action of digestive enzymes, reaching the colon nearly intact. NEPP, not detected by the usual analytical procedures, are made up of macromolecules and single phenolic compounds associated with macromolecules. Therefore, NEPP are not included in food and dietary intake data nor in bioavailability, intervention or observational studies. The present paper aims to provide an overview of dietary NEPP - nature, occurrence in diet, metabolic fate and possible health effects. NEPP are a relevant fraction of dietary polyphenols exerting their main biological action in the colon, where they are extensively fermented by the action of microbiota, giving place to absorbable metabolites. NEPP exhibit different potential health-related properties, in particular in relation to gastrointestinal health, such as increases in antioxidant and antiproliferative capacities, reduction of intestinal tumorigenesis and modification of gene expression, as observed in different animal models. Further research into NEPP may provide a better understanding of the health effects of dietary antioxidants.

Improved procedure to determine non-extractable polymeric proanthocyanidins in plant foods.

Proanthocyanidins (PA) or condensed tannins, a major group of oligomeric and polymeric dietary polyphenols, have an essential role on the organoleptic and health-related properties of plant foods. Their content is usually determined by HPLC analysis of aqueous-organic extracts. However, appreciable amounts of polymeric PA that remain in the residues of extraction usually are not considered for the analysis. A complete quantification of PA requires an additional determination of these non-extractable PA (NEPA). The objective of this work was to develop a new procedure to determine the content of NEPA, based in depolymerization by butanolysis, which yields anthocyanidin monomers and xanthylium compounds. Samples and standard are treated with butanol/HCl with FeCl3 (100 °C, 60 min), and absorbances at 555 nm (anthocyanidins) and 450 nm (xanthylium compounds) are measured in the hydrolysates. NEPA content determined in some plant foods suggests that procedures based just on anthocyanidin concentration overestimate the actual content.

Beverages have an appreciable contribution to the intake of soluble dietary fibre: a study in the Spanish diet.

Beverages are generally not taken into account to determine the intakes of dietary fibre (DF) in diets. Soluble dietary fibre (SDF) content was determined in common alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - ranging from 0.18 g/l in white wine to 9.01 g/l in instant coffee - and their contribution to the DF intake in the Spanish Mediterranean diet was estimated as 2.13 g/person/day. It is concluded that beverages provide an appreciable amount of SDF in the diet, and the omission of its contribution may lead to underestimate DF intakes.

Definition of the Mediterranean diet based on bioactive compounds.

Antioxidant (polyphenols and carotenoids) and nonantioxidant (phytosterols) bioactive compounds and dietary fiber may have a significant role in health. The intake of these compounds is strongly linked with the high consumption of fruits, vegetables, and unrefined cereals. A whole-diet approach to these food constituents is intended to render the current definition of Mediterranean diet based on food consumption more comprehensive. The Mediterranean dietary pattern can be characterized by the following four essential dietary indicators: 1) Monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (range: 1.6 to 2.0); 2) Intake of dietary fiber (41 to 62 g/person/day); 3) Antioxidant capacity of the whole diet (3500 to 5300 trolox equivalent/person/day); 4) Phytosterols intake (370 to 555 mg/person/day). The contribution of foods and beverages to these parameters is described. Spanish National Food Consumption Data for the years 2000 and 1964 were used to quantify the lowest and highest range values. The occurrence of these indicators in the Mediterranean diet has specific characteristics and there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the beneficial health effects.

Dietary fiber and antioxidant capacity in Fucus vesiculosus products.

Several nutraceutical products have been developed from Fucus vesiculosus, a brown edible seaweed, rich in dietary fiber and polyphenolic antioxidants (phlorotannins). The aim of this work was to compare the antioxidant capacity and polysaccharide composition of raw Fucus with those of some common commercial nutraceuticals. All tested products contained a high percentage of dietary fiber (45-59%), raw Fucus powder being the sample with the highest content. Also, raw Fucus powder exhibited significantly higher antioxidant capacity (determined by FRAP, ABTS and ORAC assays) than the commercial fucoidans and commercial antioxidant extracts. Polyphenols (phlorotannins) seem to be the main contributors to Fucus' antioxidant capacity in both raw powder and commercial fucoidans.

Bioavailability of phenolic antioxidants associated with dietary fiber: plasma antioxidant capacity after acute and long-term intake in humans.

Most studies on bioavailability of phenolic antioxidants are focused in foods and beverages in which they may be easily released from the food matrix, reaching a peak in plasma antioxidant capacity 1-2 h after the intake. However, plant foods contain significant amounts of polyphenols associated with dietary fiber. The aim of the present work was to seek the bioavailability of total phenolic antioxidants associated with dietary fiber by measuring plasma antioxidant capacity in human volunteers. An acute intake of 15 g of a dietary fiber rich in associated phenolic antioxidants in healthy volunteers (n = 10) increased antioxidant capacity of plasma in relation to a control group (n = 4), becoming significant 8 h after the intake. This shows that phenolic antioxidants associated with dietary fiber are at least partially bioavailable in humans, although dietary fiber appears to delay their absorption. No significant changes were observed after long-term intake (16 weeks, 34 subjects).

Effects of grape antioxidant dietary fiber in cardiovascular disease risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of a grape product rich in dietary fiber and natural antioxidants on cardiovascular disease risk factors. METHODS: A randomized, controlled parallel-group trial was carried out. Thirty-four non-smoking (21 normocholesterolemic and 13 hypercholesterolemic) adults were supplemented for 16 wk with 7.5 g/d of grape antioxidant dietary fiber, a natural product containing 5.25 g of dietary fiber and 1400 mg of polyphenols. Nine non-supplemented non-smokers were followed as a control group. Fasting blood samples, blood pressure, and anthropometric readings were obtained at baseline and at week 16. Subjects were allowed to consume their regular diet, which was monitored weekly. RESULTS: Grape antioxidant dietary fiber (7.5 g/d) reduced significantly (P < 0.05) total cholesterol (9%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (9%), and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (6% and 5% respectively). Greater reductions in total cholesterol (14.2%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (11.6%, P < 0.05) were observed in hypercholesterolemic subjects. No changes were observed in the control group. There was a reduction of 2.5 points in the Framingham Global Risk Score in the supplemented group. A significant reduction in triacylglycerol concentration took place in the supplemented hypercholesterolemic subjects (18.6%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Grape antioxidant dietary fiber showed significant reducing effects in lipid profile and blood pressure. The effects appear to be higher than the ones caused by other dietary fibers, such as oat fiber or psyllium, probably due to the combined effect of dietary fiber and antioxidants.

Grape products and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Many in vivo trials have evaluated the effects of grape products on different CVD risk factors. Most published studies have dealt with some specific aspects of mechanisms of grape flavonoid action or have focused only on one product, such as wine. The aim of the present paper is to review trials dealing with grape products and CVD published during the last 13 years (seventy-five trials). Polyphenols, alcohol and dietary fibre are the main constituents of the tested products. In animal and human studies, grape products have been shown to produce hypotensive, hypolipidaemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and also to improve antioxidant status as measured in terms of plasma antioxidant capacity, oxidation biomarkers, antioxidant compounds or antioxidant enzymes. Differences in the design of the studies and in the composition of the tested products (not always provided) could explain the different results of these studies.

Comparison between free radical scavenging capacity and oxidative stability of nut oils.

Several works have measured free radical scavenging capacity of nut oils, since they may become a significant source of dietary fat. However, they have not considered kinetic parameters, what was the first aim of this work. Also, it was studied the possible relation between values of free radical scavenging capacity DPPH and oxidative stability (Rancimat method) in different nut (hazelnut, peanut, pistachio, walnut and almond) oils. The ranking of antioxidant capacity of nut oils, by both assays, was: pistachio>hazelnut>walnut>almond>peanut. A significant correlation was found between DPPH and Rancimat methods assays. Tocopherols appear to be the responsible compounds of this antioxidant capacity being neglictible the contribution of polyphenols. An interference effect of phospholipids, present in methanolic fraction of nut oils, was observed in the determination of polyphenols in nut oils by Folin and ortho-diphenols assays.

Fruit peels as sources of non-extractable polyphenols or macromolecular antioxidants: Analysis and nutritional implications.

Despite increasing interest in the relevance of non-extractable polyphenols (NEPP) or macromolecular antioxidants as food bioactive compounds, most studies on their presence in foods focus mainly on the edible part of specific fruits, but their potential presence in fruit peels is usually ignored. The aim of this study was to evaluate NEPP content in the peels from ten common fruits. The results showed that NEPP made up more than half of the total polyphenol contents in half of the studied samples. HPLC analysis showed that NEPP were constituted by phenolic acids, flavanols and flavonols. Also, it was found that peels accounted for >40% of total NEPP in the fruit in four of the samples analysed. These results should encourage both the use of fruit peels in the fruit industry as ingredients and the consumption of whole fruits given the significant presence of NEPP in fruit peels.

Comprehensive Characterization of Extractable and Nonextractable Phenolic Compounds by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight of a Grape/Pomegranate Pomace Dietary Supplement.

Grape and pomegranate are rich sources of phenolic compounds, and their derived products could be used as ingredients for the development of functional foods and dietary supplements. However, the profile of nonextractable or macromolecular phenolic compounds in these samples has not been evaluated. Here, we show a comprehensive characterization of extractable and nonextractable phenolic compounds of a grape/pomegranate pomace dietary supplement using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight (HPLC-ESI-QTOF) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-TOF techniques. The main extractable phenolic compounds were several anthocyanins (principally malvidin 3-O-glucoside) as well as gallotannins and gallagyl derivatives; some phenolic compounds were reported in grape or pomegranate for the first time. Additionally, there was a high proportion of nonextractable phenolic compounds, including vanillic acid, and dihydroxybenzoic acid. Unidentified polymeric structures were detected by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. This study shows that mixed grape and pomegranate pomaces are a source of different classes of phenolic compounds including a high proportion of nonextractable phenolic compounds.

A 6-week supplementation with grape pomace to subjects at cardiometabolic risk ameliorates insulin sensitivity, without affecting other metabolic syndrome markers.

Grape polyphenols have shown a promising role in the modulation of metabolic syndrome (MetS), mostly in animal models. However, clinical studies are scarce and they usually only consider a fraction of polyphenols, ignoring the non-extractable polyphenols (high molecular weight compounds or associated with macromolecules such as dietary fibre). This study aimed at evaluating the effect of grape pomace, rich in both extractable and non-extractable polyphenols, on markers of MetS. Fifty subjects (22 women) aged 20-65 with at least two MetS factors were randomly assigned to the product (daily dose of 8 g of dried grape pomace) or to the control group in a 6 week crossover design with a 4 week wash-out. Samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of both periods; half of the participants were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test at the beginning and the end of the supplementation period. Grape pomace supplementation significantly improved fasting insulinaemia (p < 0.01), without affecting other cardiometabolic risk parameters. A tendency towards an improvement in postprandial insulinaemia was observed, particularly in those subjects with higher fasting insulin levels. Therefore, supplementation with grape pomace may be a strategy for improving insulin sensitivity in subjects at high cardiometabolic risk.

Dietary fiber in brewed coffee.

Coffee beans are rich in nondigestible polysaccharides (dietary fiber), which may partially pass into brewed coffee; however, to the authors' knowledge, there is not enough literature on dietary fiber in brewed coffee. A specific method to determine dietary fiber in beverages (enzymatic treatment plus dialysis) was applied to the coffees brewed by the most common methods (espresso, filter, soluble); results showed that brewed coffee contained a significantly higher amount of soluble dietary fiber (0.47-0.75 g/100 mL of coffee) than other common beverages. Coffee dietary fiber contains a large amount of associated antioxidant phenolics (8.7-10.5 mg/100 mL of brewed coffee).

Dietary fiber intake in two European diets with high (copenhagen, Denmark) and low (Murcia, Spain) colorectal cancer incidence.

Contradictory results have been reported in studies associating dietary fiber (DF) intake and the incidence of colorectal cancer. Most studies focused mainly on the amount of total DF, but DF is a heterogeneous complex and its components are generally ignored. The aim of this work was to compare the amount and composition of DF intake in Murcia (Spain) and Copenhagen (Denmark). Total dietary fiber intake was a 31% higher in Murcia than in Copenhagen, the ratio of insoluble DF/soluble DF being similar in the two diets. DF in Murcia contains major amounts of nonstarch polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds, mainly derived from the high consumption of fruits and vegetables (6.7 servings). Resistant starch intake was of the same order in the two regions while resistant protein intake was higher in Murcia. The quantitative and qualitative differences in DF intake may contribute to understand the differences in colorectal cancer incidence in Mediterranean and Scandinavian areas.

Macromolecular Antioxidants and Dietary Fiber in Edible Seaweeds.

Seaweeds are rich in different bioactive compounds with potential uses in drugs, cosmetics and the food industry. The objective of this study was to analyze macromolecular antioxidants or nonextractable polyphenols, in several edible seaweed species collected in Chile (Gracilaria chilensis, Callophyllis concepcionensis, Macrocystis pyrifera, Scytosyphon lomentaria, Ulva sp. and Enteromorpha compressa), including their 1st HPLC characterization. Macromolecular antioxidants are commonly ignored in studies of bioactive compounds. They are associated with insoluble dietary fiber and exhibit significant biological activity, with specific features that are different from those of both dietary fiber and extractable polyphenols. We also evaluated extractable polyphenols and dietary fiber, given their relationship with macromolecular antioxidants. Our results show that macromolecular antioxidants are a major polyphenol fraction (averaging 42% to total polyphenol content), with hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids and flavonols being the main constituents. This fraction also showed remarkable antioxidant capacity, as determined by 2 complementary assays. The dietary fiber content was over 50% of dry weight, with some samples exhibiting the target proportionality between soluble and insoluble dietary fiber for adequate nutrition. Overall, our data show that seaweed could be an important source of commonly ignored macromolecular antioxidants.