Proximate composition and mineral content of spices increasingly employed in the Mediterranean diet.

The present study aimed to investigate the nutritional constituents of common market available spices in the United Arab Emirates. Seven commonly consumed spices namely, ginger (Zingiber officinale), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), black seed (Nigella sativa), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and saffron (Crocus sativus) were obtained from local markets. Proximate analyses were performed according to AOAC procedures. Assessment of major (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P and S) and minor (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) elements was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Findings revealed varying macronutrient, micronutrient and mineral contents which are highly valuable for dietary purposes. The present study demonstrates that these edible spices could be used for nutritional support, due to their micro and macronutrient contents.

Lifestyle Interventions for Prevention and Management of Diet-Linked Non-Communicable Diseases among Adults in Arab Countries.

The increased incidences of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases among adults are becoming the chief public health concern in most Arab countries. Economic expansion has contributed to a nutrition shift from a traditional seasonal diet to Westernized eating habits coupled with a sedentary lifestyle. Despite the rising concern for NCD mortality, public health policies are inadequately addressed. This narrative review aims to discuss the effectiveness of nutritional interventions focusing on diet and physical activity in the management of NCDs among Arab adults. A comprehensive literature search was performed using different database platforms such as Cochrane reviews, Scopus, and PubMed for articles published between 1 December 2012 and 31 December 2021. Fifteen recent research articles addressing NCDs, mainly diabetes and obesity, from different Arab countries were included in this review. Structured lifestyle interventions involving behavioral therapy approaches and personalized goals for diet and physical activity were found to improve specific health outcomes in most studies. Significant improvements in health outcomes were reported for longer-duration interventions with follow-ups. A combination of both online and face-to-face sessions was found to be effective. It is important to identify barriers to physical activity for a culturally acceptable lifestyle intervention and conduct further studies to evaluate interventions for the long-term maintenance of health outcomes.

The Role of Bioactive Compounds from Dietary Spices in the Management of Metabolic Syndrome: An Overview.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of physiologically dysregulated parameters that can include elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure, central obesity, increased triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, elevated low density lipoprotein levels, and reduced high density lipoprotein levels in the blood. Effective clinical management of MetS is critical as it is strongly associated with long lasting and fatal complications in patients. Alongside standard care of lifestyle changes and medication, dietary supplements derived from herbal resources could be an alternative therapeutic strategy that is safe, efficient, culturally acceptable, and has few side effects. Of the dietary supplements, spicy foods have always been considered a great source of functional bioactive compounds. Herbal therapy is broadly used in many countries as a treatment or as a preventive measure in the management of MetS risk factors, including blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. Herein, an attempt is made to evaluate the recent studies in the management of MetS with herbal alternatives, and to explore the possibility of their use as therapeutic treatments or supplements.