Search results for "Fruit"
showing 10 items of 859 documents
Inhibition of the mechanical activity of mouse ileum by cactus pear (Opuntia Ficus Indica, L, Mill.) fruit extract and its pigment indicaxanthin.
2010
We investigated, using an organ bath technique, the effects of a hydrophilic extract from Opuntia ficus indica fruit pulp (cactus fruit extract, CFE) on the motility of mouse ileum, and researched the extract component(s) responsible for the observed responses. CFE (10-320 mg of fresh fruit pulp equivalents/mL of organ bath) reduced dose-dependently the spontaneous contractions. This effect was unaffected by tetrodotoxin, a neuronal blocker, N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, a nitric oxide synthase blocker, tetraethylammonium, a potassium channel blocker, or atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist. CFE also reduced the contractions evoked by carbachol, without affecting the contrac…
Indicaxanthin from cactus pear fruit exerts anti-inflammatory effects in carrageenin-induced rat pleurisy.
2014
Nutritional research has shifted recently from alleviating nutrient deficiencies to chronic disease prevention. We investigated the activity of indicaxanthin, a bioavailable phytochemical of the betalain class from the edible fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica (L. Miller) in a rat model of acute inflammation. Rat pleurisy was achieved by injection of 0.2 mL of l-carrageenin in the pleural cavity, and rats were killed 4, 24, and 48 h later; exudates were collected to analyze inflammatory parameters, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1b (IL-1b), and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a); cells recruited in pleura were analyzed for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric …
Dietary intake and major food sources of polyphenols in a Spanish population at high cardiovascular risk: the PREDIMED study.
2013
[Background and aims]: Epidemiological data have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cardiovascular disease or overall mortality. A comprehensive estimation of individual polyphenol intake in nutritional cohorts is needed to gain a better understanding of this association. The aim of this study was to estimate the quantitative intake of polyphenols and the major dietary sources in the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) cohort using individual food consumption records. [Methods and results]: The PREDIMED study is a large, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, controlled 5-year feeding trial aimed at assessing the effects …
Factors Associated with Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Adolescents Living in Sicily, Southern Italy
2013
The present study aimed to examine the factors associated with increased Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence among a sample of Italian adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1135 students (13–16 years) attending 13 secondary schools of Sicily, southern Italy. Validated instruments were used for dietary assessment and the KIDMED score to assess adolescents’ adherence to the MD. A higher adherence to the MD was associated with high socioeconomic status (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.53, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–2.26) and high physical activity (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02–1.70), whereas lower adherence was associated with living in an urban environment (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.97) and b…
Seed-dispersal distributions by trumpeter hornbills in fragmented landscapes.
2010
Frugivorous birds provide important ecosystem services by transporting seeds of fleshy fruited plants. It has been assumed that seed-dispersal kernels generated by these animals are generally leptokurtic, resulting in little dispersal among habitat fragments. However, little is known about the seed-dispersal distribution generated by large frugivorous birds in fragmented landscapes. We investigated movement and seed-dispersal patterns of trumpeter hornbills ( Bycanistes bucinator ) in a fragmented landscape in South Africa. Novel GPS loggers provide high-quality location data without bias against recording long-distance movements. We found a very weakly bimodal seed-dispersal distribution …
Food quality and nutraceutical value of nine cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits grown in Mediterranean subtropical environment
2019
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) quality is strongly influenced by genotype but individuating the most appropriate harvesting time is essential to obtain high quality fruits. In this trial we studied the influences of the ripening stage at harvest (mature-ripe or green-ripe) on quality of ready to eat mango fruits from nine cultivars (Carrie, Keitt, Glenn, Manzanillo, Maya, Rosa, Osteen, Tommy Atkins and Kensington Pride) grown in the Mediterranean subtropical climate through physicochemical, nutraceutical, and sensory analysis. Our results show a large variability among the different observed genotypes and in dependence of the ripening stage at harvest. With the exception of Rosa, mature-ripe f…
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption is Inversely Associated with Plasma Saturated Fatty Acids at Baseline in Predimed Plus Trial
2021
I.D.-L. is supported by the [FI_B 00256] from the FI-AGAUR Research Fellowship Program, Generalitat de Catalunya and M.M.-M is supported by the FPU17/00513 grant. a.-H. is supported by the [CD17/00122] grant and S.K.N. is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship. We also thank all the volunteers for their participation in and the personnel for their contribution to the PREDIMED-Plus trial. This research was funded by CiCYT [AGL2016-75329-R] and CIBEROBN from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades, (AEI/FEDER, UE), Generalitat de Catalunya (GC) [2017SGR196]. The PREDIMED-Plus trial was supported by t…
Frequent Consumption of Sugar- and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and Natural and Bottled Fruit Juices Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Meta…
2016
Background: The relation between the consumption of sweetened beverages and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is controversial. Objective: This analysis evaluated the associations between intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially sweetened beverages, and natural and bottled fruit juices and the incidence of MetS in elderly individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and without MetS at baseline. Methods: We prospectively examined 1868 participants free of MetS at baseline from the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) study. MetS was defined by using the updated harmonized criteria of the International Diabetes Federation, the American Heart Association, and Nati…
Sociodemographic profiles regarding bitter food consumption. Cross-sectional evidence from a general French population
2013
International audience; Certain beneficial foods taste bitter (e.g., cruciferous vegetables) and might be aversive to consumers. Here, individual characteristics according to bitter food consumption patterns were assessed. The study included 2327 participants in the SU.VI.MAX antioxidant-based randomized controlled trial (1994-2002). The sample was drawn from the general French population. Dietary data were obtained from a minimum of twelve 24-h dietary records provided during the first 2 years of follow-up. Two bitter food consumption scores were computed - one assessing the variety of items consumed (unweighted score) and the other reflecting exposure to bitterness estimated via complemen…
Dietary Habits in a Child Population in Relation to Caries Experience
2008
Sugar consumption in Spain has remained constant at around 80 g/day since the 1970s. Although intake as sugar has fallen considerably, to around 13.5 g/person/day, the intake in processed foods has risen. Meanwhile, caries prevalence is falling or stabilizing. This situation is common in developed countries, where the impact of diet on caries has altered, probably through greater use of fluoridated products. In the Valencia region, children habitually eat sugary foods and drinks and snacks that contain starches or sugars and starches. The present study analyzed the association between caries experience, quantified as the sum of the dfs and DMFS indices, and the consumption of cariogenic foo…