A 6-week healthy eating intervention with family engagement improves food knowledge and preferences but not dietary diversity among urban preschool children in Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention (MCI) on children's dietary diversity and its impact pathway components of children's food knowledge and healthy food preferences. DESIGN: A 6-week cluster randomised controlled trial with a MCI consisting of child nutrition education plus family engagement through parental nutrition education, meal preparation and tasting was compared with two groups: single component intervention (SCI) of child nutrition education, and control, conducted during February to July 2018. Preschool centres were randomly assigned to one of the three arms. Children's food knowledge, healthy food preferences and dietary diversity scores were collected. Intervention effects were analysed using a pre-post analysis and a difference-in-difference model. SETTING: Fourteen preschool centres in an urban area of Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. PARTICIPANTS: Child-parent dyads of children aged 4-6 years. Final analyses included 306 (for food knowledge and preferences) and 258 (for dietary diversity) dyads. RESULTS: MCI significantly influenced the impact pathways to children's dietary diversity by increasing children's food knowledge and healthy food preferences scores by 3·76 and 2·79 (P < 0·001), respectively, but not the dietary diversity score (P = 0·603), compared with the control arm. Relative to SCI, MCI significantly improved children's food knowledge score by 1·10 (P < 0·001), but no significant effects were noted for other outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Improved food knowledge and preferences require a positive food environment and time to develop into healthy eating behaviours. Research into dietary diversity should broaden to incorporate the contextual roles of the home and general food environments to more completely understand food choices of children.

Herbal beverages: Bioactive compounds and their role in disease risk reduction - A review.

There is a renewed interest in non-nutritive bioactive compounds of foods and beverages as 'lifespan nutrients' in the risk reduction of non-communicable diseases. Herbal beverages, consumed as part of a balanced diet, may improve the antioxidant status and enhance the overall health status. Herbal teas/beverages are rich sources of natural bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, saponins and terpenoids, among others. A wealth of available scientific evidence demonstrates that natural bioactive compounds render a number of diversified biological effects, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antiinflammatory, antiallergic, antithrombotic and vasodilatory actions, as well as antimutagenicity, anticarcinogenicity and antiaging effects. A number of herbal beverages are consumed globally and some beverages have gained more popularity than others depending on their geographical origin. However, in the era of globalization, ethnic barriers have gradually been removed and such commodities although from different areas, are now universally available as international health-pro products.

DNA scission and LDL cholesterol oxidation inhibition and antioxidant activities of Bael (Aegle marmelos) flower extracts.

Phenolic compounds and other antioxidants have been implicated in protection against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in which oxidative stress is a main contributor. The extracts of Bael (Aegle marmelos) flower were examined for their phenolic content, free radical scavenging efficacy and inhibition of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol oxidation and DNA scission activities. The extracts of Bael flowers were prepared using different solvent systems and their total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) determined. Selected extracts which showed high TPC were subsequently used to determine their efficacy in scavenging hydroxyl, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The corresponding peroxyl radical scavenging activity was measured using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. The potency of the extracts in inhibiting hydroxyl and peroxyl radical-induced supercoiled DNA scission and inhibition of LDL cholesterol oxidation was also evaluated. The chemical identity of phenolic compounds present in the extracts was tentatively unraveled using HPLC-MS. Phenolic extracts of Bael flowers effectively inhibited hydroxyl, and peroxyl radicals. Phenolic extracts demonstrated notable inhibitory activity against hydroxyl and peroxyl radical-induced DNA scission and LDL oxidation. Vanillic, p-coumaric, chlorogenic, caffeic, and gentisic acids were identified as major phenolic acids, along with flavonoids, mainly catechin, and quercetin. The knowledge gained here may help better use of Bael flower extracts as functional herbal beverage ingredients in the prevention of NCDs.

Comparison of phenolic content and antioxidant activities of millet varieties grown in different locations in Sri Lanka.

Soluble and bound phenolic compounds were extracted from different varieties of millet types namely, finger millet, foxtail, and proso millet cultivated at dry and intermediate climatic zones in Sri Lanka. The extracts were examined for their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and proanthocyanidin content (PC). The antioxidant activities were meassured by reducing power (RP), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferrous ion chelating ability (FICA), and using a ß carotene linoleate model system. The ferulic acid content of extracts were determined using high-performance liquid chromatoghraphy (HPLC). Finger millet showed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activities compared to proso and foxtail millets. The phenolic content as well as antioxidant activites of soluble and bound phenolic extracts of millets were affected by variety and cultivated location. The highest phenolic content and antioxidant activites were reported for millet samples cultivated in areas belonging to the dry zone in Sri Lanka.

Roots and Tuber Crops as Functional Foods: A Review on Phytochemical Constituents and Their Potential Health Benefits.

Starchy roots and tuber crops play a pivotal role in the human diet. There are number of roots and tubers which make an extensive biodiversity even within the same geographical location. Thus, they add variety to the diet in addition to offering numerous desirable nutritional and health benefits such as antioxidative, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activities. A number of bioactive constituents such as phenolic compounds, saponins, bioactive proteins, glycoalkaloids, and phytic acids are responsible for the observed effects. Many starchy tuber crops, except the common potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cassava, are not yet fully explored for their nutritional and health benefits. In Asian countries, some edible tubers are also used as traditional medicinal. A variety of foods can be prepared using tubers and they may also be used in industrial applications. Processing may affect the bioactivities of constituent compounds. Tubers have an immense potential as functional foods and nutraceutical ingredients to be explored in disease risk reduction and wellness.

Bioactivities and antiradical properties of millet grains and hulls.

Antioxidant activities of phenolic extracts of kodo and pearl millet whole grains, dehulled grains, and hulls were examined by monitoring inhibition of radical-induced DNA scission, human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and phospholipid liposome oxidation. Total phenolic content (TPC), hydroxyl and peroxyl radical inhibition, and antiproliferative activities against HT-29 cells were also determined. Major hydroxycinnamic acids in dehulled grains and hulls were identified and quantified using HPLC. Phenolic extract of kodo millet exhibited higher inhibition activities against oxidation of LDL cholesterol and liposome than that of pearl millet. All phenolic extracts exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of DNA scission. The TPC of hulls of kodo and pearl millets were 3 times higher than those of their corresponding whole grains. At the end of 96 h of incubation, kodo millet extracts inhibited cell proliferation in the range of 75-100%. Antioxidant activities of phenolic extracts were in the order hull > whole grain > dehulled grain. Dehulling reduced the antioxidant potential of whole millet grains. Ferulic and p-coumaric acids were the major hydroxycinnamic acids, and their contents ranged from 17.8 to 1685 µg/g defatted meal and from 3.5 to 680 µg/g defatted meal, respectively. Dehulled grains, as well as the hull fraction, may serve as potential sources of nutraceutical and functional food ingredients in health promotion.

Inhibitory activities of soluble and bound millet seed phenolics on free radicals and reactive oxygen species.

Oxidative stress, caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), is responsible for modulating several pathological conditions and aging. Soluble and bound phenolic extracts of commonly consumed millets, namely, kodo, finger (Ravi), finger (local), foxtail, proso, little, and pearl, were investigated for their phenolic content and inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and ROS, namely, hydroxyl radical, peroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), hypochlorous acid (HOCl), and singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). Inhibition of DPPH and hydroxyl radicals was detrmined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The peroxyl radical inhibitory activity was measured using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. The scavenging of H(2)O(2), HOCl, and (1)O(2) was evaluated using colorimetric methods. The results were expressed as micromoles of ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) per gram of grain on a dry weight basis. In addition, major hydroxycinnamic acids were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS). All millet varieties displayed effective radical and ROS inhibition activities, which generally positively correlated with phenolic contents, except for hydroxyl radical. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of ferulic and p-coumaric acids as major hydroxycinnamic acids in phenolic extract and responsible for the observed effects. Bound extracts of millet contributed 38-99% to ROS scavenging, depending on the variety and the test system employed. Hence, bound phenolics must be included in the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of millets and other cereals.

Content of insoluble bound phenolics in millets and their contribution to antioxidant capacity.

Soluble and insoluble-bound phenolic extracts of several varieties of millet (kodo, finger, foxtail, proso, pearl, and little millets) whole grains were evaluated for their phenolic contents and antioxidative efficacy using trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), reducing power (RP), and beta-carotene-linoleate model system as well as ferrous chelating activity. In addition, ferulic and p-coumaric acids were present in soluble and bound phenolic fractions of millets, and their contents were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS). Kodo millet had the highest total phenolic content, whereas proso millet possessed the least. All millet varieties showed high antioxidant activities, although the order of their efficacy was assay dependent. HPLC analysis of millet phenolic extracts demonstrated that the bound fractions contained more ferulic and p-coumaric acids compared to their soluble counterparts. The results of this study showed that soluble as well as bound fractions of millet grains are rich sources of phenolic compounds with antioxidant, metal chelating, and reducing power. The potential of whole millets as natural sources of antioxidants depends on the variety used. The importance of the insoluble bound fraction of millet as a source of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid was established, and their contribution to the total phenolic content must be taken into account in the assessment of the antioxidant activity of millets.

Phytochemicals of foods, beverages and fruit vinegars: chemistry and health effects.

Plant-based foods and food ingredients provide a wide range of phytochemicals and antioxidants that render their beneficial health effects through a number of mechanisms. The presence of phenolics in different plant materials and beverages depends on the source material which dictates the type and quantity present. In addition, processing of raw materials, including fermentation, may alter the chemical nature and efficacy of their phenolic constituents. While vinegar has traditionally been used for food preservation and as a seasoning, more recently, fruit vinegars with different sensory characteristics have appeared in the marketplace. In addition to acetic acid, fruit vinegars often contain citric, malic, lactic, and tartaric acids and may also include phenolics, some of which are produced as a result of fermentaion. The beneficial health effects of fruit vinegars may in part be related to the process-induced changes in their phenolics and generation of new antioxidative phenolics during fermentation.