Fruit-Derived Anthocyanins: Effects on Cycling-Induced Responses and Cycling Performance.

Previous evidence has shown that the consumption of fruit-derived anthocyanins may have exercise benefits. This review aimed to summarize the effects of fruit-derived anthocyanins on cycling-induced responses and cycling performance. Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and SPORTDiscus online databases were searched. Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The fruit-derived anthocyanins used in these studies were from cherry (n = 6), blackcurrant (n = 8), pomegranate (n = 2), açai (n = 1), and juçara fruit (n = 2), and were offered in juice, pulp, powder, freeze-dried powder, and extract form. The supplementation time ranged from acute consumption to 20 days, and the amount of anthocyanins administered in the studies ranged from 18 to 552 mg/day. The studies addressed effects on oxidative stress (n = 5), inflammation (n = 4), muscle damage (n = 3), fatigue (n = 2), nitric oxide biomarkers (n = 2), vascular function (n = 2), muscle oxygenation (n = 2), performance (n = 14), substrate oxidation (n = 6), and cardiometabolic markers (n = 3). The potential ergogenic effect of anthocyanin supplementation on cycling-induced responses seems to be related to lower oxidative stress, inflammation, muscle damage, and fatigue, and increased production of nitric oxide, with subsequent improvements in vascular function and muscle oxygenation leading to improved performance. In addition, the observed increase in fat oxidation can direct nutritional strategies to change the use of substrate and improve performance.

Development of a Food-Based Diet Quality Scale for Brazilian Schoolchildren Using Item Response Theory.

Item response theory (IRT) is a psychometric method that provides probabilistic model-based measurements. Its use is relatively recent in the assessment of food consumption, especially through dietary assessment tools. This study aims (1) to develop a food-based diet quality scale for Brazilian schoolchildren using IRT, and (2) to apply the scale to a representative sample of schoolchildren from a Southern Brazilian city. The scale was developed with daily consumption frequency of foods from 835 students who completed the Food Intake and Physical Activity of Schoolchildren questionnaire. Questionnaire foods were grouped into 10 items according to their nutritional similarities and were evaluated by full-information factor analysis that indicated a dominant factor explaining 28% of the variance. Psychometric item analysis was performed using Samejima's model. The scale covered all levels of diet quality, from "very poor" (scores < 95) to "very good" (scores ≥ 130). Children who had higher diet quality scores consumed beans, meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and water more frequently, while reducing the consumption of ultraprocessed sugary foods, ultraprocessed savoury snacks and sausages, and sugary drinks. Of 6323 children, an average of less than 10% consumed the highest diet quality scores (good or very good diet quality) and about 60% of children consumed low diet quality scores. The scale can be applied to other schoolchildren with the same measure precision.

Biological activities of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and juçara (Euterpe edulis Mart.) intake in humans: an integrative review of clinical trials.

Açaí (E. oleracea) and juçara (E. edulis) are berries considered a source of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanins and unsaturated fatty acids, with recognized health-promoting activities. An integrative review was conducted to identify available clinical trials that evaluated the effects of açaí and juçara intake on the human organism. Science Direct and Medline databases were searched. Human studies that evaluated any biological activities after açaí and juçara intake were included in this review. Twenty-three clinical trials were identified up to April 12, 2020. Studies evaluated the biological effects of açaí (n = 17), juçara (n = 5), or both berries simultaneously (n = 1). The results of these trials suggest both types of berries may contribute to improved antioxidant defense and to attenuating metabolic stress and inflammation. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed among trials, and few studies explored the bioactive compounds of the food matrix provided in the interventions. More clinical trials are encouraged to strengthen the current evidence on human biological outcomes, including comparative analysis between these berries.

Nutrition education intervention for women with breast cancer: effect on nutritional factors and oxidative stress.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of a nutrition education intervention on nutritional factors and oxidative stress during treatment of breast cancer. DESIGN: Nonrandomized clinical trial conducted in 2010-2011, including an evaluation at baseline and after 12 months. PARTICIPANTS: Women from Brazil who had breast cancer, divided into an intervention group (IG) (n = 18) and comparison group (n = 75). INTERVENTION: To increase intake of fruits and vegetables and reduce red and processed meats, via telephone and printed materials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Food intake, anthropometry, and levels of lipid hydroperoxide, carbonyl proteins, reduced glutathione, and ferric reducing antioxidant power. ANALYSES: Chi-square, Mann-Whitney or t tests for baseline data; Wilcoxon or paired t tests for intra-group outcomes, linear regression models, and Bonferroni multiplicity adjustment. RESULTS: The researchers observed an increase in fruit and vegetable intake, reduction in red and processed meat intake, no change in body weight, and an increase in glutathione in the IG over the comparison group. However, after Bonferroni adjustment, only the consumption of fruits and vegetables and fruit was significantly higher in IG. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study presents improved dietary changes after a theory-driven nutrition education intervention. Although the sample size is small, it has proven to be clinically relevant.

Improvement of serum antioxidant status in humans after the acute intake of apple juices.

It is hypothesized that apples of 2 Brazilian cultivars with different content of sugars and antioxidant compounds promote similar effects on the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in human serum after acute intake. Nine healthy women ingested 300 mL of Golden Delicious or Catarina apple juice (AJ) or water, and blood samples were collected before and 1 hour after intake. After intake of both AJ, a similar and significant increase in serum antioxidant capacity and ascorbic and uric acid levels and a significant decrease in serum lipid peroxidation was observed. The increase in serum antioxidant capacity after consumption of both AJ was correlated directly with the uric acid levels and inversely with serum lipid peroxidation. In summary, the acute intake of AJ of 2 cultivars promoted a similar effect on the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in human blood serum.

Mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) improves glycemic and lipid profiles of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes individuals: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) infusions have been shown to reduce plasma glucose in animals and serum lipids in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of roasted mate tea consumption, with or without dietary counseling, on the glycemic and lipid profiles of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or pre-diabetes. METHODS: Twenty-nine T2DM and 29 pre-diabetes subjects were divided into 3 groups: mate tea, dietary intervention, and mate tea and dietary intervention. Individuals drank 330 mL of roasted mate tea 3 times a day and/or received nutritional counseling over 60 days. Blood samples were collected and food intake was assessed at baseline and after 20, 40, and 60 days of treatments. RESULTS: Mate tea consumption decreased significantly the levels of fasting glucose (25.0 mg/dL), glycated hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) (0.85%), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (13.5 mg/dL) of T2DM subjects (p < 0.05); however, it did not change the intake of total energy, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, and fiber. In pre-diabetes individuals, mate tea consumption combined with nutritional counseling diminished significantly the levels of LDL-c (11 mg/dL), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) (21.5 mg/dL), and triglycerides (53.0 mg/dL) (p < 0.05). Individuals of this group decreased significantly their consumption of total fat (14%), cholesterol (28%), and saturated (23.8%) and monounsaturated (28.0%) fatty acids, and increased their fiber intake by 35% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mate tea consumption improved the glycemic control and lipid profile of T2DM subjects, and mate tea consumption combined with nutritional intervention was highly effective in decreasing serum lipid parameters of pre-diabetes individuals, which may reduce their risk of developing coronary disease.

Consumption of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic subjects and provides an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction in individuals on statin therapy.

The objective of this study was to verify the effect of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) consumption on lipid and lipoprotein levels in humans. One hundred and two individuals participated of this single-blind controlled trial. Normolipidemic (n = 15), dyslipidemic (n = 57), and hypercholesterolemic subjects on long-term statin therapy (n = 30) ingested 330 mL, 3 times/day, of green or roasted yerba mate infusions for 40 days. In normolipidemic subjects, yerba mate consumption reduced LDL-cholesterol by 8.7% (p < 0.05). Compared with the baseline period, yerba mate intake by dyslipidemic individuals for 20 and 40 days lowered LDL-cholesterol by 8.1 and 8.6% (p < 0.001) and non-HDL cholesterol by 5.4 and 6.5% (p < 0.01). After 20 days of yerba mate intake, apolipoprotein B was reduced by 6.0% (p < 0.05) and HDL-cholesterol was increased by 4.4% (p < 0.01). In all participants triglyceride levels remained unchanged. The consumption of yerba mate by hypercholesterolemic individuals on statin therapy promoted additional 10.0 and 13.1% reductions in LDL-C after 20 and 40 days, respectively (p < 0.001) and increased HDL-cholesterol by 6.2% after 40 days (p < 0.05). It was thus concluded that intake of yerba mate infusion improved the lipid parameters in normolipidemic and dyslipidemic subjects and provided an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction in hypercholesterolemic subjects on statin treatment, which may reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases.