Plant-Based Meat Analogs and Their Effects on Cardiometabolic Health: An 8-Week Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Plant-Based Meat Analogs With Their Corresponding Animal-Based Foods.

BACKGROUND: With the growing popularity of plant-based meat analogs (PBMAs), an investigation of their effects on health is warranted in an Asian population. OBJECTIVES: This research investigated the impact of consuming an omnivorous animal-based meat diet (ABMD) compared with a PBMAs diet (PBMD) on cardiometabolic health among adults with elevated risk of diabetes in Singapore. METHODS: In an 8-wk parallel design randomized controlled trial, participants (n = 89) were instructed to substitute habitual protein-rich foods with fixed quantities of either PBMAs (n = 44) or their corresponding animal-based meats (n = 45; 2.5 servings/d), maintaining intake of other dietary components. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol served as primary outcome, whereas secondary outcomes included other cardiometabolic disease-related risk factors (e.g. glucose and fructosamine), dietary data, and within a subpopulation, ambulatory blood pressure measurements (n = 40) at baseline and postintervention, as well as a 14-d continuous glucose monitor (glucose homeostasis-related outcomes; n = 37). RESULTS: Data from 82 participants (ABMD: 42 and PBMD: 40) were examined. Using linear mixed-effects model, there were significant interaction (time × treatment) effects for dietary trans-fat (increased in ABMD), dietary fiber, sodium, and potassium (all increased in PBMD; P-interaction <0.001). There were no significant effects on the lipid-lipoprotein profile, including LDL cholesterol. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was lower in the PBMD group (P-interaction=0.041), although the nocturnal DBP dip markedly increased in ABMD (+3.2% mean) and was reduced in PBMD (-2.6%; P-interaction=0.017). Fructosamine (P time=0.035) and homeostatic model assessment for ß-cell function were improved at week 8 (P time=0.006) in both groups. Glycemic homeostasis was better regulated in the ABMD than PBMD groups as evidenced by interstitial glucose time in range (ABMD median: 94.1% (Q1:87.2%, Q3:96.7%); PBMD: 86.5% (81.7%, 89.4%); P = 0.041). The intervention had no significant effect on the other outcomes examined. CONCLUSIONS: An 8-wk PBMA diet did not show widespread cardiometabolic health benefits compared with a corresponding meat based diet. Nutritional quality is a key factor to be considered for next generation PBMAs. This trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/as NCT05446753.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis): Processing, nutritional quality, and food applications.

Breadfruit is an underutilized but highly nutritive crop containing complex carbohydrates while being low in fat. It is also a good source of essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine). With a better understanding of breadfruit's morphology, its potential as a global solution to food security has been gaining popularity. Breadfruit has been forecasted to have a larger amount of suitable cultivable land area compared to major crops such as rice and wheat, making its cultivation more desirable. Due to its highly perishable nature, good post-harvesting and post-processing practices are essential to extend the shelf life of breadfruit for global transportation and consumption. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review on various processing methods of flour and starch, nutritional significance and new food applications of this novel food staple. In this review, the effects of the different processing and post-processing methods of breadfruit flour and starch have been described, and the nutritional composition and application of breadfruit flour as an ingredient replacer in various food applications have been discussed. It is vital to understand the processing and post-processing methods of breadfruit flour to enhance its shelf-life, physicochemical and functional properties. Furthermore, a compilation of novel food applications has been done to promote its use in the food industry. In conclusion, breadfruit flour and starch are highly versatile for use in numerous food products with added health benefits.