Effects of probiotic ultra-filtered feta cheese and raw chicory root extract on lipid profile in healthy adult volunteers: a triple-blinded randomized controlled trial

Back to the Roots: Revisiting the Use of the Fiber-Rich Cichorium intybusL. Taproots

Fibers are increasingly recognized as an indispensable part of our diet and vital for maintaining health. Notably, complex mixtures of fibers have been found to improve metabolic health. Following an analysis of the fiber content of plant-based products, we found the taproot of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybusL.) to be 1 of the vegetables with the highest fiber content, comprising nearly 90% of its dry weight. Chicory roots consist of a mixture of inulin, pectin, and (hemi-)cellulose and also contain complex phytochemicals, such as sesquiterpene lactones that have been characterized in detail. Nowaday, chicory roots are mainly applied as a source for the extraction of inulin, which is used as prebiotic fiber and food ingredient. Chicory roots, however, have long been consumed as a vegetable by humans. The whole root has been used for thousands of years for nutritional, medicinal, and other purposes, and it is still used in traditional dishes in various parts of the world. Here, we summarize the composition of chicory roots to explain their historic success in the human diet. We revisit the intake of chicory roots by humans and describe the different types of use along with their various methods of preparation. Hereby, we focus on the whole root in its complex, natural form, as well as in relation to its constituents, and discuss aspects regarding legal regulation and the safety of chicory root extracts for human consumption. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and future applications of chicory roots and their contribution to a fiber-rich diet.

The Effect of Probiotics and Synbiotics on Risk Factors Associated with Cardiometabolic Diseases in Healthy People-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression of Randomized Controlled Trials

We aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of probiotic/synbiotic formulations to counteract cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in healthy people not receiving adjunctive medication. The systematic search (PubMed/MEDLINE/Embase) until 1 August 2019 was performed for randomized controlled trials in >20 adult patients. Random-effect meta-analysis subgroup and meta-regression analysis of co-primary (haemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), glucose, insulin, body weight, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides, and blood pressure) and secondary outcomes (uric acid, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1-PAI-1, fibrinogen, and any variable related to inflammation/endothelial dysfunction). We included 61 trials (5422 persons). The mean time of probiotic administration was 67.01 ± 38.72 days. Most of probiotic strains were of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera. The other strains were Streptococci, Enterococci, and Pediococci. The daily probiotic dose varied between 10⁶ and 10¹⁰ colony-forming units (CFU)/gram. Probiotics/synbiotics counteracted CMR factors (endpoint data on BMI: standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.156, p = 0.006 and difference in means (DM) = -0.45, p = 0.00 and on WC: SMD = -0.147, p = 0.05 and DM = -1.21, p = 0.02; change scores on WC: SMD = -0.166, p = 0.04 and DM = -1.35, p = 0.03) in healthy persons. Overweight/obese healthy people might additionally benefit from reducing total cholesterol concentration (change scores on WC in overweight/obese: SMD: -0.178, p = 0.049). Poor quality of probiotic-related trials make systematic reviews and meta-analyses difficult to conduct and draw definite conclusions. "Gold standard" methodology in probiotic studies awaits further development.