Coarse cereals modulating chronic low-grade inflammation: review

Food inflammation index reveals the key inflammatory components in foods and heterogeneity within food groups: How do we choose food?

INTRODUCTION

Food is a critical factor of chronic inflammation. Few studies tried to quantize inflammatory effects of food. Moreover, the discrepancies in inflammatory effects among foods within the same food group are frequently ignored.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare inflammatory effects of food based on Food Composition Tables via a Food Inflammation Index (FII). We aimed to reveal heterogeneity within food groups in dietary guidelines and identify the key components.

METHODS

The FII was adapted from Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) with a weighted algorithm, validated by NHANES.The Food Inflammation Scores of Individuals (FISI) of various dietary patterns were analyzed and compared. FII scores were converted to percentages for intuitive grading using the United States Department of Agriculture Food Composition Table (USDA-FCT), and China-FCT was also used for validation.The FII scores of various food groups based on USDA-FCT and dietary guidelines were counted and compared to reveal the heterogeneity within food groups.

RESULTS

FII proves effective in delineating food inflammatory effects. It reveals substantial inflammatory risk even with adherence to the Mediterranean diet, highlighting the need to address intra-group heterogeneity. Within USDA-FCT, nuts and select vegetable oils (rich in flavonoids and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) are notable anti-inflammatory foods, contrasting with pro-inflammatory meats high in saturated fats. According to the current dietary nutrition guidelines, the inflammatory effects of food groups vary greatly. Further subdivision of food groups can weaken the problem of heterogeneity within food groups, thereby providing more accurate dietary recommendations.

CONCLUSION

Quantifying the inflammatory effects of whole foods is important for general consumers to realize their own dietary inflammatory exposure risk. The FII reveals the heterogeneity within food groups and can be a reference for dietary recommendations. This public tool could be beneficial for consumer choice, dietary guideline revision, science research for healthier eating.

Cereal polyphenols inhibition mechanisms on advanced glycation end products and regulation on type 2 diabetes

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), the products of non-enzymatic browning reactions between the active carbonyl groups of reducing sugars and the free amines of amino acids, are largely considered oxidative derivatives resulting from diabetic hyperglycemia, which are further recognized as a potential risk for insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The accumulation of AGEs can trigger numerous negative effects such as oxidative stress, carbonyl stress, inflammation, autophagy dysfunction and imbalance of gut microbiota. Recently, studies have shown that cereal polyphenols have the ability to inhibit the formation of AGEs, thereby preventing and alleviating T2D. In the meanwhile, phenolics compounds could produce different biological effects due to the quantitative structure activity-relationship. This review highlights the effects of cereal polyphenols as a nonpharmacologic intervention in anti-AGEs and alleviating T2D based on the effects of oxidative stress, carbonyl stress, inflammation, autophagy, and gut microbiota, which also provides a new perspective on the etiology and treatment of diabetes.

Microbiome-metabolomics-based insight into the protective effects of dietary fiber from sweetpotato residues on the high-fat diet-induced intestinal integrity damage

Dietary fibers have attracted much attention due to their multiple benefits on gut health. In this work, the protective mechanism of dietary fiber from sweetpotato residues (SRDF) on the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced intestinal barrier injury was investigated using microbiome-metabolomics-based approach. The physicochemical property analysis demonstrated a thermal stability below 200 °C and porous pectin-polysaccharide structure of SRDF with high in vitro functional activities. The biochemical analysis indicated that SRDF significantly ameliorated intestinal barrier function by improving intestinal morphology and permeability and inhibiting inflammatory response. Microbiome analysis demonstrated that SRDF significantly reversed the HFD-induced dysbacteriosis, decreased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroides and enhanced the relative abundance of probiotics, such as Muribaculaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae. Metabolomics analysis showed that SRDF also significantly altered the metabolic profile in the colon, wherein the differential metabolites were mainly involved in amino acid metabolism (especially tryptophan). Pearson correlation coefficient identified the beneficial relationship between intestinal microbiome and metabolome induced by SRDF. The limitation of this study was that the mouse model may not fully replicate the human intestinal responses due to the difference between the standard environmental conditions and natural world. Generally, our results implied the great potential of SRDF as a functional food ingredient.

A Comprehensive Review of the Effects of Glycemic Carbohydrates on the Neurocognitive Functions Based on Gut Microenvironment Regulation and Glycemic Fluctuation Control

Improper glycemic carbohydrates (GCs) consumption can be a potential risk factor for metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, which may lead to cognitive impairment. Although several potential mechanisms have been studied, the biological relationship between carbohydrate consumption and neurocognitive impairment is still uncertain. In this review, the main effects and mechanisms of GCs' digestive characteristics on cognitive functions are comprehensively elucidated. Additionally, healthier carbohydrate selection, a reliable research model, and future directions are discussed. Individuals in their early and late lives and patients with metabolic diseases are highly susceptible to dietary-induced cognitive impairment. It is well known that gut function is closely related to dietary patterns. Unhealthy carbohydrate diet-induced gut microenvironment disorders negatively impact cognitive functions through the gut-brain axis. Moreover, severe glycemic fluctuations, due to rapidly digestible carbohydrate consumption or metabolic diseases, can impair neurocognitive functions by disrupting glucose metabolism, dysregulating calcium homeostasis, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and accumulating advanced glycation end products. Unstable glycemic status can lead to more severe neurological impairment than persistent hyperglycemia. Slow-digested or resistant carbohydrates might contribute to better neurocognitive functions due to stable glycemic response and healthier gut functions than fully gelatinized starch and nutritive sugars.

Grain Intake and Cardiometabolic Health-Towards Precision Nutrition

Grains are widely consumed all over the world, providing calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary fiber, minerals, and plenty of phytochemicals [...].

Effects of coarse cereals on dough and Chinese steamed bread - a review

Chinese steamed breads (CSBs) are long-established staple foods in China. To enhance the nutritional value, coarse cereals such as oats, buckwheat, and quinoa have been added to the formulation for making CSBs. This review presents the nutritional value of various coarse cereals and analyses the interactions between the functional components of coarse cereals in the dough. The addition of coarse cereals leads to changes in the rheological, fermentation, and pasting aging properties of the dough, which further deteriorates the appearance and texture of CSBs. This review can provide some suggestions and guidelines for the production of staple and nutritious staple foods.