Addressing the Insufficient Availability of EPA and DHA to Meet Current and Future Nutritional Demands

Current Insights into the Effects of Dietary α-Linolenic Acid Focusing on Alterations of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Profiles in Metabolic Syndrome

The plant-derived α-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential n-3 acid highly susceptible to oxidation, present in oils of flaxseeds, walnuts, canola, perilla, soy, and chia. After ingestion, it can be incorporated in to body lipid pools (particularly triglycerides and phospholipid membranes), and then endogenously metabolized through desaturation, elongation, and peroxisome oxidation to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), with a very limited efficiency (particularly for DHA), beta-oxidized as an energy source, or directly metabolized to C18-oxilipins. At this moment, data in the literature about the effects of ALA supplementation on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in humans are inconsistent, indicating no effects or some positive effects on all MetS components (abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, impaired insulin sensitivity and glucoregulation, blood pressure, and liver steatosis). The major effects of ALA on MetS seem to be through its conversion to more potent EPA and DHA, the impact on the n-3/n-6 ratio, and the consecutive effects on the formation of oxylipins and endocannabinoids, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion, as well as adipocyte and hepatocytes function. It is important to distinguish the direct effects of ALA from the effects of EPA and DHA metabolites. This review summarizes the most recent findings on this topic and discusses the possible mechanisms.

Nutritional profiling of some selected commercially important freshwater and marine water fishes of Bangladesh

The purpose of the study was to investigate the proximate composition and mineral content of Bangladesh's economically important freshwater and marine water fish. Proximate composition and mineral content was determined according to the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) standard method. All of the factors had a substantial variation (p < 0.05), according to the findings. The maximum protein content was observed in Lates calcarifer (18.673%) and minimum in Pangasius pangasius (15.616%). The content of lipid among the species varied from 0.316% to 13.396%, with Mugil cephalus having the highest lipid content and Channa striata having the lowest. The moisture content ranges from 68.343% to 81.160%. All the fishes have an average ash content of 0.850%–4.350%. The energy content is also significantly higher in marine water fishes. The mineral content was highly variable. Calcium content was lowest in Pangasius pangasius (0.555%) and highest in Setipinna phasa (3.495%). The magnesium content ranged between 0.281% and 1.885%. Phosphorus was lowest in Lepturacanthus savala (0.826%) and highest in Setipinna phasa (2.114%). The amount of sodium, potassium, and sulfur was relatively less for all fish species but there were substantial differences across the twelve samples. The PCA biplot's for proximate composition analyses has demonstrated positive affinity only between Lates calcarifer and Mugil cephalus in case of ash, lipid, and carbohydrate whereas Setipina phasa, Mugil cephalus, Lutjanus lutjanus, and Oreochromis mossambicus were grouped together with magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and sulfur in the case of mineral content. Overall, the marine water fishes can be a good food item in terms of nutrition which could provide better health benefits for human.

Tropical fruits from Australia as potential treatments for metabolic syndrome

Australia has a unique and diverse flora, including indigenous fruits, used by Australian Aboriginals for food and medicines for up to 45,000 years as well as recently introduced fruits for commercial production. However, this range of fruits has not led to the development of functional foods, for example for chronic inflammatory diseases such as metabolic syndrome including obesity, hypertension, fatty liver and diabetes. This review examines the potential of tropical and subtropical fruits from Australia to be used as functional foods for metabolic syndrome, including Davidson's plum, Queen Garnet plum, durian, litchi, breadfruit, jackfruit, mangosteen, papaya, jabuticaba, coffee and seaweed. Preclinical studies have defined potential responses of these functional foods in metabolic syndrome but the usefulness in humans with metabolic syndrome requires clinical studies which are scarce in the relevant literature. Overall, these Australian examples show that tropical fruits can provide functional foods to decrease chronic inflammatory diseases.

Nannochloropsis oceanica as a Microalgal Food Intervention in Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rats

The microalgal genus Nannochloropsis has broad applicability to produce biofuels, animal feed supplements and other value-added products including proteins, carotenoids and lipids. This study investigated a potential role of N. oceanica in the reversal of metabolic syndrome. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were divided into four groups in a 16-week protocol. Two groups were fed either corn starch or high-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (C and H, respectively) for the full 16 weeks. The other two groups received C and H diets for eight weeks and then received 5% freeze-dried N. oceanica in these diets for the final eight weeks (CN and HN, respectively) of the protocol. The H diet was high in fructose and sucrose, together with increased saturated and trans fats. H rats developed obesity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, fatty liver disease and left ventricular fibrosis. N. oceanica increased lean mass in CN and HN rats, possibly due to the increased protein intake, and decreased fat mass in HN rats. Intervention with N. oceanica did not change cardiovascular, liver and metabolic parameters or gut structure. The relative abundance of Oxyphotobacteria in the gut microbiota was increased. N. oceanica may be an effective functional food against metabolic syndrome as a sustainable protein source.