Soy and legume seeds as sources of isoflavones: selected individual determinants of their consumption in a group of perimenopausal women

Effect of Lactic Acid Fermentation on Legume Protein Properties, a Review

Legume proteins have a promising future in the food industry due to their nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits. However, their application is still limited due to the presence of antinutritional and allergenic compounds, their poor technological properties, and their unpleasant sensory characteristics. Fermentation has been traditionally applied to counteract these inconveniences. At present, lactic acid fermentation of legumes is attracting the attention of researchers and industry in relation to the development of healthier, tasty, and technologically adapted products. Hence, we aimed to review the literature to shed light on the effect of lactic acid fermentation on legume protein composition and on their nutritional, functional, technological, and sensorial properties. The antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria during legume fermentation was also considered. The heterogenicity of raw material composition (flour, concentrate, and isolate), the diversity of lactic acid bacteria (nutriment requirements, metabolic pathways, and enzyme production), and the numerous possible fermenting conditions (temperature, time, oxygen, and additional nutrients) offer an impressive range of possibilities with regard to fermented legume products. Systematic studies are required in order to determine the specific roles of the different factors. The optimal selection of these criteria will allow one to obtain high-quality fermented legume products. Fermentation is an attractive technology for the development of legume-based products that are able to satisfy consumers’ expectations from a nutritional, functional, technological, and sensory point of view.

Dispositional optimism is associated with weight status, eating behavior, and eating disorders in a general population-based study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether optimism is associated with body mass index (BMI), eating behavior and eating disorders (EDs) in a population-based study.

METHOD

In 2016, a total of 32,805 participants aged ≥18 years from the NutriNet-Santé cohort completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised, assessing dispositional optimism. Height and weight were self-reported. Eating behavior was assessed with the revised 21-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Risk of EDs was evaluated with the Sick-Control-One-Fat-Food Questionnaire. Linear and Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between optimism, BMI categories, eating behavior and ED risk, controlling for sociodemographic, lifestyle and depressive symptom characteristics.

RESULTS

Our sample was composed of 73.5% women, and the mean age was 55.39 ± 13.70 years. More optimistic participants were less likely to be underweight (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.89), or obese, particularly class III obese (BMI ≥40 kg/m² ) (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.84) compared with less optimistic individuals. Optimism was negatively associated with cognitive restraint (β = -.07; 95%CI: -0.08; -0.06), emotional eating (β = -.17; 95% CI: -0.19, -0.16) and uncontrolled eating (β = -.10; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.09). In addition, more optimistic participants had a lower risk of EDs (OR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.64).

DISCUSSION

Our findings showed that optimism was associated with weight status, eating behavior and risk of EDs in both women and men. The causal structure of the underlying observed association remains unclear and should be further investigated.

The potential health benefits of the isoflavone glycoside genistin

Genistin is a type of isoflavone glycoside and has a broad range of health benefits. It is found in a variety of dietary plants, such as soybean, kudzu (Japanese arrowroot), and other plant-based products. Genistin has been described to have several beneficial health impacts, such as decreasing the risk of osteoporosis and post-menopausal symptoms, as well as anti-cancer, anti-oxidative, cardioprotective, anti-apoptotic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, and anti-microbial activities. It may also assist individuals with metabolic syndrome. This review summarizes some of the molecular impacts and prospective roles of genistin in maintaining and treatment of health disorders. The review could help to develop novel genistin medicine with significant health benefits for application in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields.

The Effect of a Low Glycemic Index Pulse-Based Diet on Insulin Sensitivity, Insulin Resistance, Bone Resorption and Cardiovascular Risk Factors during Bed Rest

We determined the effects of a low glycemic-index pulse-based diet (i.e., containing lentils, chick peas, beans, and split peas) compared to a typical hospital diet on insulin sensitivity assessed by the Matsuda index from the insulin and glucose response to a two-hour oral glucose tolerance test, insulin resistance assessed by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), bone resorption assessed by 24 h excretion of urinary n-telopeptides(Ntx) and cardiovascular risk factors (blood lipids, blood pressure, arterial stiffness and heart rate variability) during bed rest. Using a randomized, counter-balanced cross-over design with one-month washout, six healthy individuals (30 ± 12 years) consumed the diets during four days of bed rest. The Matsuda index, HOMA-IR, urinary Ntx and cardiovascular risk factors were determined at baseline and after the last day of bed rest. Compared to the typical hospital diet, the pulse-based diet improved the Matsuda index (indicating increased insulin sensitivity; baseline to post-bed rest: 6.54 ± 1.94 to 6.39 ± 2.71 hospital diet vs. 7.14 ± 2.36 to 8.75 ± 3.13 pulse-based diet; p = 0.017), decreased HOMA-IR (1.38 ± 0.54 to 1.37 ± 0.50 hospital diet vs. 1.48 ± 0.54 to 0.88 ± 0.37 pulse-based diet; p = 0.022), and attenuated the increase in Ntx (+89 ± 75% hospital diet vs. +33 ± 20% pulse-based diet; p = 0.035). No differences for changes in cardiovascular risk factors were found between the two diet conditions, with the exception of decreased diastolic blood pressure during day three of bed rest in the pulse-based versus hospital diet (61 ± 9 vs. 66 ± 7 mmHg; p = 0.03). A pulse-based diet was superior to a hospital diet for maintaining insulin sensitivity, preventing insulin resistance, attenuating bone resorption and decreasing diastolic blood pressure during four days of bed rest.