scholarly journals Vitamin E: Natural Antioxidant in the Mediterranean Diet

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samia Ben Mansour-Gueddes ◽  
Dhouha Saidana-Naija
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Antioxidant Defense System ◽  
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
The Body ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
Olive Oils ◽  
Oxidative Damages ◽  
Capsicum Species ◽  
The Mediterranean

Oxidation has been related to several diseases in humans. Indeed, to protect the body from high free radical damages, organism requires natural resources of antioxidant compounds, such as phenols, tocopherols (α, β, γ, and σ) which have important roles in the cell antioxidant defense system. In Mediterranean areas, olive oils and pepper fruits are considered among the best foods in a diet, which keeps on attracting the interest of scientists due to the health benefits linked with its consumption. The Olive oil and pepper fruits are among the most consumed nutrients in the Mediterranean diet; their richness in naturally powerful antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherols, polyphenols, carotenoïds, and capsaicinoïds (specific of capsicum species), and monounsaturated fatty acids in olive and seed pepper oils, constitutes good health protection against oxidative damages and inflammation. Also, these phytochemicals shield and prevent the human body from many diseases such as cardiovascular, coronary, Alzheimer’s diseases, and cancers.

scholarly journals Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A Review

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Martín-Peláez ◽  
Montse Fito ◽  
Olga Castaner
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Diabetes Type 2 ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Quality Diet ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Traditional Mediterranean Diet

The search for a quality diet has grown over the past decade. Diet is considered one of the pillars for the prevention and progression of several diseases, among them: diabetes. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an epidemic of western countries that increases the vulnerability of other diseases, such as cardiovascular and cancer. T2D is associated with lifestyle and diet. The traditional Mediterranean diet has proven its benefits over several cardiovascular risk factors, and specifically on diabetes. This review compiles recent published evidence on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the incidence and progression of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its relation with several other cardiovascular healthy diets. We will also focus on how the Mediterranean diet could play a role in T2D-related mechanisms, such as anti-inflammatory or antioxidant compounds, glucagon-like peptide agonist compounds, and changes in gut microbiota. Each component of the Mediterranean diet could be involved in processes related to diabetes homeostasis, many of them sharing common physio-pathological pathways. The importance of this diet within the set of habits of a healthy lifestyle must be emphasized.

Mediterranean diet and oxidative stress

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina Górska ◽  
Ilona Górna ◽  
Juliusz Przysławski
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
The Body ◽  
Enzymatic Antioxidants ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Varied Diet ◽  
The Mediterranean

Purpose This study aims to analyze the antioxidant properties of the Mediterranean diet and describe methods that are used in clinical studies to assess its role in reducing oxidative stress. Design/methodology/approach The review presents the results of interventional and observational clinical trials aimed at assessing the influence of the Mediterranean diet on the level of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as well as the total blood antioxidant capacity. Findings The Mediterranean diet as a varied diet can be a better way to provide antioxidants to the body than supplements. Individual compounds administered in an isolated form can give the opposite effect to the expected, stimulating oxidative stress. The administration of antioxidants in the form of supplements instead of a varied diet is also associated with a lack of synergism of action. In studies on the importance of the Mediterranean diet in the reduction of oxidative stress, single markers are used to measure oxidative damage, the activity of enzymatic antioxidants and the concentration of individual non-enzymatic antioxidants. At the same time, the need to find markers that would assess the level of oxidative stress and the body’s antioxidant capacity more comprehensively is emphasized. Practical implications It should be taken into account that differences between in vivo and in vitro results may result from the fact of various factors, including genetic, smoking, intestinal microflora or diet composition. It is also necessary to answer the question about which marker or set of markers could in the most comprehensive way to assess the level of oxidative stress and the body’s antioxidant capacity. Originality/value The literature review shows not only the source of antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet. This paper also presents a critical approach to markers that allow the assessment of the antioxidant properties of the diet.

scholarly journals Weight Status, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and Physical Fitness in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The Active Health Study

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Manzano-Carrasco ◽  
Jose Luis Felipe ◽  
Javier Sanchez-Sanchez ◽  
Antonio Hernandez-Martin ◽  
Leonor Gallardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Muscular Strength ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
The Body ◽  
Health Study ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Optimal Adherence

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in body composition and physical fitness according to the weight status (normoweight, overweight and obese) and the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD; low, medium or high), in physically active children and adolescents. Furthermore, this study also analyzed the relationship between body composition and physical fitness with Body Mass Index (BMI), fat mass and the level of adherence to the MD. In total, 1676 participants aged 6–17 from different municipal sports schools participated in this cross-sectional study. Data on adherence to the MD (a KIDMED questionnaire), anthropometric measurements, body composition and physical fitness parameters (the 20-m shuttle run test and muscular strength) were collected. A total of 43.5% of the sample were presented as overweight and obese, and only 35.7% had high or optimal adherence to the MD. The results revealed that a normoweight status was associated with greater cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.05; ES: 0.50 to 0.67) and lower-body muscular strength (p < 0.05; ES: 0.58 to 1.10). The overweight group showed more significant results than the other groups in handgrip strength (p < 0.01). Greater adherence to the MD in this population indicated better physical fitness, but only in boys. It is concluded that normoweight status and optimal adherence to the MD in children and adolescents are associated with health benefits, which are significant in the body composition and the effect on physical fitness.

scholarly journals Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet in the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases as the Epidemic of the 21st century

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doina A. TODEA ◽  
Loredana Elena ROSCA ◽  
Andreea C. COMAN ◽  
Iuliu SUATEAN ◽  
Andreea C. HERESCU
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Warning Signal ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Balanced Diet ◽  
Food Pyramid ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

Non-communicable diseases are known as the epidemic of the 21st century. In Romania, these are responsible for almost 91% of all the deaths. A balanced diet and regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes throughout the day) are the keys to a healthy and long living life. Mediterranean diet is shown to be the optimal diet for preventing non-communicable diseases and preserving good health. The concept of the Mediterranean diet is defined by the food pyramid, which is meant to provide an overall impression of healthy food choices, rather than to define recommended weights of certain foods or proportions of energy obtained from them. In Romania the concept of Mediterranean diet is unknown to most ordinary people. Even in medicine field there are few doctors who really know about this diet and its effects on patients’ health. Our purpose in writing this article was to draw a warning signal about the impact of Mediterranean diet on the health of people, in hope that through media, the importance of a healthy and active life in raising quality of life and decreasing morbidity and mortality can be fully understood.

scholarly journals Analysis of Main and Healthy Phenolic Compounds in Foods

2019 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 1356-1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amélia Martins Delgado ◽  
Manel Issaoui ◽  
Nadia Chammem
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Vegetable Foods ◽  
Positive Results

Abstract Background: In the last few decades, the media has been overwhelming the consumer with various dietary requirements that some of which lead to no avail. On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet, which stems from a very ancient lore, stands as one of the most effective diets whose conspicuous and positive results are still impacting the lives of many Mediterranean locals. The “Mediterranean Diet” is an umbrella term that is used to denote a plethora of natural ingredients used in the culinary tradition of the region, and which comprises but is not limited to olive oil, cereals, wine, fruits, dried fruits, and spices. MD components are known for being rich in antioxidant compounds. Polyphenols belong to the category of antioxidants that occur in the above-mentioned Mediterranean foods. Objective: The current review aims at presenting main classes of phenols from plant foods, their role as dietary components, and an overview on analytical methods for their extraction from food matrices, their separation, detection and quantification. Conclusions: The discrimination of phenols is not an easy matter, and several methods are described in the literature, mainly chromatographic methods, which are herein reviewed. In short, phenols are mainly found in vegetable foods in which the Mediterranean Diet is rich. The health effects of some phenols and analytical methods are herein revised. Highlights: Phenols or Phenolics is a designation corresponding to compounds that have one or more hydroxyl groups attached to a 6-carbon aromatic ring. Phenols in foods occur mainly as secondary metabolites of vegetables, often found in polymeric forms (polyphenols). Phenols from foods are mainly simple phenols (e.g., caffeic acid), flavonoids, the most varied and ubiquitous class (e.g., catechin, quercetin), stilbenes (resveratrol), lignans, and tannins. In addition to the wide range of polyphenols present in foods, the compounds are quantitatively and qualitatively distributed in a heterogenous way in the different compartments of the food matrix. This structural and compartmental diversity leads to an important variability of the physicochemical properties impacting otherwise the extraction of phenols. Total phenols are determined by the Folin Cioucalteau method, as described in European Pharmacopeaea.

scholarly journals Mediterranean Diet, Physical Fitness and Body Composition in Sevillian Adolescents: A Healthy Lifestyle

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Galan-Lopez ◽  
Antonio J. Sánchez-Oliver ◽  
Francis Ries ◽  
José Antonio González-Jurado
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
The Body ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Mediterranean

Childhood and adolescent obesity has become one of the most vital challenges to overcome in the present age. Physical fitness, physical activity and the Mediterranean diet (MD) are valuable tools for its prevention and treatment. The main objective of this study is to analyze the associations between health-related physical fitness components, body composition and adherence to the MD in 917 adolescents aged from 13- to 16-years-old. The ALPHA-Fitness Test was used to measure physical fitness and body composition, and the Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (KIDMED) questionnaire was employed to assess the adherence to the MD. The associations between variables were tested according to gender and age a generalized linear model (GLM) univariate analysis (two factors) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, with Bonferroni posthoc). As to the body composition and physical fitness variables, significant differences were obtained in both genders but not in relation to the adherence to the MD. The boys performed better in the physical fitness tests. Age was a determinant factor in adherence to the MD in the total sample, lowering as the age of the sample increases. Both the boys and girls who had a significantly higher performance in the endurance test were those who showed high/medium adherence to the MD. It is concluded that higher levels of cardiovascular endurance in boys and girls are associated with a medium and high adherence to the MD.

scholarly journals Akdeniz Diyeti, Melatonin ve Sağlık

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 1258
Author(s):  
Merve Eda Eker ◽  
Sibel Karakaya
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fermented Foods ◽  
Phytochemical Content ◽  
Anticancer Properties ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Rich

The Mediterranean diet is defined as the way of eating based on the traditional foods and drinks of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The beneficial health effect of the Mediterranean diet is generally attributed to the rich phytochemical content, high amount of dietary fiber and fermented foods of this diet. In addition to all these bio actives, the Mediterranean diet is also prominent with the presence of melatonin. An essential amino acid, tryptophan, is the precursor of melatonin. Melatonin has a positive effect on health due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer properties as well as the healing effect on cardiovascular diseases and responsibility for the circadian rhythm in the body. Consumption of foods containing melatonin significantly increases the serum melatonin concentration. Therefore, maximum health benefits are expected with the consumption of foods in the Mediterranean diet, not only their polyphenols and bioactive compounds but also synergistic effects among the polyphenols, bio actives and melatonin. This article will review foods in the Mediterranean diet, their melatonin contents and their expected health benefits.

scholarly journals The effects of Mediterranean diet and EVOO consumption in relation to human health

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 466-485
Author(s):  
Evangelia BASDEKI ◽  
Constantinos SALIS ◽  
Marianna HAGIDIMITRIOU
Keyword(s):  
Olive Oil ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Morbidity Rate ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean basin is characterized by the presence and cultivation of olive trees since antiquity. All of the Mediterranean countries and especially Greece and Italy, are characterized by similar food patterns that are described as “Mediterranean diet”. The core of this diet is the daily intake of plant foods and as its main source of fat is olive oil and particularly in Greece EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil). EVOO contains a large percentage of MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids - approximately 80% of its total lipid concentration), as well as some other substances in smaller concentrations such as oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein etc. The greater the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to the intake of EVOO as the main fat source, the greater the health benefits encountered. Some of these benefits that have been reported are due to the antioxidant properties of EVOO, its anti-inflammatory effects, its ability to regulate the endothelial function, lipids, haemostasis, coagulation and fibrinolysis. Moreover, EVOO has a positive effect in chronic diseases such as obesity, metabolic and amyloid diseases, while it reduces the risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, it influences the aging process by reducing the genome and proteome damage that lead to aging. All the data collected, demonstrate that a daily intake of EVOO combined with a good percentile of adherence to the Mediterranean diet lead to a healthier lifestyle, longevity and a reduced morbidity rate.

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