Effectual comparison of quinoa and amaranth supplemented diets in controlling appetite; a biochemical study in rats

Exploring Underused Starchy Food Crops to Extend Their Consumption: Mexico as Case of Study

Mexico has one of the world's largest biodiversity, associated with the regions (forest, jungle, mountain, tropical) and the climate. The geography of Mexico induces favorable conditions for the growth of food crops. This article aims to show the characteristics of some starchy food crops consumed in diverse regions of México, which have functional and nutritional characteristics that can be exploited to extend their consumption in the country. The reported studies of those Mexican starchy food crops indicate the nutritional potential to directly consume those foods or use them as raw material to prepare new foods with functional properties due to those present bioactive compounds and dietary fiber. This review suggests diversification of those underutilized traditional Mexican starchy food crops with an impact on the agricultural producers.

Ancient Latin-American food crops: An overview of their nutraceutical and antiobesity peptides

Most of the plants used for human consumption comprise various peptides with health benefits, such as antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immunomodulatory capacity. The intake of plant-based bioactive peptides is important in the prevention of some chronic diseases. Also, peptides show positive effects on lipid metabolism and mineral absorption and act as analgesic, antithrombotic, antiatherosclerotic, and opioid agents; it is pertinent to mention that peptides quite often exhibit multiple bioactivities. Bioactive peptides are released by the hydrolysis of digestive enzymes, that is, pepsin, chymotrypsin, trypsin, or by in vitro producers using specific enzymes, pH, and temperature. These peptides comprise hydrophobic amino acids, positive charge and are resistant to digestive hydrolysis by peptidases and proteases. Small peptides with a dipeptide of proline-proline at their C terminal are more resistant to gastrointestinal enzymes; otherwise, large peptides are active outside the intestinal epithelium. This review is focused on three selected ancient crops from Latin America, amaranth, chia, and quinoa, because of their outstanding nutritional and agronomic characteristics that provide a broad of functional compounds with high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancer, and antiobesity capacity.

Proteins and Peptides from Food Sources with Effect on Satiety and Their Role as Anti-Obesity Agents: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Obesity, clinically defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher, is a medical condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat, which can lead to adverse health consequences. As a global public health issue with an escalating prevalence, controlling appetite and satiety is essential for regulating energy balance and managing body weight. Dietary proteins and peptides have gained interest in their potential to prevent and treat obesity by modulating satiety signals. This narrative review analyzes scientific evidence highlighting the role of dietary proteins and peptides in regulating satiety signals and investigates their therapeutic potential in preventing and treating obesity.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search focused on articles examining the impact of dietary proteins and peptides on satiety and obesity, encompassing both preclinical and clinical trials.

RESULTS

Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between the intake of specific proteins or peptides from plant and animal sources and satiety regulation. These investigations identified mechanisms where amino acids and peptides interact with enteroendocrine cell receptors, activating intracellular signaling cascades that promote the release of anorexigenic gut hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY). Both in vitro and in vivo assays have shown that these interactions contribute to appetite regulation and the sensation of satiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Using proteins and peptides in the diet may be an effective strategy for regulating appetite and controlling body weight. However, more research-including clinical trials-is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms better and optimize the application of these bioactive compounds in preventing and treating obesity.

The Neuroprotective Role of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Wild) Supplementation in Hippocampal Morphology and Memory of Adolescent Stressed Rats

Brain physiology and morphology are vulnerable to chronic stress, impacting cognitive performance and behavior. However, functional compounds found in food may alleviate these alterations. White quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Wild) seeds contain a high content of n-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid. This study aimed to evaluate the potential neuroprotective role of a quinoa-based functional food (QFF) in rats. Prepubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with rat chow or QFF (50% rat chow + 50% dehydrated quinoa seeds) and exposed or not to restraint stress protocol (2 h/day; 15 days). Four experimental groups were used: Non-stressed (rat chow), Non-stressed + QFF, Stressed (rat chow) and Stressed + QFF. Weight gain, locomotor activity (open field), anxiety (elevated plus maze, light-dark box), spatial memory (Y-maze), and dendritic length in the hippocampus were measured in all animals. QFF intake did not influence anxiety-like behaviors, while the memory of stressed rats fed with QFF improved compared to those fed with rat chow. Additionally, QFF intake mitigated the stress-induced dendritic atrophy in pyramidal neurons located in the CA3 area of the hippocampus. The results suggest that a quinoa-supplemented diet could play a protective role in the memory of chronically stressed rats.

Does Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) Consumption Improve Blood Glucose, Body Weight and Body Mass Index? A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) has a structure similar to whole grains and contains phytochemicals and dietary fiber. Hence, it is considered a food substance with a high nutritional value.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of quinoa in reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG), body weight (BW), and body mass index (BMI) in a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

METHODS

A comprehensive search in ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases as well as Google Scholar, was conducted up to November 2022 to identify reports of randomized clinical trials that investigated the effect of quinoa on FBG, BW, and BMI.

RESULTS

Seven trials comprising 258 adults with mean ages of 31 to 64 years were included in this review. Studies used 15 to 50 grams of quinoa/per day as an intervention, and the intervention was between 28 to 180 days. In a dose-response analysis of FBG, there was significant evidence of a nonlinear association between intervention and FBG based on the quadratic model (P-value for nonlinearity = 0.027); hence, the slope of the curve increased when quinoa intake was nearly 25 g/- day. In comparison between quinoa seed supplementation and placebo, our findings showed that quinoa seed supplementation did not have a significant effect on BMI (MD: -0.25; 95% CI: -0.98, 0.47; I2=0%, P = 0.998) and BW (MD: -0.54; 95% CI: -3.05, 1.97; I2=0%, P = 0.99), when compared with placebo. Evidence of publication bias was not found among the included studies.

CONCLUSION

The present analysis revealed the beneficial effects of quinoa on the blood glucose level. Further studies on quinoa are needed to confirm these results.

Djulis Hull Enhances the Efficacy of Ferric Citrate Supplementation via Restoring Normal Iron Efflux through the IL-6-Hepcidin-Ferroportin Pathway in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Obesity-related functional iron disorder remains a major nutritional challenge. We evaluated the effects of djulis hull (DH) on iron metabolism in 50% high-fat-diet-induced obese rats supplemented with ferric citrate (2 g iron/kg diet) for 12 weeks. DH supplementation (5, 10, 15% dry weight/kg diet) significantly increased serum and hepatic iron but decreased appetite hormones, body weight, hepcidin, and liver inflammation (all p < 0.05). The Spearman correlation showed that appetite hormones were negatively associated with iron but positively correlated with liver hepcidin (all p < 0.05). A Western blot analysis showed that DH significantly downregulated hepatic hepcidin through the IL-6-JAK-STAT3 and enhanced ferroportin (Fpn) via the Keap1-Nrf2 and PHD2-HIF-2α. An in vitro study revealed that major bioactive compounds of DH, hexacosanol, and squalene suppressed LPS-induced IL-6 and hepcidin but enhanced Fpn expression in activated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, DH may exert nutraceutical properties for the treatment of functional iron disorder and restoration of iron efflux may have beneficial effects on weight control.

The effects of sesame oil on metabolic biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

Background

Clinical evidences showing the effects of sesame oil on metabolic biomarkers led to inconsistent results.

Propose

This meta-analysis was designed to examine the effects of sesame oil on metabolic biomarkers in adults, including the maximum number of clinical trials.

Methods

Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched to date up to July 2021 to identify eligible clinical trial studies. We obtained the pooled estimates of weighted mean differences (WMDs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effects meta-analysis.

Result

Meta-analysis showed that sesame oil consumption significantly lowered the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (WMD: -3.268 mg/dl; 95% CI: -4.677, -1.86; P < 0.001), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (WMD: -4.847 nmol/dL; 95% CI: -7.051, -2.698; P < 0.001) between the intervention and control groups. Also, this study showed sesame oil consumption significantly decreased HbA1C (WMD: -2.057%; 95% CI: -3.467, -0.646; P = 0.004), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (WMD: -2.679 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.257, -0.101; P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD: -1.981 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.916, -0.046; P = 0.045), body weight (WMD: -0.346 kg; 95% CI: -0.641, -0.051; P = 0.021), and body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -0.385 kg/m2; 95% CI:-0.721, -0.049; P = 0.025) after intervention. No significant effect was seen in serum insulin levels (p > .05).

Conclusions

The current study provided some evidence regarding the beneficial effects of sesame oil on metabolic biomarkers. Further studies are still required to confirm our results.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-022-00997-2.

Can pseudocereals modulate microbiota by functioning as probiotics or prebiotics?

Amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat, known as pseudocereals, have been consumed since ancient times and are considered sacred in most cultures. Their grains can be used as cereals for breakfast or mixed with other grains in meals and their health-enhancing effects have been investigated more in recent years. They have an antioxidant effect and their nutrient profiles are enriched with processing techniques such as sprouting and fermentation. Their suitability to different processing techniques and the rapid increase in microbiota researches highlighted the probiotic/prebiotic effects of pseudocereals. Using cultures or naturally fermented amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat exhibited good substrate properties for probiotic bacteria, especially for Lactobacillus strains. Studies have found that they reduce the number of pathogen microorganisms, increase the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids due to their prebiotic effects. Also the number of bacterial colonies do not change during the storage period and their organoleptic properties are revealed. It has been determined that pseudocereals decrease Ruminococcacea, Lachnospiraceae, Helicobacteracea, Clostridium, Escherichia and increase Peptoclostridium, Prevotellaceae, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, and Eubacteriaceae. Due to these effects, they are considered as good sources for synbiotic formulations to be developed for the treatment of dysbiosis, obesity, Celiac Disease, lactose intolerance, inflammatory bowel diseases and inflammation-mediated chronic disorders.

<i>In vitro</i> Anticancer Activity of Quinoa and Safflower Seeds and Their Preventive Effects on Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not only the most common cause of liver diseases in humans but also it may complicate and become a risk factor for liver cancer. The present work aimed to evaluate the anticancer activity (in vitro) of quinoa and safflower seeds powder and their beneficial effects against NAFLD (in vivo).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Proximate analysis, fatty acids profile, total phenolic and phytic acid of quinoa and safflower seeds were assessed. Also their anticancer activities (in vitro) against liver cancer were evaluated. The preventive effect of both seeds on NAFLD was evaluated using twenty four male rats. NAFLD was induced in rats by high fructose diet (HFD) for 4 weeks. The effects of HFD and HFD supplemented with 20% quinoa or safflower powder on plasma and liver lipids, lipid peroxidation, total protein, albumin as well as liver and kidney functions were determined.

RESULTS

Quinoa seeds powder was promising in cytotoxicity against hepatocarcinoma cell line HEPG2 (IC50 was 14.6 μg). Feeding rats on HFD produced dyslipidemia and significant increase in liver functions and lipid peroxidation with significant elevation in liver triglycerides and total cholesterol. Quinoa and safflower seeds powder produced improvement in the biochemical parameters with different degrees.

CONCLUSION

Quinoa and safflower seeds powder possessed cytotoxicity against hepatocarcinoma cell line HEPG2 and afford hepato-protection against NAFLD.

Pseudocereal grains: Nutritional value, health benefits and current applications for the development of gluten-free foods

Nowadays, consumers are more conscious of the environmental and nutritional benefits of foods. Pseudocereals grains, edible seeds belonging to dicotyledonous plant species, are becoming a current trend in human diets as gluten-free (GF) grains with excellent nutritional and nutraceutical value. Pseudocereals are a good source of starch, fiber, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals such as saponins, polyphenols, phytosterols, phytosteroids, and betalains with potential health benefits. The present review aims to summarize the nutritional quality and phytochemical profile of the three main pseudocereal grains: quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat. In addition, current evidence about their health benefits in animal models and human studies is also provided in detail. Based on the accumulating research supporting the inclusion of pseudocereals grains in the diet of celiac persons, this review discusses the recent advances in their application for the development of new GF products. Future directions for a wider cultivation and commercial exploitation of these crops are also highlighted.

Modest improvement in CVD risk markers in older adults following quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) consumption: a randomized-controlled crossover study with a novel food product

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of consuming quinoa biscuits on markers of CVD risk over 4 weeks in free-living older adults.

METHODS

A randomized-controlled, double-blind crossover trial was conducted in which consenting healthy adults aged 50-75 years (n = 40) consumed 15 g quinoa biscuits (60 g quinoa flour/100 g) or control iso-energetic biscuits (made using wheat flour) daily for 28 consecutive days (4 weeks), in addition to their normal diet. Following a 6-week washout, participants consumed the alternate biscuit for a final 4 weeks. Anthropometry and fasted blood samples were obtained before and after each intervention period.

RESULTS

At the beginning of the trial, mean ± SD total cholesterol concentrations were 6.02 ± 1.22 mmol/L (3.7-9.2 mmol/L); 33 participants (82.5%) had high cholesterol (> 5 mmol/L). No participants were lost to follow-up and there were no changes in habitual dietary intakes or levels of physical activity between each 4-week intervention period. Significantly greater decreases in total and LDL cholesterol concentrations (- 0.30 ± 0.58 and - 0.25 ± 0.38 mmol/L, respectively), TC: HDL ratio (- 0.11 ± 0.30), weight (- 0.61 ± 0.89 kg) and BMI (- 0.22 ± 0.34 kg/m²) were apparent following consumption of the quinoa versus control biscuits (all P < 0.05). Changes in triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, or PUFA or CRP concentrations were not significant between treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

Consumption of novel quinoa biscuits produced small, but favorable changes in body weight, BMI, and circulating cholesterol concentrations, all of which may contribute to lowered CVD risk in older adults.

Quinoa intake reduces plasma and liver cholesterol, lessens obesity-associated inflammation, and helps to prevent hepatic steatosis in obese db/db mouse

The purpose of this study was to investigate if quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a good source of nutrients, fibre, and phytochemicals, can modulate risk disease biomarkers on obese-diabetic (db/db) mice. The db/db mice fed quinoa-supplemented (quinoa) or AIN-93G diet (obese) were compared to lean control fed AIN-93G diet. Quinoa intake reduced at significant level plasma total-cholesterol (total-c), LDL-c, and oxidized-LDL to levels similar to lean; lessened protein carbonyls and interleukin (IL)-6. The hepatic steatosis and total-c accumulation in liver were also similar between lean and quinoa and lower than obese. Quinoa fibre and phytochemicals may have contributed to these health benefits. However, quinoa intake increased plasma insulin and did not protect from other pathophysiological manifestations of the db/db research model. More studies are needed with other research models and quinoa doses achievable by human diet to validate the clinical relevance of this study.

Effect of Pseudocereal-Based Breakfast Meals on the First and Second Meal Glucose Tolerance in Healthy and Diabetic Subjects

BACKGROUND

Many studies have indicated that the incidence of serious diabetic complications may be reduced through strict glycemic control. A low glycemic index diet is one tool to improve insulin resistance and improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

AIM

The objective was to study the effect of pseudocereals-based breakfasts (quinoa and buckwheat) on glucose variations at first meal (breakfast) and second meal (standardised lunch) in healthy and diabetic subjects.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Twelve healthy subjects and 12 patients with Type 2 DM (not- insulin dependent) were recruited in the study. Subjects were provided with quinoa and buckwheat breakfast meals. A standardised lunch was provided 4 h after breakfast. Postprandial blood glucose response after breakfast and the second meal effect was measured in healthy and diabetic subjects. Incremental area under the curve (IAUC) values for glucose was measured in response to the breakfast and lunch. The glycemic index of the 2 pseudocereals-based test breakfasts was determined. A white wheat bread (WWB) was served as a reference breakfast meal.

RESULTS

In post-breakfast analyses, healthy subjects showed that buckwheat meal had significantly lower IAUC values for blood glucose compared to WWB reference meal (P < 0.001) while quinoa meal showed no significance. In diabetic subjects, buckwheat and quinoa meals had significantly lower IAUC values for blood glucose compared to WWB reference meal (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05 respectively). Blood glucose concentrations started to decline gradually for the quinoa and buckwheat but not for WWB in all healthy and diabetic subjects and returned to near-fasting baseline levels by 210 min. Post-lunch analyses indicated higher IAUC for the two breakfast types in healthy and diabetic subjects. In addition, the quinoa and buckwheat breakfast meals were followed by a significantly flatter blood glucose response to the second meal for the period between 270 and 330 min. At the end of the second meal period, values were below or near-fasting baseline levels in the breakfast period. The blood glucose concentration after consuming quinoa meal showed a high peak at 30 min similar to that of WWB reference meal. This peak resulted in a high glycemic index (GI) for quinoa (89.4). The GI of buckwheat recorded a low value (26.8).

CONCLUSION

The two studied pseudocereals; quinoa and buckwheat have high potential to improve glucose tolerance at the first and second meal (lunch) and are recommended to be introduced in our daily diet for healthy and diabetic subjects.

Evaluation of the functionality of bread loaves prepared with quinoa flakes through biological tests

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate quinoa flakes and bread prepared with the pseudocereal with regard to nutritional aspects by determining chemical composition, content of tocopherols and fatty acid composition as well as to possible beneficial effects in Wistar rats given commercial feed supplemented or not with quinoa flakes and cholesterol. The following parameters were determined: weight gain, food intake, liver weight, fat in liver and lipid profile in blood and liver. The results showed that processing affected the nutritional characteristics of bread because there was a significant increase in dietary fiber content but reduction in soluble fiber. Increased fiber did not influence food intake or weight gain. Regarding fat in liver of rats, the group that consumed bread without quinoa but with cholesterol showed higher lipid content. The addition of quinoa increased significantly the level of all types of tocopherols, especially in the group of animals that consumed 20% quinoa bread, improving the lipid profile both in blood and liver, largely due to a reduction in oxidized LDL.

Physiological Effects Associated with Quinoa Consumption and Implications for Research Involving Humans: a Review

Quinoa is a pseudo-grain consumed as a dietary staple in South America. In recent years, consumer demand for quinoa in the developed world has grown steadily. Its perceived health benefits have been cited as a driving force behind this trend, but there are very few human studies investigating the impact of quinoa consumption. The aim of this review was to identify physiological effects of quinoa consumption with potential for human health. A critical evaluation of animal model studies was conducted. The quality of identified studies was assessed using a methodological quality assessment tool and summative conclusions were drawn to guide the direction of future human research. The majority of studies were of fair quality. Purported physiological effects of quinoa consumption included decreased weight gain, improved lipid profile and improved capacity to respond to oxidative stress. These physiological effects were attributed to the presence of saponins, protein and 20-hydroxyecdysone in the quinoa seed. The implications of these findings are that human studies should investigate the impact of quinoa consumption on weight gain and lipid levels. The role of quinoa as an antioxidant is still unclear and requires further elucidation in animal models.