Functional yogurt, enriched and probiotic: A focus on human health

The food industry has always sought to produce products enriched with vitamins, probiotics, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds to improve physiological function, enhance nutritional value, and provide health. These compounds are essential for human health, and their deficiency can lead to adverse effects. Therefore, food enrichment is an important strategy to improve the nutritional value and, in some cases, improve the quality of food. Recently, functional foods have been very popular around the world. Among food products, dairy products constitute a major part of people's diet, and due to the high consumption of dairy products, including yogurt, the enrichment of this product effectively reduces or prevents diseases associated with nutritional deficiencies. Most consumers generally accept yogurt due to its high nutritional value and low price. So, it can be considered a good candidate for enrichment with micronutrients and probiotics. In recent years, using functional foods to prevent various diseases has become a popular topic for research. In this study, the effect of fortified yogurt in preventing diseases and improving deficiencies has been investigated, and it has been proven that super healthy yogurt has a positive effect on human health.

Dairy products and constituents: a review of their effects on obesity and related metabolic diseases

Obesity has become a global public health problem that seriously affects the quality of life. As an important part of human diet, dairy products contain a large number of nutrients that are essential for maintaining human health, such as proteins, peptides, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. A growing number of epidemiological investigations provide strong evidence on dairy interventions for weight loss in overweight/obese populations. Therefore, this paper outlines the relationship between the consumption of different dairy products and obesity and related metabolic diseases. In addition, we dive into the mechanisms related to the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by functional components in dairy products and the interaction with gut microbes. Lastly, the role of dairy products on obesity of children and adolescents is revisited. We conclude that whole dairy products exert more beneficial effect than single milk constituent on alleviating obesity and that dairy matrix has important implications for metabolic health.

Vegetable Intake, but Not Fruit Intake Is Inversely Associated With Fasting Plasma Glucose in Kidney Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

The association between dietary intake and glycemic control has been extensively investigated in type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about this association in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

METHODS

We performed an observational study involving 263 adult KTRs with a functioning allograft for at least 1 year at the outpatient clinic of the Hospital from November 2020 to March 2021. Dietary intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and fasting plasma glucose.

RESULTS

The vegetable and fruit intake were 238.24 g/d (102.38-416.67) and 511.94 g/d (321.19-849.05), respectively. The fasting plasma glucose was 5.15 ± 0.95 mmol/L. The linear regressions revealed that vegetable intake, but not fruit intake was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose in KTRs (adjusted R2 = 0.203, P < .001). The clear dose-response relation was observed. Moreover, each 100 g increase in vegetable intake was associated with 11.6% reduction of fasting plasma glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

Vegetable intake, but not fruit intake, is inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose in KTRs.

Effect of lifestyle intervention on HbA1c levels in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes across ethnicities: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIMS

Weight reduction is fundamental for the management and remission of diabetes. We aimed to assess ethnic differences in the effects of lifestyle weight-loss interventions on HbA1c levels in overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science online databases up to 31 Dec 2022. Randomized controlled trials using lifestyle weight-loss interventions in overweight or obese adults with T2DM were selected. We performed subgroup analyses to explore the heterogeneity across different ethnicities (Asians, White/Caucasians, Black/Africans and Hispanics). A random effects model was applied to calculate weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Thirty studies including 7580 subjects from different ethnicities were identified according to the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. HbA1c levels were significantly reduced by lifestyle weight-loss intervention. Notably, a significantly beneficial effect on HbA1c was observed in White/Caucasians (WMD = -0.59, 95% CI: -0.90, -0.28, P < 0.001) and Asians (WMD = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.63, -0.33, P < 0.001), but not in the Black/African or Hispanic group (both P > 0.05). The findings remained essentially unchanged in the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Lifestyle weight-loss interventions had distinct beneficial effects on HbA1c levels in different ethnic groups with T2DM, especially in Caucasians and Asians.

Fermented food: Should patients with cardiometabolic diseases go back to an early neolithic diet?

Fermentation has been used since the Early Neolithic period to preserve foods. It has inherent organoleptic and nutritive properties that bestow health benefits, including reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, supporting the growth of salutogenic microbiota, enhancing intestinal mucosal protection and promoting beneficial immunometabolic health effects. The fermentation of food with specific microbiota increases the production salutogenic bioactive compounds that can activate Nrf2 mediated cytoprotective responses and mitigate the effects of the 'diseasome of aging' and its associated inflammageing, which presents as a prominent feature of obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease. This review discusses the importance of fermented food in improving health span, with special reference to cardiometabolic diseases.

Effects of 12-week, non-energy-restricted dietary intervention with conventional yogurt οn appetite hormone responses of type 2 diabetic patients

Hunger-reducing effects and beneficial changes in gastrointestinal hormones have been reported, in overweight/obese individuals consuming dairy while yogurt takes pride of place due to its unique structure and composition. Although the contribution of yogurt to metabolic regulation has received growing attention, the research studies which examine its role on appetite are limited, especially regarding type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of non-fat, conventional yogurt consumption on appetite hormone responses of T2DM patients following a non-energy-restricted diet. Overweight subjects participated in a 12-week dietary intervention including 2 meals/day (2 × 200 g) of yogurt. At the beginning and the end of the intervention, a mixed meal tolerance test assessing the postprandial response of glucose, insulin, ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide-YY (PYY) was performed. Subjective appetite ratings were also evaluated. Area under the curve for glucose, insulin, ghrelin, GLP-1, and PYY responses did not differ after the 12-week intervention with yogurt (p > .05) as well as for subjective appetite ratings (p > .05). No significant differences were indicated at specific time points in any of the examined parameters. Regular consumption of non-fat, conventional yogurt for 12-week duration does not affect appetite hormone responses in overweight patients with T2DM following a non-energy-restricted diet.

Homocysteine and diabetes: Role in macrovascular and microvascular complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) can lead to the development of macro- and microvascular complications. Homocysteine (Hcy) may play a role in the development of cardiovascular (CV) diseases (CVDs). The role of Hcy in the development of the vascular complications associated with DM is not clearly defined. Despite a strong initial assumption regarding the importance of Hcy in DM and its complications, over time "enthusiasm has waned" because several studies showed unconvincing and occasionally contradictory results. A universal conclusion is not easy to draw given the diversity of studies (e.g. number of patients, design, folic acid and vitamin B status, ethnic differences, genetic background). For some complications, most results encourages further investigation. Impaired renal function is a major independent determinant of high total Hcy (tHcy) levels. However, the role of hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy) in the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has yet to be determined. Hcy-lowering therapies can significantly decrease Hcy levels but their effects on CVD risk reduction are conflicting. Further studies are needed to determine the influence of Hcy-lowering therapy on CVD risk reduction, especially in patients with DM.

Effect of Yogurt Consumption on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: a Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) comprises risk factors such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. Here we described the outcome of various yogurt consumption, either conventional, low-fat, high-fat, Greek, or enriched with nutrients or probiotics: (1) on the parameters of MetS risk factors and (2) on the mechanisms of action of the MetS risk factors.

RECENT FINDING

The majority (25 studies) of clinical trials and meta-analyses of clinical trials reported a beneficial effect of yogurt consumption in the prevention of MetS risk. Yogurt components, such as calcium, vitamin D, proteins, and probiotics, were associated with the multiple beneficial effects on the prevention of MetS. In general, yogurt consumption may be promoted within healthy dietary patterns to prevent MetS. More studies are needed to determine what type of yogurt has the greatest benefits for specific MetS risk factor prevention.

The role of yoghurt consumption in the management of type II diabetes

Enrichment of yoghurt with specific ingrdients beneficially affects the management of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (DMII). As far as the role of yoghurt in the management of DMII is concerned, the limited number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) which have been conducted suggest that daily intake of yoghurt enriched with vitamin D and/or calcium as well as probiotics positively influences glycemic regulation and may contribute to more effective control of the disease. It is argued that the various ingredients which are already contained in the complex matrix of food, such as bioactive peptides, calcium, B-complex vitamins and beneficial microbes, as well as the fact that it can be used as a vehicle for the inclusion of other effective ingredients can have an impact on the metabolic control of diabetic patients. The aim of this review is to present the RCTs which have been conducted in the last decade in patients with DMII in an attempt to highlight the positive effects of yoghurt in the management of the disease.