Monthly Archives: March 2015

Flavonoid Bioavailability: The Fate of Glucuronides

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Flavonoids are phenolic compounds synthesised as secondary metabolites in plants. Flavonoids have been shown to possess beneficial health properties in epidemiological studies. In particular, high intakes of flavonoids are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation, neurodegeneration, … Continue reading →

Posted in Antioxidant, Flavones, Flavonoids, Inflammation, Luteolin | Comments Off on Flavonoid Bioavailability: The Fate of Glucuronides

Fatty acid profiles in normal and obese individuals

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Deficiency of the essential fatty acids can occur with the feeding of high glucose enteral or parenteral nutrition in as little as two weeks. This is because of the absence of dietary essential fatty acid precursors as well as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Obesity, Weight Loss | Comments Off on Fatty acid profiles in normal and obese individuals

Cloves

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Clove trees (Eugenia aromatica) produces two cm long pink flowers that can be picked as buds and dried. These buds when dried turn brown, and at this point are referred to as cloves. Cloves are a common spice found throughout … Continue reading →

Posted in Antioxidant, Cloves, Inflammation, Kaempferol, Sterols and Stanols | Comments Off on Cloves

Whole Plant Foods: The Original Cell Structure

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Digestion and Absorption, Fibre, Fruit, Glycaemia, Nuts, Oats (Avena sativa), Pulses / Legumes, Vegetables | Comments Off on Whole Plant Foods: The Original Cell Structure

Flavonoid Structure Explained

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Flavonoids are polyphenolic secondary plant metabolites. These molecules are often responsible for the red, blue and purple colours in fruits and petals. Flavonoids are bioavailable in humans and may have important biochemical properties in animals. For example, flavonoids may be … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthocyanins, Catechin, Flavan-3-ols, Flavanones, Flavones, Flavonoids, Flavonols | Comments Off on Flavonoid Structure Explained

Cholecystokinin: Anorectic Peptide

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Appetite regulation in humans is incredibly complex and involves complex feedback loops that pass from the gut to the central nervous system. These peptides interact with receptors in the hypothalamus, and this results in changes to subsequent food intake. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Cholecystokinin, Protein, Satiety, Weight Loss | Comments Off on Cholecystokinin: Anorectic Peptide

Fat Families: Genes or Environment?

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Robert Barrington

The risk of becoming overweight is increased significantly if your family members are also overweight. Studies for example show that the offspring of two lean parents are less likely to be overweight than the offspring of overweight individuals. Of course, … Continue reading →

Posted in Genes, Obesity | Comments Off on Fat Families: Genes or Environment?

Does Zinc Have Pharmacological Actions on Immunity?

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Zinc is an important trace mineral required as a cofactor for a large number of proteins in mammalian nutrition. In animal models of zinc nutrition, it has been demonstrated that zinc deficiency causes a significant deterioration in the response of … Continue reading →

Posted in Immune System, Lectins, Zinc | Comments Off on Does Zinc Have Pharmacological Actions on Immunity?

Lactose Intolerance: Milk Alternatives

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Although cow’s milk gets a bad press amongst some nutritionists, it is an important source of nutrients and energy. In particular, milk contains factors that are anti-obesogenic, possibly fatty acids such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and calcium. This explains … Continue reading →

Posted in Bacteria, Galactose, Glucose, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactose, Milk, Yoghurt | Comments Off on Lactose Intolerance: Milk Alternatives

More On Pectin Fibre And Cholesterol

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Grapefruits (Citrus paradisi) have been shown to be beneficial at lowering plasma cholesterol levels. This is thought to relate to their fibre content which is mainly in the form of the soluble fibre pectin. The pectin concentration of whole grapefruit … Continue reading →

Posted in Cholesterol, Fibre, Grapefruit, LDL, Lipoproteins, Pectin | Comments Off on More On Pectin Fibre And Cholesterol