Anti-inflammatory effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids in THP-1 cells.

The effects of linoleic acid (LA); alpha-linolenic acid (ALA); and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were compared to that of palmitic acid (PA); on inflammatory responses in human monocytic THP-1 cells. When cells were pre-incubated with fatty acids for 2-h and then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide for 24-h in the presence of fatty acids; secretion of interleukin (IL)-6; […]

Nuts: a new protective food against coronary heart disease

Recent epidemiological findings indicate that frequent nut consumption offers protection from fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease events. Although human nutrition studies seem to indicate that nut consumption lowers total and LDL cholesterol; the unique nutrient composition of nuts invites speculation on other mechanisms of protection.

Scalping of flavors in packaged foods.

Food packaging, although an integral part of the food chain, has a major drawback in that, often, the packaging material interacts with the flavor constituents of the food, causing either a selective or an extensive loss of desirable food flavors or absorption of undesirable off-flavors from the packaging material, thereby resulting in an eventual loss […]

There are many Mediterranean diets.

Interest in Mediterranean diet began 30 years ago; when Ancel Keys published the results of the famous Seven Countries Study; Since 1945; almost 1.3 million people have come to Australia from Mediterranean countries as new settlers. There are 18 countries with coasts on the Mediterranean sea: Spain; southern France; Italy; Malta; Croatia; Bosnia; Albania; Greece; […]

Optimizing the plant-based diet.

Any attempt to optimize a plant‐based diet necessitates an identification of the features of the diet which confer benefit as well as any which may be associated with detrimental effects. The former task is more difficult than might be assumed as there is no doubt that some of the apparent health benefits observed amongst vegetarians […]

Fat in dietary guidelines around the world

Most countries throughout the world have developed nutrition guidelines in order to promote proper nutrition inside their borders. Although normally these guidelines include recommendations on dietary fat intake, these vary from country to country. Fat intake guidelines are usually affected by the level of affluence or poverty existing in the country and consequently sometimes these […]

Health implications of Mediterranean diets in light of contemporary knowledge. Plant foods and dairy products.

Several carefully studied populations in Mediterranean countries and in some areas in Asia where traditional diets consisted largely of foods of plant origin exhibit low rates of many chronic diseases and long life expectancies. Many case-control and prospective studies have provided further evidence that high consumption of plant foods confers numerous health benefits. Investigations support […]

Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease: a review of epidemiologic evidence

Traditionally nuts have been perceived as an unhealthy food because of their high fat content. However; recent accumulative evidence suggests that frequent consumption of nuts may be protective against coronary heart disease (CHD). So far; five large prospective cohort studies (the Adventist Health Study; the Iowa Women Health Study; the Nurses' Health Study; the Physicians' […]