Brazil nuts: an effective way to improve selenium status.

BACKGROUND: Brazil nuts provide a rich natural source of selenium; yet no studies have investigated the bioavailability of selenium in humans. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of Brazil nuts in increasing selenium status in comparison with selenomethionine. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 59 New Zealand adults. Participants consumed 2 Brazil nuts thought […]

Mediterranean diet and longevity.

Mortality statistics from the WHO database covering the period 1960 to 1990 have provided intriguing evidence that something unusual has been affecting in a beneficial way the health of the Mediterranean population. In recent papers; which evaluated the evidence accumulated over the last three decades; it was concluded that the traditional Mediterranean diet meets several […]

Healthy traditional Mediterranean diet: an expression of culture; history; and lifestyle.

The term Mediterranean diet refers to dietary patterns found in olive-growing areas of the Mediterranean region and described in the 1960s and beyond. There are several variants of the Mediterranean diet; but some common components can be identified: high monounsaturated/saturated fat ratio; ethanol consumption at moderate levels and mainly in the form of wine; high […]

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and survival in a Greek population

BACKGROUND: Adherence to a Mediterranean diet may improve longevity; but relevant data are limited. METHODS: We conducted a population-based; prospective investigation involving 22;043 adults in Greece who completed an extensive; validated; food-frequency questionnaire at base line. Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet was assessed by a 10-point Mediterranean-diet scale that incorporated the salient characteristics of […]

Vitamin requirements for the treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia in humans.

We have previously shown that a modest vitamin supplement containing folic acid; vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6 is effective in reducing elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations. The effect of supplementation of the individual vitamins on moderate hyperhomocysteinemia has now been investigated in a placebo-controlled study. One hundred men with hyperhomocysteinemia were randomly assigned to five groups […]

Effect of germicidal UVC light on fungi isolated from grapes and raisins

AIMS: To examine how UVC affects the different genera of fungi commonly isolated from grapes; with the aim of understanding changes in mycobiota during grape ripening and possible applications for preventing grape decay during storage. METHODS AND RESULTS: Spores of Aspergillus carbonarius; Aspergillus niger; Cladosporium herbarum; Penicillium janthinellum and Alternaria alternata (between 100-250 spores/plate agar) […]