Dietary fats, teas, dairy, and nuts: potential functional foods for weight control?

Functional food consumption is shown to have a positive effect on anthropometric parameters and human health promotion. In addition, consumers seem to be more interested in food choices, that may have a positive effect on their health. The current study aimed to identify the antioxidant and phenolic content of naturally functional foods from the Mediterranean diet and to investigate consumer behavior towards their consumption in terms of their weight control, as well as their purchasing behavior and knowledge of functional foods. For this purpose, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, grapefruit, red peppers, almonds and mountain tea were analyzed for their phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, using the Folin-Ciocalteau and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assays, respectively. Furthermore, nine hundred forty-nine healthy Greek adults participated in an epidemiological study, by completing a validated food frequency questionnaire, for the consumption of the above investigated functional foods. Five hundred and fifty participants also completed an online questionnaire investigating factors that consumers evaluate when purchasing functional foods. Study results showed that the analyzed functional foods were high in antioxidants and phenolic compounds, especially the mountain tea. The increased consumption of cranberries, pomegranate, grapefruit, red peppers and mountain tea was significantly correlated with a decreased Body Mass Index, suggesting a possible positive role, in weight control. Participants seemed to be aware of the beneficial role of these specific investigated Mediterranean functional foods to human health. They evaluated the price, taste and nutritional value, as critical factors to buy these food products. A combination of factors seems to lead them to purchase and consume these functional foods. Future epidemiological and clinical studies should be conducted in order to further evaluate consumer preferences and bioactivity mechanisms related to Mediterranean functional food consumption.

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Study on purchase and intake patterns of individuals consuming dietary formula for weight control or health/functional foods

The Korean Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.4163/kjn.2012.45.6.541 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 541 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Hye Suk Won ◽

Hyo Jin Lee ◽

Jin Sook Kwak ◽

Joohee Kim ◽

Mi Kyung Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Control ◽

Functional Foods

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The PURE study and the enigmatic aspects of the diet: is it possible that an high saturated fat consumption would not be harmful?

European Heart Journal Supplements ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/suaa074 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (Supplement_E) ◽

pp. E113-E115

Author(s):

Andrea Poli

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Weight Control ◽

Epidemiologic Study ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Dietary Fats ◽

Saturated Fats ◽

Fat Consumption ◽

Rural Settings ◽

Final Impact

Abstract According to the results of a recent observational epidemiologic study, the PURE study, an elevated consumption of saturated fats in the diet would not be detrimental for the cardiovascular risk, and would not increase all-causes-mortality. A part for the criticism the study received, for being conducted in eastern countries and mainly in rural settings, its results are substantially in agreement with the most recent epidemiological literature, which gradually redefined the pro-atherogenic role of the saturated fats. It is possible that this type of fats, in this instance, would have a limited and restricted effect, and rather represent the overall effect of the foodstuff in which they abound, in the prevalent dietetic habits of the population studied. The results of the PURE study can be integrated with little difficulties, with the recent revision of the role of the alimentary fats in determining cardiovascular risk and all-causes-mortality. The revision doesn’t support (assuming adequate calories and weight control) a limitation of the total dietary fats, saturated fats in particular. An excessive reduction of saturated fats, particularly in Europe, could lead to an unnecessary and unsolicited limitation of certain foods (most commonly cheese), whose final impact on overall health is favourable.

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A Review on Healthier Dietary Fats for Lower Calories in Take and Body Weight Control

Asian Journal of Applied Chemistry Research ◽

10.9734/ajacr/2021/v8i130183 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 20-29

Author(s):

Rabie S. Farag ◽

Hanafy A. Hashem ◽

Abdel-Alrahman Naser ◽

Montaser A. Mohamed

Keyword(s):

Body Fat ◽

Weight Control ◽

Diabetic Control ◽

Dietary Fats ◽

Health Concern ◽

Calorie Intake ◽

Caloric Content ◽

Fried Food ◽

Cooking Properties ◽

Body Weight Control

Obesity is a global problem and numbers are rising at a fast pace in developing countries and it becomes a major public health concern. Economic costs associated with obesity are high and increasing with the rate of obesity. Obesity is a state of body fat being accumulated in excess, and it is well known that many diseases including metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and hyperlipemia and diseases in circulatory organs Such as hypertension and ischemic cardiac diseases tend to follow obesity. The fat contained in meals is one of the nutrients most profoundly related to the accumulation of body fat, but the excessive ingestion of fat may result in obesity. However, fat has intrinsic taste, and meals of extremely reduced-fat are often insufficient to give Satisfaction. Further, when deep-fried food or fried food is made, edible oil is indispensable as a heating medium. The so-called fat substitutes were developed in the early 2000s for resolving such a situation. However, none of them are fully satisfactory in Safety, physical properties, cooking properties and flavor. This review will discuss the dietary fats that were developed for different food applications which are claimed as healthy oils with lower calorie intake than classical triglycerides oils which have a caloric content of average of 9 cal/gm and recommendations for optimum healthier and dietary for obesity and diabetic control and lower calories food.

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Study of Consumer Acceptance by Means of Questionnaire Survey Towards Newly Developed Yogurts with Functional Ingredients

Current Nutrition & Food Science ◽

10.2174/1573401313666171004150928 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 243-256

Author(s):

Raquel de Pinho Ferreira Guiné

Keyword(s):

Weight Control ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

The Body ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Functional Ingredients ◽

The Past ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Probabilistic Sample ◽

Behavioural Aspects

Background: Presently, consumers are becoming very much aware of the benefits of allying the concepts of pleasant food with health promoting properties. Hence, the market for healthier foods, functional foods or even nutraceuticals has risen in the past decades. Objective: This work was designed to assess the consumers’ possible acceptance of newly developed yogurts with functional ingredients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on a non-probabilistic sample of 347 participants. The data were collected from October to December 2015 in the Central Region of Portugal. The questionnaires were applied by direct interview after verbally informed consent only to participants aged 18 or over. Results: The results obtained showed that more than 90% of the participants liked yogurts and consumed yogurts regularly (∼73%), either in the solid or liquid forms. The participants consumed functional yogurts, specifically for regulation of intestinal transit (∼46%) and for weight control (∼44%). When asked about the new yogurts with functional and detox properties, the participants indicated that they might be potential consumers of yogurts with the ability to eliminate toxins from the body (∼69%). In spite of recognizing the importance of adding ingredients with certain functionalities, like parsley, watercress or celery, the consumers manifested some doubts that those ingredients might combine well in yogurts. A regression model was deduced relating the possible consumption of detox yogurts with some behavioural aspects like physical exercise, consumption of functional foods and detox products. Conclusion: This work showed that selling yogurts with detox properties might be a good strategy because there might be a market for that type of product. However, without trying the samples and verifying the real taste of the products, the possible consumers have some doubts about the incorporation of certain ingredients, even though recognizing their roles as important.

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Nutrition as a link between obesity and cardiovascular disease: how can we stop the obesity epidemic?

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1160/th13-01-0045 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 110 (10) ◽

pp. 689-696 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Marleen A. van Baak

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Weight Control ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Population Level ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Dietary Fats ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Moderate Increase

summaryOverweight and obesity are associated with excess cardiovascular risk. To reduce cardiovascular risk at the population level, the prevention of overweight and obesity is key. This requires adoption of a healthy lifestyle, including less inactivity and more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and a healthy diet. Diet composition may facilitate weight gain prevention and weight loss. Effects of dietary fats, carbohydrates and proteins will be discussed in this context. Current evidence indicates that moderation of the intake of (saturated) fat, a moderate increase in protein content of the diet, a replacement of refined grain/high glucose index (GI) by whole-grain/low GI carbohydrates and limitation of the consumption of calorically-sweetened beverages are likely to facilitate weight control.

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EU Health Claims Regulation and the Marketing of Functional Foods: A Regulatory Void?

European Journal of Risk Regulation ◽

10.1017/s1867299x00002488 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 577-580 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Herman Lelieveldt ◽

Cris Boonen

Keyword(s):

Protective Effect ◽

Functional Food ◽

Weight Control ◽

Functional Foods ◽

National Level ◽

Health Claims ◽

Regulatory Regime ◽

Eu Member States ◽

The Eu

This report evaluates the current regulatory regime for health claims in the EU on the basis of a case study of the marketing of Optimel Control, a yoghurt drink which was marketed in several EU member states as a functional food aimed at suppressing appetite and maintaining weight control. Our case study of the marketing of Optimel Control in the Netherlands reveals that the use of non-textual marketing claims was much more important than the use of textual health claims. Because the current EU regulatory regime emphasizes the evaluation of the wording of health claims, but lacks an evaluation of non-textual claims we conclude that there is a regulatory void that producers can use to market their products in ways that suggest more health effects than scientifi cally warranted. As a result the protective effect of the current EU regulatory regime on health claims is less strong than what legislators may have intended. While it might seem most logical to simply expand EFSA's remit by also letting it look at non-textual claims, we argue that a better solution to close this gap is through a stricter monitoring of unfair commercial practices at national level.

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