Héctor Araya

Short-term satiety in preschool children: a comparison between high protein meal and a high complex carbohydrate meal.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a high protein meal has a different effect on short-term satiety in preschool children than a high carbohydrate meal by measuring their intake of a subsequent meal. Subjects were 35 normal preschool children of both genders aged 5 to 6 years. All children were healthy and randomly chosen from those who were attending to a day-care center where they received feeding at three meal times: breakfast, lunch and teatime. Children were weighed with light clothes following standard recommendations. They were normal according to the weight for height index, using the NCHS standards. Two meals with different levels of protein and carbohydrate and equal energy contents were assayed at lunch. The lunches were cooked dishes made from common ingredients. The high carbohydrate meal was consumed in greater amount than the high protein meal (P < 0.01) and a significantly greater energy intake was observed (P < 0.01). Food and energy intakes at teatime were greater with the high carbohydrate meal, but only the energy intake was significant (P < 0.05). When subjects consumed the high protein meal during lunch, they ate a significantly lower amount of protein in the subsequent meal, but the carbohydrate intake was similar. The long-term effects of a high protein diet remain to be investigated before recommending of a high protein for obese children.The aim of this study was to investigate whether a high protein meal has a different effect on short-term satiety in preschool children than a high carbohydrate meal by measuring their intake of a subsequent meal. Subjects were 35 normal preschool children of both genders aged 5 to 6 years. All children were healthy and randomly chosen from those who were attending to a day-care center where they received feeding at three meal times: breakfast, lunch and teatime. Children were weighed with light clothes following standard recommendations. They were normal according to the weight for height index, using the NCHS standards. Two meals with different levels of protein and carbohydrate and equal energy contents were assayed at lunch. The lunches were cooked dishes made from common ingredients. The high carbohydrate meal was consumed in greater amount than the high protein meal (P < 0.01) and a significantly greater energy intake was observed (P < 0.01). Food and energy intakes at teatime were greater with the high carbohydrate meal, but only the energy intake was significant (P < 0.05). When subjects consumed the high protein meal during lunch, they ate a significantly lower amount of protein in the subsequent meal, but the carbohydrate intake was similar. The long-term effects of a high protein diet remain to be investigated before recommending of a high protein for obese children.

Digestion rate of legume carbohydrates and glycemic index of legume-based meals.

A study was performed to examine the rate of digestion of available carbohydrate in legumes and its mixtures with cereals, prepared as commonly eaten. The legumes and cereals studied were lentil (Lens sculenta), pea (Pisum sativum), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, var tortola), rice (Oryza sativa) and spaghetti. Foods were purchased at the city market. Total starch content and the carbohydrate digestion rates were determined using the enzymatic method proposed by Englyst et al. Total starch levels ranged from 7.78 g/100 g in cooked flour bean to 20.6 g/100 g in a bean-spaghetti dish, and dietary fiber contents ranged from 2.4 g/100 g in a cooked 70:30 lentil-rice mixture to 5.26 g/100 g in a cooked whole bean. The rapid digestion rate carbohydrates showed values from 4.8 in the bean soup to 8.9 in the bean-spaghetti combination. The same results show, expressed as rapid available glucose (RAG), the amount of rapid carbohydrate/100 g food or meal as eaten, and as the starch digestion index (SDI), the percentage of rapid carbohydrate digestion rate in relation to the total amount of carbohydrate.The RAG values ranged between 5.0 for cooked beans and 10 for cooked beans and spaghetti, and the SDI ranged between 40 for cooked pea flour and 62 for cooked bean flour. Legumes prepared as soup showed a higher rapid digestion rate than legumes prepared as whole grain. The bean-spaghetti based-meal and the lentil-based meal showed glycemic index mean and standard deviation values of 76.8±43.4 and 49.3±29.5, RAG values of 7.0 and 6.0, and SDI values of 57 and 54, respectively. The knowledge of the importance of the carbohydrate digestion rates in human health is increasing, and probably will soon be used in the development of the food pyramid. The foods with a moderate fraction of rapid digestion rate, such as legumes, should be included in the base of the pyramid.

Ascorbate–Glutathione Cycle: Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic Integrated Mechanisms and Its Biomolecular Regulation

In plant physiology, low level of oxidative stress produces a favourable effect on the metabolism of a plant. However, when antioxydant defenses are over-passed by the action of oxidative compounds it will produce metabolic alteration that would end in cell death. The increase of oxidative stress is conditioned by different types of abiotic (salinity, drought, heavy metal) and biotic (fungus and insects) stresses. The main objective of this chapter will be to evaluate the role of ascorbate–glutathione cycle in the defense mechanisms and antioxidant capacity in plants under different stress conditions, integrating non enzymatic (ascorbate and glutathione) and enzymatic pathways and its biomolecular regulation. This chapter will describe the integration of both non-enzymatic and enzymatic mechanisms specially those concerning with the regeneration of active compounds. Enzymatic pathway preserves the active form of ascorbate and glutathione. Furthemore, we will also describe the regulation of ascorbate-glutation cycle developed by alterated redox status, which can be produced produced by abiotic and biotic stress.

Effect of the addition of malt flour to extruded pea-rice preparations on food and energy intake by preschool children.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different malt flour concentrations added to extruded pea‐rice formulae on their food and energy intake by preschool children. The study was performed in 152 children from 3 to 4 years old. Three formulae of extruded pea‐rice blends with energy densities of: 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 kcal/g and similar consistencies (9000 cp) were assayed. These characteristics were obtained modifying the solid concentration of the formulae and adding different amounts of malt flour. Results demonstrated that by increasing the energy densities of the formulae, the children were able to consume higher amounts of foods. Formulae treated with malt flour have increased energy densities without increasing consistencies. Furthermore, this treatment made possible an increase in the consumption of the formulae with higher energy densities.

Microdesiccates produced from normal human tears display four distinctive morphological components

Desiccation of human tears on glass surfaces results in fern-like crystalloids. This phenomenon has been associated with tear normality (Tear Ferning Test, TFT) and is used as a diagnostic aid to evaluate patients with Dry-Eye disease. However, TFT is focused on the assessment of only a minor fraction of desiccated tear samples and considers only the relative abundance and density of fern-like crystalloids. The aim of this study was to characterize morphologically entire desiccated micro volumes of tears from healthy donors. Tear samples were collected from 23 healthy young adult volunteers. Tear aliquots (1-3 μL) were allowed to dry on glass surfaces under ambient conditions of temperature (15-25°C) and relative humidity (40-45%). Dry samples were analyzed by dark-field microscopy. Morphometric data were acquired with Image J software. Tear volume was positively correlated with both area and time of desiccation. Morphological features of multiple microdesiccates produced from a single subject displayed striking similarities whereas tear microdesiccates from different healthy subjects displayed consistent differences but shared a common general design. This design may be mostly represented by the occurrence of four distinctive zones, named as zones I, II, III and Transition band. The main features of these zones are described.

Salt stress differently affects growth, water status and antioxidantenzyme activities in Solanum lycopersicum and its wild-relative Solanum chilenseDUN.

The effect of saline stress (NaCl, 40, 80 and 160 mmol L-1 of NaCl) on growth, plant water status and leaf antioxidant enzyme activities was investigated in a commercial cultivar of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme L.) and in a wild-related species collected in a salt-affected area of North Chile (Solanum chilense Dun.). Salt stress was applied in a nutrient solution at the vegetative stage during 40 days. The highest NaCl concentration reduced shoot relative growth, fresh and dry weight and leaf area in the cultivated S. lycopersicum but had less impact on S. chilense. Both species were able to efficiently perform osmotic adjustment but S. chilense also exhibited an increase in leaf succulence. The oxidative stress estimated through malondialdehyde quantification was always higher in the cultivated S. lycopersicum, both in the absence and in the presence of salt. Total superoxide dismutase activity (EC 1.15.1.1) increased in response to the highest dose of NaCl in S. chilense but remained constant in S. lycopersicum. Salinity induced an increase in ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) in S. chilense but reduced it in S. lycopersicum. It is concluded that S. chilense displays efficient strategies to cope with high NaCl doses and that management of the oxidative status is a key mechanism allowing this species to tolerate salinity.

Effect of starch intake on satiation and satiety in preschool children

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different food starch levels on satiation and satiety in preschool children. The study was carried out in 25 preschool children, aged 24 to 48 months, with a normal nutritional status. Three rice formulas were given to the children at lunch. Three starch levels were assayed: low, medium and high (4, 8 and 12 % of starch, respectively). Nutrient and energy densities of the formulas were similar. Satiation was determined at lunch by measuring the subjects intake of prepared dishes, which were offered in high volumes. If children asked for more an additional amount was served. Satiety was determined using the food and energy intakes at tea time in those children who consumed similar amounts of meals with different starch levels at lunch. The result demonstrated that children consumed significantly less of the high-starch food preparation at lunch. Also, an inverse and significant relationship was observed between the formula starch level and the food and energy intakes at the subsequent meal time. From these results, it can be concluded that preschool children show the highest satiating rate and satiety when they consume foods with a higher starch level. The findings of this work are a contribution to a better understanding of the effect of nutritional factors on food and energy intakes in preschool children. From an applied point of view, these findings could be valuable tools in the food management of under or overnourished preschool children.

Nutritive value of basic foods and common dishes of the Guatemalan rural populations. A theoretical approach

The nutritional characteristics of typical dishes and mixtures of basic foods (corn and beans) consumed in different rural areas of Guatemala were studied using a theoretical analysis. Common dishes and the usual combination of corn and beans were selected from the data of dietary surveys carried out in six rural communities of Guatemala. A new approach is proposed to consider the nutritive value of the common dishes with respect to their supplementary effect on the nutritive value of basic food staples. Nutritive value was defined in terms of a nutrient “score.” The model used in the present study can be applied in nutrition education programs adapted to the traditional cultural aspects of the target group.

Evaluation of Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Fruits and Vegetables Using a Modified Enzymatic Extraction

Fruits and vegetables are considered a good source of polyphenols and antioxidant capacities which are beneficial in protecting the human body against damage induced by reactive species. The objective of this work is to conduct an assessment of the polyphenol content and antioxidant activities of different fruit (kiwi, pear, green apple, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and blueberry) and vegetable (pumpkin, green and red pepper) extracts using both chemical extraction and a modified in vitro digestive enzymatic extraction in order to compare results. Polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of different fruits, vegetables and fruit juices were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and FRAP methods, respectively. It was observed that polyphenol content expressed as gallic acid equivalents of extracts obtained with the two extraction methods was significantly (p<0.05) different (on average 310.3 and 231.8 mg per 100 g of fresh sample in enzymatic and methanolic extracts, respectively). Antioxidant capacity was also significantly (p<0.05) different in the extracts obtained by the two methods, with higher values in enzymatic extracts (1.91 mmol of Fe2+ per 100 g of fresh sample). Analyses of apple samples with and without skin also revealed important differences related to methodology and composition. Additionally, the original enzymatic extraction method was improved to avoid interferences caused by the presence of protein residues in the extract.

Functional Food to Regulate Satiety and Energy Intake in Human

Nowadays obesity is affecting people from all socioeconomic levels in most of the countries worldwide. Appetite and satiety are complex processes which influence the energy regulation. As a solution to enable individuals to control their body weight, functional foods were developed in order to reduce the energy intake. However, the methodology to assess the satiating efficiency of functional foods, including monitoring through biomarkers, is very complex and needs to be standardized. The aim of the present work was to analyse the results published in the area of ​functional food and satiety to demonstrate the potential satiating role of these foods.