José A. G. Arêas

Cholesterol-lowering effect of extruded amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) in hypercholesterolemic rabbits

Abstract Hypercholesterolemic rabbits, obtained by a special diet, were divided in three groups, and each group was fed a different diet for 21 days. The diets were: extruded amaranth diet (EAD), diet with amaranth oil (AOD) and a control diet. Growth rates of rabbits were similar in all groups. After being fed the experimental diets, total cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations were lower in rabbits fed the EAD than in those fed the AOD or the control diet. Triglycerides and VLDL-C concentrations were approximately 50% lower in rabbits fed the EAD and the AOD than in rabbits fed the control diet. No significant differences were found among HDL-C concentrations of the three groups. These results demonstrate that the consumption of extruded amaranth reduces LDL and total cholesterol levels and may be another option to prevent coronary heart diseases.

Prevalência e fatores associados à anemia entre crianças atendidas em creches públicas de São Paulo

Um dos grandes desafios na saude publica e o combate a anemia ferropriva em criancas. Considerando a importância da cidade de Sao Paulo em relacao ao tamanho da sua populacao e a escassez de estudos representativos de criancas que frequentam creches, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a prevalencia de anemia em uma amostra probabilistica de criancas frequentadoras de creches da rede municipal de Sao Paulo e identificar os fatores associados. Este e um estudo transversal com 330 pre-escolares sorteados entre 20 creches publicas. Anemia foi definida como hemoglobina menor de 11g/dL. Utilizou-se regressao logistica hierarquizada para analise multipla. A prevalencia de anemia foi de 68,8% (IC95% = 63,8%; 73,8%). Entre as criancas com anemia, o percentual de anemia grave (< 9,5g/dL) foi de 26,9%. Estiveram associados a anemia idade menor de 24 meses (Odds ratio (OR) = 2,7; IC95% = 1,4; 5,2) e idade do responsavel pela crianca menor de 25 anos (OR = 1,8; IC95% = 1,0; 3,2). A prevalencia de anemia foi alta quando comparada a outros estudos. O acompanhamento de programas de combate a esta doenca deve ser realizado e modificado, quando necessario, especialmente entre criancas frequentadoras de creches publicas menores de dois anos que possuem responsaveis mais jovens.

Consumption of a Flaxseed-Rich Food Is Not More Effective Than a Placebo in Alleviating the Climacteric Symptoms of Postmenopausal Women

Our objective in this work was to test the effects of daily intake of bread produced with partially defatted ground flaxseed on the climacteric symptoms and endometrial thickness of postmenopausal women. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was performed with 38 women who had been postmenopausal for 1-10 y and consumed 2 slices of bread containing 25 g of flaxseed (46 mg lignans) or wheat bran (<1 mg lignans; control) every day for 12 consecutive weeks. The outcome variables were the daily number of hot flashes, the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), and endometrial thickness. The plasma lipid profile (total cholesterol and HDL, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol fractions and triglycerides) and the hormones estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free thyroxine also were measured. Food intake was evaluated by means of 2 24-h recalls, before and after the treatment. Twenty patients in the study group and 18 in the control group completed the study. The general characteristics did not differ between the 2 groups at the start of the study. Both had significant, but similar, reductions in hot flashes and KMI after 3 mo of treatment. Moreover, endometrial thickness was not affected in either group. Our findings clearly show that although flaxseed is safe, its consumption at this level (46 mg lignans/d) is no more effective than placebo for reducing hot flashes and KMI.

Effects of tetramethylurea on the tertiary structure of lysozyme in water

We studied by small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) the tetramethylurea (TMU) effects on the tertiary structure of lysozyme in water. Samples containing TMU with mass fractions, w, ranging from 0 to 0.7 were analyzed. The SAXS results clearly demonstrate a structural transition from a spheroidal molecule (0⩽w⩽0.6) to a highly anisometric molecule for w=0.7. Additional SAXS results for samples with w=0.7, from which the TMU was removed, showed that this transition is reversible. The variation of the maximum dimension of the molecule with w fits an equation corresponding to a “two-state” model. At w=0.6 (critical fraction) a mixture of folded (spheroidal) and unfolded (anisometric) molecules coexists in the solution.

Desenvolvimento de salgadinhos com teores reduzidos de gordura saturada e de ácidos graxos trans

A gordura vegetal hidrogenada, veiculo convencional para aromatizacao de salgadinhos, foi substituida parcial ou totalmente por oleo de canola, gerando um novo salgadinho com 73,8% de reducao da gordura saturada em relacao aos salgadinhos disponiveis no mercado e eliminacao dos acidos graxos trans. Foi avaliado o impacto desta substituicao sobre as caracteristicas sensoriais do produto. Ao se substituir totalmente a gordura, a alteracao de cor, medida pela variacao da somatoria dos atributos de cor DE, foi de 2,04. A substituicao da gordura em ate 50% nao alterou a textura significativamente (p<0,05); entretanto, quando esta substituicao foi igual ou superior a 75% houve diferenca em relacao a amostra padrao. Foi percebida alteracao de textura pelos provadores quando a amostra padrao (22% gordura) foi confrontada com a amostra aromatizada com 22% de oleo. A amostra padrao apresentou maior aceitabilidade sensorial. Pelos resultados, concluiu-se que as caracteristicas sensoriais do produto sao fracamente afetadas pela substituicao da gordura vegetal hidrogenada pelo oleo de canola. Abordagens como esta podem ser utilizadas em escala industrial, gerando produtos diferenciados e contribuindo para diminuicao da ingestao dos acidos graxos saturados e acidos graxos trans.

Cholesterol-Lowering and Liver-Protective Effects of Cooked and Germinated Mung Beans (Vigna radiata L.)

We investigated the hypocholesterolemic and liver-protective effects of cooked and germinated whole mung beans. Hamsters were fed for 28 days on diets rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, differing only in protein source (20%): casein, cooked whole mung bean, and germinated mung bean. After 28 days, we found reduced plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, increased faecal cholesterol excretion, and reduced levels of asparagine aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes in the liver. Reduction in hepatic lipid deposition was observed between each of the mung bean groups relative to the casein group. In addition, the animals of the geminated mung bean group showed a lack of inflammatory infiltrate and better vascularisation of the hepatic tissue. Results from this study show significant hypocholesterolemic and liver-protective properties of the mung bean, which are further enhanced after germination.

Fortified Food Made from Animal Products: From Product Design to Nutritional Intervention

The development of a fortified food based on bovine lung as an iron source with the grains chickpea and corn as a matrix is described. This was achieved through texturization by extrusion cooking, which did not affect the original superior bioavailability of iron and resulted in a ready-to-eat product suitable for nutritional intervention to combat anaemia. The product was tested and was highly acceptable and remarkably efficient in decreasing anaemia among school children in poor areas in Brazil. This ready-to-eat product was able to reduce the initial anaemia prevalence from more than 60 % of the examined children to around 11 % after a 2-month intervention and met 30 % of the children’s daily iron needs. This chapter describes the steps involved in this design and the results obtained in the tested population.