Bioavailability of iron from four different local food plants in Jordan

The bioavailability of iron from local plants(black cumin seeds, milk thistle seeds, sesame seedsand thyme leaves) was investigated. Apparentabsorption of iron was calculated by subtracting fecal iron(using total collection of feces) from iron intake inSprague-Dawley rats. Two trials of animal feeding wereperformed. Liver and serum concentrations of iron, andserum hemoglobin concentration were taken as responseparameters for the bioavailability. Dry thyme wasparticularly rich in iron (117.2 mg/100 g dry matter)and milk thistle seeds in crude fiber (25 g/100 g drymatter). Rats fed the dry thyme diet or thatsupplemented with 5% egg white died but when the dietwas supplemented with 10% egg white, the animalssurvived. Iron intake and apparent and total ironabsorption were highest for the rats fed the drythyme-egg white diet. Liver weights for the groups fedblack cumin seeds and dry thyme were significantlyhigher (p < 0.05) than those for the groups fed milkthistle and sesame seeds. Liver content of ironwas highest for the animals fed black cumin seeds.Serum iron content increased significantly (p < 0.05)for the animals fed black cumin seeds, and serumhemoglobin concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the groups fed milk thistle seed and blackcumin seed diets, but decreased for the group fed thethyme-egg white diet. It is concluded from this studythat iron was better utilized from black cumin seedsas indicated by liver storage of iron. On the otherhand, thyme had the highest iron absorption but lowestutilization.     

Children Consuming Cassava as a Staple Food are at Risk for Inadequate Zinc, Iron, and Vitamin A Intake

Cassava contains little zinc, iron, and β-carotene, yet it is the primary staple crop of over 250 million Africans. This study used a 24-hour dietary recall to test the hypothesis that among healthy children aged 2–5 years in Nigeria and Kenya, cassava’s contribution to the childrens’ daily diets is inversely related to intakes of zinc, iron, and vitamin A. Dietary and demographic data and anthropometric measurements were collected from 449 Kenyan and 793 Nigerian children. Among Kenyan children 89% derived at least 25% of their dietary energy from cassava, while among the Nigerian children 31% derived at least 25% of energy from cassava. Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava and vitamin A intake was r = −0.15, P < 0.0001, zinc intake was r = −0.11, P < 0.0001 and iron intake was r = −0.36, P < 0.0001. In Kenya, 59% of children consumed adequate vitamin A, 22% iron, and 31% zinc. In Nigeria, 17% of children had adequate intake of vitamin A, 57% iron, and 41% zinc. Consumption of cassava is a risk factor for inadequate vitamin A, zinc and/or iron intake.     

Iron and phosphorus utilization in rats fed soaked and dehulled bambara groundnut supplemented with sorghum or crayfish

Thirty-six adult Wistar albino male rats (75–128 g) of age 8 weeks were used to study the effect of dehulled and soaked bambara groundnut combined with sorghum or crayfish on iron and phosphorus balances of rats fed for 10 days. Three out of the ten days were for adjustment and the rest for the balance period. Six diets were formulated and fed to the rats. The mixed protein diets provided 10% protein daily for the entire study period. Casein(CA) served as a reference protein. Rats fed the CA diet had significant decreases (p < 0.05) in food intake, maintenance body weight, phosphorus intake and phosphorus balance when compared with those of the test groups. As judged by iron nutriture, dehulled brown bambara groundnut (DBGB) appeared to be superior to the white variety. Soaking seriously affected iron utilization in brown variety. Dehulling produced significant increases (p < 0.05) in phosphorus balance in animals fed the white variety of bambara groundnut compared with the brown variety. On the other hand, soaking produced positive phosphorus balance in rats consuming the brown variety. Addition of crayfish produced a slight nonsignificant decrease (p > 0.05) in rodents eating the brown variety. These results suggested that varietal difference and treatment affected iron and phosphorus utilization in rats fed bambara groundnut in conjunction with sorghum and/or crayfish.     

Impact of tofu or tofu + orange juice on hematological indices of lacto-ovo vegetarian females

The purpose of this study was to investigate iron status of premenopausalvegetarian women consuming tofu or tofu plus orange juice. Following athree day pre-period, 14 lacto-ovo vegetarians were randomly divided intotwo experimental periods of 30 days each. For the first 30 days, one halfof the subjects (n = 7) received 6 oz (173 grams) of tofu/day (T) while theother half of the subjects (n = 7) received 6 oz of tofu/day along with303 mg of vitamin C/d (TO). After 30 days, there was a crossover ofthe diets. Iron status was assessed by measuring serum ferritin andhemoglobin concentrations on the first day of the study and at the end ofeach experimental period. The Mann Whitney-U test was significant duringthe first (W = 17.5; Z = –2.095; p = 0.0361) and over the second (W = 40.0; Z = –2.611; p = 0.009) experimental periods which indicated thechange in hemoglobin levels for the T and TO groups were different. Meanranks showed a greater increase in hemoglobin levels for the TO group.There was no significant difference in the change in serum ferritin levelsbetween the T and TO groups over the first and second experimentalperiods. In conclusion, bioavailability of iron from tofu is enhancedby supplementation with ascorbic acid.     

Chlorella pyrenoidosa Supplementation Reduces the Risk of Anemia, Proteinuria and Edema in Pregnant Women

Pregnancy anemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) are common and potentially dangerous disorder in human pregnancy, and nutritional status of pregnant women is one of the leading causes. Chlorella contains large quantities of folate, vitamin B-12 and iron, and can help improve anemia and hypertensive disorder. Our objective was to investigate the preventive effects of Chlorella supplement on pregnancy anemia and PIH in Japanese pregnant women. A total of 70 pregnant women were placed into the control group (n = 38) or the Chlorella group (n = 32). The subjects in the Chlorella group were supplemented daily from 12th–18th wk of gestation until delivery with 6 g of Chlorella supplement. The proportion of anemic (hemoglobin level < 11 g/dL) subjects in the Chlorella group were significantly lower compared with the control group at the second and third trimesters. Additionally, in the Chlorella group, the incidences of proteinuria and edema, signs of PIH, were significantly lower during the third trimester. These results suggest that Chlorella supplementation significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy associated anemia, proteinuria and edema. Chlorella supplement may be useful as a resource of natural folate, vitamin B-12 and iron for pregnant women.     

Circulating Salicylic Acid and Metabolic and Inflammatory Responses after Fruit Ingestion

We hypothesized that fruit ingestion provides measurable amounts of salicylic acid (SA) and produces different metabolic and inflammatory responses compared to mere fruit sugars. In a randomized-crossover study, 26 healthy subjects received a peach shake meal (PSM) (SA: 0,06 ± 0,001 mg/100 g) and a mixed sugar meal (MSM), consisting in an aqueous solution with the same sugars found in the peach shake. In order to control for the SA contribution from meals in the previous day, 16 subjects (Group 1) abstained from fruits and vegetables consumption the evening before trials, and 10 subjects (Group 2) maintained their usual diet. Circulating SA, glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, and interleukin-6 were determined. Basal SA was lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 (0.09 ± 0.02 vs. 0.30 ± 0.03 μmol/l, p < 0.001), peaked at 90 min in both groups (0.18 ± 0.01 vs. 0.38 ± 0.02 μmol/l, p < 0.01) and remained above baseline (p < 0.05) up to 3 h. Glycemia increased less after PSM at 15 min (p < 0.01) with a lower average glucose excursion (p < 0.05). Insulin peaked at 45 min with both meals but decreased less rapidly with PSM. Free fatty acids decreased more (p < 0.01), and interleukin-6 increased less (p < 0.05) with PSM. Dietary fruit intake increases the concentration of SA in vivo, and provides non-nutrients capable to modulate the inflammatory and metabolic responses to carbohydrates.     

Contents of minerals in green leafy vegetables cultivated in soil fortified with different chemical fertilizers

Content of selected minerals in spinach (Spinacea oleracea) andambat chuka (Rumex vesicarius) cultivated in soil fortified withdifferent chemical fertilizers was determined in a pot experiment.Addition of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) fertilizer alongwith micronutrients, iron and zinc, enhanced the concentration of zinc,iron and magnesium in selected green leafy vegetables markedly (p<0.05),while the concentration of copper was not altered significantly(p>>0.05). Potassium content in the green leafy vegetables was notaffected (p>0.05) by the addition of chemical fertilizers to soil.Spinach and ambat chuka differed remarkably in their mineral contents.Contents of potassium, zinc and copper were significantly high in spinach,while the contents of magnesium and iron were markedly high in ambatchuka (p<0.05).     

Iron status and growth of rats fed different dietary iron sources

The present study was carried out to investigate the availability of iron from spirulina, whole wheat, whole egg and standard ferrous sulphate in terms of haemoglobin formation, serum and tissue iron levels. Male albino Wistar rats were first depleted of iron by giving low-iron diet (9 ppm) and bleeding 1–2 ml blood at weekly intervals for a period of 21 days. The anaemic rats were repleted with iron sources at a level of 35 ppm for 21 days. Rats receiving whole egg gained significantly (p<0.01) higher weight than the rest of the three groups. The increase in haemoglobin was significantly higher with ferrous sulphate than with whole wheat (p<0.05), spirulina and whole egg (p<0.01). Feeding of ferrous sulphate, whole egg and spirulina produced significantly higher tissue iron levels than feeding of whole wheat. Thus, availability of iron from spirulina and whole egg were found to be comparable to that of the standard.     

Comparison of the Nutrient and Chemical Contents of Traditional Korean Chungtaejeon and Green Teas

This study was conducted in order to compare the nutrient and chemical contents of two Korean teas: traditional Chungtaejeon tea (CTJ) with that of green tea (GT). Main bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activities using four radical scavenging assays (ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP and DPPH) in methanol and acetone extracts of both teas were determined. It was found that the contents of vitamin C, amino acids and total nitrogen in CTJ were lower than that of GT (p < 0.05). Caffeine, reducing sugar and chlorophyll contents in CTJ were similar to GT. Catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), and epigallocatechin (EGC) contents were lower in CTJ than in green tea (p < 0.05), but gallocatechin (GC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and catechin gallate (CG) showed no significant differences between CTJ and GT (p ≥ 0.05). The contents of polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols and tannins in CTJ methanol were 229.30 ± 11.3 mg GAE/g dry weight (DW), 15.24 ± 0.8 mg CE/g DW, 109.10 ± 5.1 mg CE/g DW and 25.68 ± 1.2 mg CE/g DW, respectively, and significantly higher than in acetone extracts (p < 0.05). Flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) were higher in GT than in CTJ and myricetin was higher in CTJ (p < 0.05). Threonine and aspartic acid was lower, and glutamic acid was higher in CTJ compared with GT (p < 0.05). Free amino acid content in CTJ and GT showed no significant difference. Potassium and magnesium in CTJ were lower compared to GT, but no significant difference was found for iron, manganese and calcium. Also, the level of the antioxidant activity by all four used assays was significantly higher in CTJ and in methanol was higher than in acetone extracts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, traditional fermented Korean tea Chungtaejeon contains high quantities of bioactive compounds and possesses high antioxidant activity. The contents of the bioactive compounds and the levels of antioxidant activities are significantly higher in methanol than in acetone extracts. 3-D fluorescence and FTIR- spectroscopy showed slight differences between the two investigated tea samples and can be used as additional tools for identification of polyphenols. Both studied teas can be recommended as a source of bioactive compounds.     

Long-term evolution and prediction of feed value for permanent mountain grassland hay: Analysis of a 32-year data set in relation to climate change

Elevation of mean air temperature related to climate change speeds up plant maturity, which influences mostly forage feed value. The objective of the study was to assess variation in hay quality harvested over 32 years at the same experimental site, and whether feed value is better predicted by combining agro-climatic variables with chemical composition. From 1979 to 2010, the in vivo digestibility (OMd) and voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) of 271 hays, harvested during the first vegetation cycle on permanent grasslands, were measured in sheep. Over 32 years, the mean air temperature between February and August increased significantly by 1.34°C. Cutting date was advanced by 6 days, but the average sum of temperature at cutting (ST) increased significantly by 13%. Crude protein (CP) content declined (−22%, p < .001), crude fibre content increased (+8%, p < .001), OMd decreased (−3%, p = .012) and VDMI increased (+9%, p = .011). Changes in the chemical composition and OMd were consistent with the increase in ST. Finally, the prediction of OMd from CP and crude fibre contents (R² = .57, RMSE = 2.99) was slightly improved by the addition of ST and hay drying time (R² = .60, RMSE = 2.83). Climate change may have a negative indirect effect on hay quality if an earlier cutting date does not compensate for its effect on the faster maturation of the plants. Moreover, agro-climatic criteria could help to monitor and predict hay quality in relation to intra- and inter-annual climatic changes.     

Evaluation of yield and chemical composition of a halophyte (Suaeda glauca) and its feeding value for lambs

Suaeda glauca is a potential feedstock for ruminants in north‐east China in areas of increasing salinity. The characteristics of S. glauca pasture from June to October and effects on intake, digestion and blood metabolites in lambs given increasing proportions of S. glauca in the forage component of a mixed hay/concentrate (50/50) diet were evaluated. Harvest date had a significant effect on dry matter (DM) yield. There were significant increases in DM content, total energy, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre (ADF), but declines in leaf proportion, crude protein, total ash and sodium contents with maturity. Inclusion of 25%S. glauca hay in a diet significantly improved daily intake of DM, organic matter (OM) and energy compared with T0% and T50% groups. Supplementation at 25 or 50% significantly increased the digestibility of energy, DM, OM and ADF compared with the T0% group. Water intake, urinary excretion, water content of fresh faeces and sodium excretion from urine linearly increased with increasing S. glauca content, but potassium excretion from urine decreased. K and Mg serum contents were significantly increased compared with T0% group when S. glauca made up 50% of diet. This study indicates that S. glauca is a suitable hay when added as 25% of the lamb diet.     

Biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in germinating rapeseed cultivars

Biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in irradiated and unirradiated germinating rapeseed cultivars was studied at ambient room temperature (20–35 °C). Appreciable quantities of ascorbic acid (19.8–24.1 mg/100 g) were detected in the seeds and synthesis of this vitamin increased significantly (three fold) with increasing germination time depending upon rapeseed cultivars (p<0.05). Soaking of seeds in tap water (1:2) for 24 hours resulted in the decrease of the vitamin in each case. Among the radiation treatments (0.05–0.20 kGy), maximum amounts of ascorbic acid were found in 0.10 kGy (342.1 mg/100 g dry weight) and 0.15 kGy (113.8 mg/100 g wet weight) samples after 96 hours of germination. An overall significant linear relation (r=0.96) was observed between vitamin biosynthesis and germination time upto 96 hours in rapeseed.     

Effects of Daily Kelp (Laminaria japonica) Intake on Body Composition,Serum Lipid Levels,and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Healthy Japanese Adults: A Randomized,Double-Blind Study

To investigate whether supplementation with iodine-reduced kelp (Laminaria japonica) powder decreases body fat composition in overweight Japanese subjects, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 50 Japanese subjects with body mass index (BMI) ≥25 and <30 kg/m². Subjects were randomly assigned to consume thirty tablets/d (10 tablets orally, 3 times/d) containing either iodine-reduced kelp powder (test, 6 g kelp powder corresponding to 3 g alginate/d) or kelp-free powder (placebo) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, blood lipids, and serum thyroid hormone levels were obtained before and after the trial. Body fat percentage was significantly decreased in male subjects from the test group compared with the placebo group. The same tendency was observed for body weight (p = 0.065) and BMI (p = 0.072) in male subjects. No significant changes in anthropometric measurements or visceral fat area were observed in female subjects. Serum thyroid hormone concentrations did not increase after 1.03 mg/d of iodine supplementation through kelp intake. The intake of iodine-reduced kelp powder led to significant and safe reductions in body fat percentage in overweight male subjects. The consumption of kelp high in alginate may contribute to preventing obesity without influencing thyroid function in Japanese subjects with a relatively high intake of iodine from seaweed.     

Effect of Barley Fibres and Barley Intake on the Ileal Endogenous Nitrogen Losses in Piglets

Ileal endogenous N losses (ENL) were measured, using the¹⁵N isotope dilution technique, in piglets (17 kg) fed different barley genotypes (naked, spring, winter with low/high beta -glucan content) or diets containing 330, 530, 730 or 930 g of a blend of barleys/kg diet. The apparent protein and amino acid digestibilities of the naked variety and the winter variety with a high beta -glucan content were, on average, significantly higher than those for the other two varieties. The ENL were inversely correlated (p<0·01) with the apparent digestibilities but the difference between each of them was not significant (p>0·05). The ENL increased linearly with the inclusion level of barley in a N-free basal diet (2 mg endogenous N/g barley). Isolated hulls added to a N-free diet at the rate of 100 or 200 g/kg diet exerted no significant effect on the ENL (1·80 g endogenous N/kg diet in both cases vs. 1·76 g for the basal level). On the contrary, the effect of isolated bran, measured under similar conditions, was significantly higher and dependent on fibre intake (2·59 and 3·31 g N/kg diet, respectively). It is concluded that the ENL are affected by the insoluble bran fibre but not by the hulls, nor by the level of beta -glucan.     

Insoluble Carob Fiber Rich in Polyphenols Lowers Total and LDL Cholesterol in Hypercholesterolemic Sujects

Recently, polyphenols have been found to affect blood lipids in animals in a similar manner as soluble dietary fibre. The aim was to assess whether an insoluble dietary fiber very rich in polyphenols has a beneficial effect on serum lipids in humans. In a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical study with parallel arms, 88 volunteers with hypercholesterolemia were randomly assigned to consume daily either, fiber with insoluble 84% polyphenols 4 g twice a day (n = 43) or placebo (n = 45). Serum total, LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks. The insoluble polyphenols consumption reduced the total cholesterol by 17.8 ± 6.1% (p < 0.05), LDL cholesterol by 22.5 ± 8.9% (p < 0.001), LDL: HDL cholesterol ratio by 26.2 ± 14.3% (p < 0.001) and triglycerides by 16.3 ± 23.4% (p < 0.05) at the end of the study compared with baseline. No significant differences were found during the study time in the placebo group for the lipid profile. The consumption of fiber very rich in insoluble polyphenols shows beneficial effects on human blood lipid profile and may be effective in prevention and treatment of hyperlipemia.     

Grazing management for more resilient mixed livestock farming systems on native grasslands of southern South America

Droughts in southern South America affect grazing systems in many ways. They reduce biomass productivity; decrease livestock feed intake, weight and reproductive performance; increase farmers’ costs; and reduce farm income. It was hypothesized that simple grazing management variables affect the resilience of grazing systems to droughts at the paddock and farm scales. The effects of grazing management on herbage and animal production were assessed at paddock level, and how technological and structural variables relate to the production and economic performances at farm level. Results of a grazing experiment controlling herbage allowance at paddock level showed that resistance of herbage accumulation and animal live weight to drought was significantly higher for paddocks with higher pre‐drought herbage allowance than for those managed to low herbage allowance treatments. A strong positive linear relationship was found between pre‐drought herbage height and resistance of herbage accumulation rate (p < .01). In a longitudinal study of nine farms in Uruguay, resistance of cow pregnancy rate to drought was positively correlated with cow pregnancy rate (r = .72, p = .02) and farm net income (r = .78, p = .02), and negatively correlated with sheep‐to‐cattle ratio (r = ?.80, p = .01). These correlations suggest that farms with higher incomes and low proportions of sheep in the herd withstand drought better (in terms of pregnancy rate). Four common regional production strategies were identified that react differently when farmers face drought, and these results can aid farmers in those regions to design more resilient mixed livestock farming systems and can inform policymakers about effective strategies for mitigating drought impacts in the region.     

Intracerebroventricular Administration of Soy Protein Hydrolysates Reduces Body Weight without Affecting Food Intake in Rats

Some studies suggest that increased consumption of soy protein hydrolysates may cause body weight loss but the mechanism of action is unknown. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of soy protein hydrolysates decrease food intake and body weight. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 24) received i.c.v. injections of soy hydrolysate I (SH I) or soy hydrolysate II (SH II) three times weekly for 2 weeks. Krebs solution and leptin were used as negative and positive controls respectively. SH I (6.5–20 kDa with a strong band at 14 kDa) was produced by hydrolysis with alcalase, and SH II (∼2 kDa) was obtained by hydrolysis and ultrafiltration. Leptin successfully reduced body weight (−1.60 g) 24 h (p = 0.0093) after the third injection. SH I caused significant (p = 0.0009) decreases in body weight (−1.70 g) 24 h after the third injection but not after 48 h. SH II showed a tendency to prevent body weight gain but this effect was short of statistical significance (p < 0.40). Food intake was not affected by any of the soy hydrolysate treatments but leptin injection did cause significant decreases in food intake (p < 0.05). Data suggest that soy alcalase hydrolysate can decrease, in the short term, the rate of body weight gain independently of food consumption. This preliminary data show that soy peptides may play a role on body weight regulation, possibly by increasing energy utilization.     

Proanthocyanidins Inhibit Iron Absorption from Soybean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis>) Seed Ferritin in Rats with Iron Deficiency Anemia

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of proanthocyanidins (PAs) on iron uptake from soybean seed ferritin (SSF) crude by rats with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) for the first time. Six groups of Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats (n = 10) were used, which contain (1) SSF crude group; (2) SSF crude + PAs group; (3) PAs group; (4) FeSO₄ group; (5) iron deficiency control group; and (6) control group. The bioavailability of iron was examined by measuring hemoglobin (Hb) concentration value, red blood cell (RBC) numbers, and serum iron stores. After 8 weeks, Hb concentration was almost recovered to the normal level upon feeding SSF crude or FeSO₄ to rats. In contrast, Hb concentration was recovered to less extent when SSF crude plus PAs was used instead of SSF crude alone (P < 0.05). A similar profile was observed with these three sample groups when serum iron and RBC were used as parameters. All rats in PAs group died at the 8th week. Taken together, all these results demonstrated that PAs inhibited iron uptake of rats from SSF, and are toxic for rats with IDA.     

Effectiveness of chopped lucerne hay as a moisture absorbent for low dry‐matter maize silage: Effluent reduction,fermentation quality and intake by sheep

This study determined effects of addition of lucerne hay (LH) as moisture absorbent on effluent reduction, fermentation and subsequent intake of maize (corn) silage by sheep. Treatments included maize forage ensiled without LH (LH0), with 50 g/kg LH (LH5) and with 100 g/kg LH (LH10) on a fresh weight basis. Silages were made in 150‐kg bags in triplicate. Upon opening, representative samples from each bag were taken twice weekly during a feeding trial and used for laboratory analyses in a completely randomized design. Silages were fed ad libitum to six ewes in a duplicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21‐day periods for intake and digestibility determination. Lucerne hay incorporation linearly increased DM, ash, water‐soluble carbohydrates, buffering capacity and pH of silages, while it linearly decreased ammonia nitrogen, acetic acid and ethanol concentrations (p < .05). Effluent volume linearly decreased from 33 ml/kg in LH0 to 0.8 ml/kg in LH10. Addition of LH resulted in a linear increase in intakes of organic matter and fibre in ewes, while digestibilities of these nutrients linearly decreased (p < .05). Lucerne hay addition improved fermentation parameters and resulted in increased intake of maize silage without having negative impact on aerobic stability.     

Trace elements in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) cultivated in soil fortified with graded levels of iron

Trace elements in two varieties of spinach cultivated in soil with different levels of added iron were determined. Addition of iron to soil decreased potassium, sodium and magnesium contents in spinach markedly (p<0.05), while the contents of zinc, manganese and copper in spinach were not significantly altered (p>0.05). Differential behaviour of spinach varieties was found in the zinc, manganese and sodium contents.