#functionalfoods — Public Fediverse posts

National Nutrition Week question:

How much of what's sold as "nutritional innovation" is actually backed by clinical evidence?

Not enough.

The gap between what nutraceutical brands claim and what the evidence demonstrates is wide — and regulators are closing it.

Nutrition matters too much to be left unsubstantiated.

#NationalNutritionWeek #Nutraceuticals #ClinicalResearch #ClaimSubstantiation #BotanicalResearch #FunctionalFoods #EvidenceBased #Genelife #PublicHealth

National Nutrition Week question:

How much of what's sold as "nutritional innovation" is actually backed by clinical evidence?

Not enough.

The gap between what nutraceutical brands claim and what the evidence demonstrates is wide — and regulators are closing it.

Nutrition matters too much to be left unsubstantiated.

#NationalNutritionWeek #Nutraceuticals #ClinicalResearch #ClaimSubstantiation #BotanicalResearch #FunctionalFoods #EvidenceBased #Genelife #PublicHealth

Ergothioneine: The Long Neglected Nutrient for Healthy Ageing | Professor Barry Halliwell | NUS Medicine
20 Feb 2025
https://youtu.be/C3WdAWzIuUo

Introductory talk is on #hemin as an #AMPK activator

#aging #health #ergothioneine #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #mushrooms

Intake of psyllium seed husk reduces white matter damage in a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion [2019]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31103857/

#CerebralHypoperfusion #Brain #perfusion #hypoperfusion #psyllium #arabinoxylan #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#2BadItsPaywalled

Functional foods and specialized nutrition in Italy

The Italian functional food market is no longer a niche for athletes, but an ecosystem rewriting the rules of mass consumption. Specialized nutrition in Italy has transcended the confines of competitive sports to become a corners…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italiandiet #Functionalfoods #Italia #Italian #ItalianDiet #italiano #italy #sportsnutrition
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2579332/functional-foods-and-specialized-nutrition-in-italy/

🧬 Could the hidden genetic diversity of probiotics unlock the future of health and food innovation?

🔗 From Fermentation to Function: Genomic Diversity and Probiotic Potential in the Reclassified Lactobacillus Lineage. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (CSBJ). DOI: https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0004

📚 CSBJ - A Science Partner Journal: https://spj.science.org/journal/csbj

#Probiotics #GutHealth #Microbiome #Lactobacillus #FunctionalFoods #FoodScience #Genomics #Microbiology #HealthyLiving

🧬 Could the hidden genetic diversity of probiotics unlock the future of health and food innovation?

🔗 From Fermentation to Function: Genomic Diversity and Probiotic Potential in the Reclassified Lactobacillus Lineage. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (CSBJ). DOI: https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0004

📚 CSBJ - A Science Partner Journal: https://spj.science.org/journal/csbj

#Probiotics #GutHealth #Microbiome #Lactobacillus #FunctionalFoods #FoodScience #Genomics #Microbiology #HealthyLiving

Association of Serum Antioxidant Vitamins and Carotenoids With Incident Alzheimer Disease and All-Cause Dementia Among US Adults [2022] Neurology

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9169941/pdf/WNL-2022-200502.pdf

~

Beta cryptoxanthin has also been found to be associated with later onset of menopause and been shown to reduce bone loss in ovariectomized mice.

https://doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2016.1205759

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphs.2015.08.003

~

Beta cryptoxanthin can be found in abundance in Satsuma mandarin oranges.
Lutein is found in kale. Zeaxanthin is present in goji berries, orange bell peppers and corn. (Some popular health sources list leafy greens such as kale as being high in zeaxanthin, but I have not seen any primary articles reporting high amounts in kale).

Egg yolk can sometimes be high in these carotenoids, but that depends on the hen's diet.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #aging #health

I think my grip strength has improved recently, just as my back pain seems to be diminishing. I started static stretching in the morning, which has helped me with back pain in the past (sciatica).

A couple of years ago I noticed that when I drink home-made kefir my strength overall seems improved. I can't say for sure if my grip strength has improved - it just seems easier to crush empty milk cartons before putting them into the recycle bin.

I discarded my kefir grains before I moved and have only recently found a store-bought brand (Rolling Meadow) I could tolerate. All other dairy causes painful swallowing. Unfortunately it is not always in stock, so I tried making kefir using Yogourmet starter and Rolling Meadow milk, which is grass-fed. It turned out to be better tasting and cheaper, and also I wasn't getting a noticeable effect on strength from the RM kefir - so I'll keep making the Yogourmet plus RM milk kefir.

I wondered if any studies had been done on grip strength and kefir consumption and I found this:

Kefir Supplementation Modifies Gut Microbiota Composition, Reduces Physical Fatigue, and Improves Exercise Performance in Mice [2018]
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10070862

Here's a review on why grip strength is important:

Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker For Older Adults [2019]
https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S194543

#health #aging #GripStrength #kefir #FunctionalFoods #FermentedFoods #dairy

Edible Garden CEO Jim Kras joins 2026 NJBIZ Power 100 https://www.allforgardening.com/1612723/edible-garden-ceo-jim-kras-joins-2026-njbiz-power-100/ #ControlledEnvironmentAgriculture #EDBL #EdibleGarden #ExecutiveRecognition #FunctionalFoods #garden #gardener #gardening #Leadership #NJBIZPower100 #SustainableAgriculture

Edible Garden CEO Jim Kras joins 2026 NJBIZ Power 100 https://www.allforgardening.com/1612723/edible-garden-ceo-jim-kras-joins-2026-njbiz-power-100/ #ControlledEnvironmentAgriculture #EDBL #EdibleGarden #ExecutiveRecognition #FunctionalFoods #garden #gardener #gardening #Leadership #NJBIZPower100 #SustainableAgriculture

Powerful Eye Nutrient now shown to also Protect against Cancer | Physionic
16 Feb 2026
https://youtu.be/l_GbRS7ORoY

Goji (Lycium barbarum, wolfberry) can interact with some drugs, as noted in the video. Though the problems seem to mostly occur with consuming berry juice and root extracts.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #health
#zeaxanthin #carotenoids

my reading for today:

Food Bioactive HDAC Inhibitors in the Epigenetic Regulation of Heart Failure [2018]
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/8/1120

"Unlike class I HDACs, HDAC6-mediated regulation in these studies was directed at sarcomere protein deacetylation [54] or tubulin hyperacetylation [55], which suggests that the class IIb HDAC, HDAC6 regulates cardiac function through non-epigenetic mechanisms."

Neuronal complexity is attenuated in preclinical models of migraine and restored by HDAC6 inhibition [2021]
https://elifesciences.org/articles/63076

"One way in which HDAC6 inhibitors could attenuate CSD is through increased tubulin acetylation, thus counteracting microtubule disassembly produced by CSD events."

~
My mother suffered from migraines and died of heart failure.
~
I have been drinking broccoli sprout smoothies made from 30g of broccoli sprouts every morning for the past couple of weeks. A few days ago I started eating a cooked onion every day. I have been feeling a bit better (hope I don't jinx myself by saying so). Broccoli sprouts are pretty effective for me for controlling heartburn, so the onion has been okay for the most part. One day I ate way too much cooked onion as well as a bit raw, and had some heartburn. My eyes are less puffy, which I attribute to the quercetin in the onions.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #migraine #HeartFailure

Functional Compounds and Foods of Plant Origin by Krishan Dutt Sharma et al, 2025

This new book reports on the emerging and novel technologies for the development of functional foods from plants, providing a comprehensive look into their characterization, validation, and transformation into novel products.

@bookstodon
#books
#nonfiction
#FunctionalFoods
#phytochemicals
#nutraceuticals
#CRC

Functional Compounds and Foods of Plant Origin by Krishan Dutt Sharma et al, 2025

This new book reports on the emerging and novel technologies for the development of functional foods from plants, providing a comprehensive look into their characterization, validation, and transformation into novel products.

@bookstodon
#books
#nonfiction
#FunctionalFoods
#phytochemicals
#nutraceuticals
#CRC

Bridging Science and Nature: Nutrients and Therapies for Optimal Health

#HealthAndWellness #NutritionScience #BrainHealth #TMS #MentalHealth #Superfoods #MetabolicHealth #NaturalHealing #HolisticHealth #EvidenceBasedMedicine #FunctionalFoods #Neuroscience #HealthyLiving #PlantBased #WellnessJourney

https://youtube.com/shorts/Sr83ncs_7p8?feature=share

Alcohol

: potent disinfectant

: cytotoxic

: mild psychotropic effect when ingested

: increases perceived attractiveness

: facilitates bonding through shared consumption

: provides temporary relief form existential awareness

: depressant

: addictive

#Satire #FunctionalFoods #Biohacking

"Earlier evidence suggested that dietary stimulation of TRPV1 using capsaicin promotes the phosphorylation of eNOS in a PKA-dependent manner, en route to production of NO in endothelial cells and vascular protection..."
#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #capsaicin

Doctoral thesis from 2021:

The inter-individual variability of blueberry anthocyanin metabolism and its impact on cardiovascular risk factors
- Laura Haag, University of East Anglia
https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/83339/

I found this today when looking for a reference about non-responders to blueberry flavonols. I'm sharing the link in a separate post since it has a really wonderful literature review.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #blueberries #anthocyanins #PersonalizedMedicine #flavonols

research article published 30 Aug 2024:

Benefits of dark chocolate intake on retinal vessels functionality: a randomized, blind, crossover clinical trial

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-70289-7

#cacao #chocolate #health
#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #NitricOxide

I've been making kefir for a few weeks. It did not really 'work' until I switched from using UHT goat milk to regular pasteurized cow milk. UHT alters milk proteins and this can cause problems with fermentation. I'm currently getting good results mixing UHT goat and lowfat cow milk at around 1:3 .

I also recently tried doing a 2nd ferment with lemon peel. I juice the lemons and save the peel by freezing. After sifting out the kefir grains I add in the frozen peel of half a lemon and let it ferment for another 12 hours.

With that amount of peel, there is a bit of a bitter undertone - but I like the lemon flavor and overall quality of the kefir.

My sinuses seem to open up immediately when I drink it.

I also noticed something interesting when I drank some while eating a radish. This batch of radishes was extremely spicy, but there seemed to be no heat at all when I ate the radish and lemon kefir together.

Lemon contains eriodictyol, a bitter flavonoid, that antagonizes TRPV1 -
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2010.11.004

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#eriodictyol #kefir #TRPV1

Loveeee my @[email protected] for me and the twins. Eat for function and for flavor! I live on these bars before and after my workouts and when I need something on the go!

#jayglazer #jimmybars ##getjimmywithit #functionalfoods #tenisontwins @[email protected]

Date palm fruit diet improves memory, learning and reduces beta amyloid protein levels in mice with Alzheimer’s disease
https://cheba.unsw.edu.au/news/date-palm-fruit-diet-improves-memory-learning-and-reduces-beta-amyloid-protein-levels-mice

Diet rich in date palm fruits improves memory, learning and reduces beta amyloid in transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26167001/

#FunctionalFoods

@kh

Thanks! Cinnamon is a great functional food.

I have problems with it, though - I get 'the shakes' if I have more than a sprinkle. 'The shakes' are similar to a hypoglycemic attack. Since cinnamon can lower blood glucose, my reaction to cinnamon seemed to confirm that these were hypos. But after wearing a glucose monitor, I found out that my symptoms aren't due to hypoglycemia. I don't know why this happens; it could be a reaction to benzoate, which is a metabolite of cinnamaldehyde. I'm a carrier for a fatty acid oxidation disorder gene (MCAD deficiency). One step up from the MCAD enzyme in
the oxidation of medium chain fatty acids is an enzyme that does double duty - it's also involved in the detoxification of benzoic acid / benzoate*. So maybe that has something to do with it.

I don't want to give the impression that benzoate is bad - there's some evidence that it could be preventative of Parkinson's:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11481-020-09955-2

Ceylon cinnamon is preferrable to Cassia (lower coumarin). Heavy metals might be a problem; Consumer Reports did a study of spices in 2021, but cinnamon wasn't one of them (I checked my public library's PDF of the article):
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/your-herbs-and-spices-might-contain-arsenic-cadmium-and-lead-a6246621494/

~
* Xenobiotic/medium chain fatty acid: CoA ligase – a critical review... https://doi.org/10.1080/17425255.2016.1206888

#FunctionalFoods #cinnamon #benzoate #metabolism

Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on the human intestinal environment
https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v8i10.543

"... the fraction of bifidobacteria as a percentage of all fecal bacteria increased significantly during the wakame intake period. "

~

I should go back to eating wakame. Not really my favorite, but probably takes about the same amount of time to prepare as the slippery elm tea.

#wakame #FunctionalFoods #prebiotics #microbiome #Bifidobacteria

Vera Gorbunova at ARDD2023: Transcriptomic and proteomic signatures of longevity
https://youtu.be/DjYHihUfHq8?si=j73curN9IHGhuj35

I ❤️ Dr Gorbunova
I ❤️ fucoidan

I've been a fan of fucoidan for years, before I found out it is a SIRT6 activator. I started eating wakame as a source of iodine & noticed a reduction in 'aches & pains'. Then I started looking into its active constituents (besides iodine); here are my notes (now out of date) -
https://rhyobrain.blogspot.com/2020/11/wakame-and-fucoidan.html

#LINE1 #retrotransposons #SIRT6 #fucoidan #aging #inflammation #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

Vera Gorbunova at ARDD2023: Transcriptomic and proteomic signatures of longevity
https://youtu.be/DjYHihUfHq8?si=j73curN9IHGhuj35

I ❤️ Dr Gorbunova
I ❤️ fucoidan

I've been a fan of fucoidan for years, before I found out it is a SIRT6 activator. I started eating wakame as a source of iodine & noticed a reduction in 'aches & pains'. Then I started looking into its active constituents (besides iodine); here are my notes (now out of date) -
https://rhyobrain.blogspot.com/2020/11/wakame-and-fucoidan.html

#LINE1 #retrotransposons #SIRT6 #fucoidan #aging #inflammation #NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods

Beyond vitamins and minerals: A nutritionist explains the science behind ‘functional’ foods

https://theconversation.com/does-an-apple-a-day-really-keep-the-doctor-away-a-nutritionist-explains-the-science-behind-functional-foods-207191

@vegancooking @wfpb
#food #recipe #WFPB #vegan #vegetarian #omnivore #health #functionalFoods

Beyond vitamins and minerals: A nutritionist explains the science behind ‘functional’ foods

https://theconversation.com/does-an-apple-a-day-really-keep-the-doctor-away-a-nutritionist-explains-the-science-behind-functional-foods-207191

@vegancooking @wfpb
#food #recipe #WFPB #vegan #vegetarian #omnivore #health #functionalFoods

@haritulsidas

Portulaca oleracea extract is also interesting.

Here's a review of its geroprotective constituents, but unfortunately it is paywalled:
https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079057022020047

It is an AChE inhibitor, among other things.

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods #Aging
#Polysaccharides #Portulaca

@wcbdata @itwasntme223

'Among the compounds, many of which have cancer-fighting, contraceptive, and anti-inflammatory properties, is shyobunone, which acts on the brain’s gamma-aminobutiric acid (GABA) receptors and may contribute to the plant’s intoxicating smell. Miski believes that future analyses of the plant will reveal the existence of dozens of yet-to-be-identified compounds of medical interest.

“You find the same chemicals in rosemary, sweet flag, artichoke, sage, and galbanum, another Ferula plant,” the professor marvels. “It’s like you combined half a dozen important medicinal plants in a single species.”'

#NaturalProducts #FunctionalFoods
#GABA