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Spices and herbs are traditionally added to olive oil in Mediterranean gastronomy to enhance its aroma and taste. This paper aims to characterize olive oil aromatized by addition of dried chili pepper ( Capsicum annum) (DCP) at different concentrations (10% and 20% by weight) up to 30 days of infusion. Capsaicinoids quantification by HPLC-DAD, volatile compounds analysis by SPME-GC-MS and antioxidant activity by ABTS method were performed on chili pepper flavored olive oil (CPOO) in comparison to whole olive oil. At day 7 of infusion, the maximum capsaicinoids content was reached for both the concentrations used and no significant increase was observed for longer infusion times. The volatile headspace composition of CPOOs was influenced by the concentration of DCP added. The addition of DCP caused a significant increase in hexanal, related to oxidation processes. 2-Methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one were also detected in CPOO and derived from chili as degradation products of the drying process. DCP infusion significantly enriched olive oil with antioxidant compounds and also modified its volatile profile. Capsaicinoids and aroma compounds were rapidly released within the first week of chili infusion in CPOOs, thus suggesting reducing infusion time by optimizing DCP concentration in order to improve CPOO quality and shelf life. Practical applications: The present research is relevant at industrial level for the optimization of olive oil flavoring and the aromatization process. In particular, we defined that the common infusion times of chili, used at industry production for flavoring olive oil, is longer than needed and we suggest reducing infusion time thus also avoiding problems of free acidity and PV increase. Also, we highlighted the importance of quality control for the chili pepper drying procedure and storage time before use, due to the possible formation of off-flavors in the final product. Moreover, in the present paper a quantification method of the pungent molecules capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin directly from flavored olive oil was applied. This method could be applied instead of empirical techniques such as Scoville units, for the definition and standardization of the capsaicinoids content in flavored oils and their pungency levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) kinetics has not been studied to date. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the effect of the MedDiet in the absence of changes in body weight on apolipoprotein (apo) A-I kinetic in men with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: Twenty-six men with MetS (NCEP-ATP III) were recruited from the general community. In this fixed sequence study, participants' diet was first standardized to a control diet reflecting current averages in macronutrient intake in North American men, with all foods and beverages provided under isoenergetic conditions for 5 weeks. Participants were then fed an isoenergetic MedDiet over a subsequent period of 5 weeks to maintain their weight constant. During the last week of each diet, participants received a single bolus dose of [5,5,5-2H3] L-leucine and fasting blood samples were collected at predetermined time points. ApoA-I kinetic was determined by multicompartmental modeling using isotopic enrichment data over time. Data were analyses using MIXED models. Results: The response of HDL-cholesterol (C) to MedDiet was heterogeneous, such that there was no mean change compared with the control diet. Plasma apoA-I concentration (-3.9%) and pool size (-5.3%, both P < 0.05) were significantly lower after MedDiet and apoA-I production rate tended to be reduced (-5.7%, P = 0.07) with no change in apoA-I fractional catabolic rate (FCR, -1.6%, P = 0.64). Participants among whom HDL-C concentrations were increased with MedDiet (responders: mean ΔHDL-C: +9.9 ± 3.2%, N = 11) showed significantly greater reductions in apoA-I FCR and in apoB and very-low-density lipoprotein-triglycerides (VLDL-TG) concentrations (all P < 0.04) than those among whom HDL-C levels were reduced after the MedDiet (non-responders: mean ΔHDL-C: -12.0 ± 3.9%, N = 8). Correlation analysis revealed that only variations in apoA-I FCR (r = -0.48, P = 0.01) and in plasma VLDL-TG (r = -0.45, P = 0.03) concentrations were correlated with the individual HDL-C response to the MedDiet. Conclusions: Data from this controlled feeding study suggest that the heterogeneous response of HDL-C to MedDiet, in the absence of important weight loss, is primarily related to individual variations in apoA-I FCR and in plasma VLDL-TG concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines Anatolítika glykà (Asia Minor sweets) and the craft of zacharoplastikí (sweet making) in Thessaloniki, Greece’s main northern city. The continuum between sweet makers and product explicates the development of zacharoplastikí—originally a colonial occupation, later a feminine craft of the domestic hearth—to a modern profession. Thessalonikiote sweet making and glykà develop as a travel narrative by obscuring their Eastern associations. Zacharoplastikí’s professionalization was assisted by the employment of spectacular representational techniques. This is today communicated on the websites of its five biggest zacharoplasteío (patisserie) chains through a covert alignment of professional self-presentation with those Greek traditions that have acquired a public face and are (potentially) globally mobile. The author, a native Thessalonikiote, fuses digital hermeneutics with phaneroscopy to explore this phenomenon from within. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We have investigated whether the quality of dietary fat and supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) modifies expression of genes related with inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress in elderly persons. Twenty participants received three diets for 4 weeks each: Mediterranean diet + CoQ (Med + CoQ), Mediterranean diet (Med), and saturated fatty acid–rich diet (SFA). After 12-hour fast, volunteers consumed a breakfast with a fat composition similar to that consumed in each of the diets. Med and Med + CoQ diets produced a lower fasting calreticulin, IL-1b, and JNK-1 gene expression; a lower postprandial p65, IKK-b, MMP-9, IL-1b, JNK-1, sXBP-1, and BiP/Grp78 gene expression; and a higher postprandial IkB-a gene expression compared with the SFA diet. Med + CoQ diet produced a lower postprandial decrease p65 and IKK-b gene expression compared with the other diets. Our results support the anti-inflammatory effect of Med diet and that exogenous CoQ supplementation in synergy with a Med diet modulates the inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ObjectiveThe promotion of healthy lifestyles is one of the major goals of governments and international agencies all over the world. Wholegrain cereals are rich in nutrients and many phytochemical compounds, with recognised benefits for health, including dietary fibre, a number of phenolic compounds, lignans, vitamins and minerals and other bioactive components. The aim of the present work is to review the fundamental studies that support the consumption of wholegrain cereals and bread to prevent chronic diseases.DesignDescriptive review considering human studies.Setting and subjectsSubjects included in randomised intervention trials and cohort studies from different countries published up to 2010.ResultsSeveral studies show consistently that subjects who ingest three or more portions of foods per day based on wholegrain cereals have a 20–30 % lower risk of CVD than subjects who ingest low quantities of cereals. This level of protection is not observed with the ingestion of refined cereals, these being even higher than with the intake of fruit and vegetables. Likewise, high intake of wholegrain cereals and their products, such as whole-wheat bread, is associated with a 20–30 % reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes. Finally, protection against the risk of colorectal cancer and polyps, other cancers of the digestive tract, cancers related to hormones and pancreatic cancer has been associated with the regular consumption of wholegrain cereals and derived products.ConclusionsThe regular intake of wholegrain cereals can contribute to reduction of risk factors related to non-communicable chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ObjectiveTo summarise our present knowledge on the Mediterranean diet in secondary prevention of CHD.DesignReview of literature.SettingAdult coronary patients.SubjectsCHD patients at high risk of cardiac death.ResultsThe two main causes of death in these patients are sudden cardiac death (SCD) and chronic heart failure (CHF). The main mechanism underlying recurrent cardiac events is coronary thrombosis resulting from atherosclerotic plaque erosion or ulceration. The occurrence of thrombosis is usually associated with plaque weakness in relation to high lipid content of the lesion where cholesterol only represents a very small part compared with other lipids (i.e. fatty acids). Thus, the three main aims of the preventive strategy are to prevent coronary thrombosis, malignant ventricular arrhythmia and the development of left ventricular dysfunction (and CHF) and finally to minimise the risk of plaque erosion and ulceration. There is now a consensus about recommending the Mediterranean diet pattern for the secondary prevention of CHD because no other dietary pattern has been successfully tested so far in these patients. The most important aspect, in contrast with the pharmacological prevention of CHD (including cholesterol lowering), is that the Mediterranean diet results in a striking effect on survival.ConclusionsThe traditional Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing both coronary atherosclerosis/thrombosis and the risk of fatal complications such as SCD and heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ObjectiveThe Mediterranean diet has been related to a lower risk of some chronic diseases, including cancer. We aim to gain insight into the effects of the main source of fat of this diet on breast cancer, the most common type of malignancy in women.DesignData from sixteen experimental series analysing the effects of dietary lipids on mammary carcinogenesis in an animal model, in the context of the international literature on the Mediterranean diet, olive oil and breast cancer risk.SettingExperimental and human data on the effects of olive oil and Mediterranean diet on breast cancer.SubjectsAn animal model of induced breast cancer and other human and experimental studies in the literature.ResultsDiets rich in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) exert a negative modulatory effect on experimental breast cancer to a weak promoting effect, much lower than that obtained with a high-corn oil diet. EVOO confers to the mammary adenocarcinomas a clinical behaviour and morphological features compatible with low tumour aggressiveness. This differential effect, in relation to other dietary lipids, may be related to a lower effect on body weight and sexual maturation. In addition, EVOO induced different molecular changes in tumours, such as in the composition of cell membranes, activity of signalling proteins and gene expression. All these modifications could induce lower proliferation, higher apoptosis and lower DNA damage. These results, together with the favourable effect of olive oil reported in the literature when it is consumed in moderate quantities, suggest a beneficial influence of EVOO on breast cancer risk.ConclusionsConsumption of EVOO in moderate quantities and throughout the lifetime appears to be a healthy choice and may favourably influence breast cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ObjectiveTo present the Mediterranean diet (MD) pyramid: a lifestyle for today.DesignA new graphic representation has been conceived as a simplified main frame to be adapted to the different nutritional and socio-economic contexts of the Mediterranean region. This review gathers updated recommendations considering the lifestyle, dietary, sociocultural, environmental and health challenges that the current Mediterranean populations are facing.Setting and SubjectsMediterranean region and its populations.ResultsMany innovations have arisen since previous graphical representations of the MD. First, the concept of composition of the ‘main meals’ is introduced to reinforce the plant-based core of the dietary pattern. Second, frugality and moderation is emphasised because of the major public health challenge of obesity. Third, qualitative cultural and lifestyle elements are taken into account, such as conviviality, culinary activities, physical activity and adequate rest, along with proportion and frequency recommendations of food consumption. These innovations are made without omitting other items associated with the production, selection, processing and consumption of foods, such as seasonality, biodiversity, and traditional, local and eco-friendly products.ConclusionsAdopting a healthy lifestyle and preserving cultural elements should be considered in order to acquire all the benefits from the MD and preserve this cultural heritage. Considering the acknowledgment of the MD as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (2010), and taking into account its contribution to health and general well-being, we hope to contribute to a much better adherence to this healthy dietary pattern and its way of life with this new graphic representation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ObjectiveTo place the Mediterranean diet (MedDi) in the context of the cultural history of the Middle East and emphasise the health effects of some of the biblical seven species – wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and date honey.DesignReview of the literature concerning the benefits of these foods.SettingMiddle East and Mediterranean Basin.SubjectsMediterranean populations and clinical studies utilising the MedDi.Results and conclusionsThe MedDi has been associated with lower rates of CVD, and epidemiological evidence promotes the benefits of consuming fruit and vegetables. Recommended foods for optimal health include whole grain, fish, wine, pomegranates, figs, walnuts and extra virgin olive oil. The biblical traditional diet, including the seven species and additional Mediterranean fruits, has great health advantages, especially for CVD. In addition to the diet, lifestyle adaptation that involves increasing physical activity and organised meals, together with healthy food choices, is consistent with the traditional MedDi. The MedDi is a manageable, lifestyle-friendly diet that, when fortified with its biblical antecedent attributes, may prove to be even more enjoyable and considerably healthier in combating the obesogenic environment and in decreasing the risks of the non-communicable diseases of modern life than conventional, modern dietary recommendations. The biblical seven species, together with other indigenous foods from the Middle East, are now scientifically recognised as healthy foods, and further improve the many beneficial effects of the MedDi. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of Mediterranean to low-fat diets in overweight/obese individuals for the modification of cardiovascular risk factors demonstrates the superiority of Mediterranean over low-fat diets in improving control of most cardiovascular risk factors after a follow-up of 2 years. Although the incremental effects of Mediterranean diets on individual cardiovascular risk factors was modest, the consistent benefit over a broad range of established cardiovascular risk factors may result in a reduction of cardiovascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE--To study the association between adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) and risk of developing type 2 diabetes, across European countries. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--We established a case-cohort study including 11,994 incident type 2 diabetic case sul2jects and a stratified subcohort of 15,798 participants selected from a total cohort of 340,234 participants with 3.99 million person-years of follow-up, from eight European cohorts participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. The relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED) (score range 0-18) was used to assess adherence to MDP on the basis of reported consumption of nine dietary components characteristic of the Mediterranean diet. Cox proportional hazards regression, modified for the case-cohort design, was used to estimate the association between rMED and risk of type 2 diabetes, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS--The multiple adjusted hazard ratios of type 2 diabetes among individuals with medium (rMED 7-10 points) and high adherence to MDP (rMED 11-18 points) were 0.93 (95% CI 0.86-1.01) and 0.88 (0.79-0.97). respectively, compared with individuals with low adherence to MDP (0-6, points) (P for trend 0.013). The association between rMED and type 2 diabetes was attenuated in people < 50 years of age, in obese participants, and when the alcohol, meat, and olive oil components were excluded from the score. CONCLUSIONS--In this large prospective study, adherence to the MDP, as defined by rMED, was associated with a small reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in this European population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is linked to lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease while its association with disability has never been assessed. The aim of the study was to investigate the relation between adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MeDi) and disability in activities of daily living. The study sample consisted of 1,410 individuals from Bordeaux, France, included in 2001-2002 in the Three-City Study and re-examined at least once over 5 years. Adherence to a MeDi (scored as 0-9) was computed from a food frequency questionnaire and 24H recall. Disability in Basic and Instrumental ADL (B-IADL) was evaluated on the Lawton-Brody and Katz scales. Statistical analyses were stratified by gender and adjusted for potential confounders. No association between MeDi adherence and baseline disability in B-IADL was highlighted in men or in women in multivariate models. Risk of onset of disability in B-IADL over time was not significantly associated with MeDi adherence in men. In women, MeDi adherence was inversely associated with the risk of incident disability in B-IADL (HR = 0.90, 95% Confidence Interval 0.82-0.98 for 1 point of the score). Women with the highest MeDi adherence (score 6-8) had a 50% (22-68%) relative risk reduction of incident disability in B-IADL over time than women in the lowest MeDi category (score 0-3). In addition to its well-documented beneficial effects on health, adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet could contribute to slow down the disablement process in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: The Mediterranean diet, with a high content of olive oil, is associated with a reduced risk of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oleuropein, one of the polyphenols in olive oil, on vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation in vitro. Design: This was an experimental study. Materials and methods: Bovine vascular SMCs were cultured in the presence of 100 μM of oleuropein. On days 1, 3 and 5, cell number was counted. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Cell cycle regulators were assessed by immunoblotting. Results: Cell proliferation in the presence of oleuropein was significantly inhibited by 92%. Cell cycle analysis revealed that oleuropein treatment blocked cells in the G1–S phase compared with the non-treated group. Among G1 phase regulators, retinoblastoma protein, cyclinD, p21 and p27 were not affected by oleuropein, but extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation was inhibited. Growth of SMC treated with 100 μM of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1) inhibitor PD98059 was also significantly inhibited by 70%. Conclusions: Oleuropein inhibited SMC proliferation through a cell cycle block between the G1 and the S phases, which may be regulated by ERK1/2. These results suggest a mechanism by which olive oil consumption may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular mortality by inhibiting SMC proliferation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To determine the adherence to the Mediterranean diet of a university population and to analyze several factors that may condition its nutritional quality. Material and methods: Distribution of the Kidmed test to a random sample of 570 university students. The Kidmed index (0-12) indicated whether the adherence to the Mediterranean diet was low (0-3), intermediate (4-7) or high (8-12). The gender, age, weight, height, and body mass index were gathered from each participant, as well as the type of residence and the province of origin. Results: The sample comprised 217 men and 353 women aged 18-25 years. 9.5% of the university students had a low Kidmed index, 62.1% intermediate, and 28.4% high. Those students living at their parental home had a high percentage of adherence (35.6%), significantly higher (p < 0.05) to that of those living at a student's residence (11.1%) or at a student's apartment (11.2%). Overweight students had a low percentage of adherence (15.5%), significantly higher (p < 0.05) to those with a normal nutritional situation (8.5%). Conclusions: 71.6% of university students need to improve their dietary pattern (low to intermediate adherence to the Mediterranean diet), and we could observe a certain family factor of preservation of the traditional dietary habits. Those university students with low adherence had a higher risk for being overweight. It would be convenient to develop nutritional education programs in the university curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks into the curious history and etymology of a famous casserole dish traditionally made with eggplant and chopped meat, or prepared as a cold vegetarian appetizer. Depending on where you are in the Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern regions, the dish may pass by the name of musakka or musaqqa'a. However, in places like Morocco, and the Levant and Iran, similar dishes are called brania and borani. This study probes into the challenging issues of what defines this dish and who invented it. By going back to the golden era of the Abbasid cuisine, the musakka emerges as a descendant of numerous comparable dishes known by other names, including maghmouma, buraniyya and buran. Such dishes were to become a staple in Ottoman kitchens, recognizable in their medfune and musakka. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, musakka established itself as the "official" name for a number of variations, all prepared as casseroles arranged in wide shallow pans, which was indeed the essential identifying element that gave the dish its name. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excess weight that characterizes much of the population of the world today has led the World Health Organization to declare an obesity pandemic. The number of overweight and obese children in Spain is among the highest in Europe, and this number is even higher in Andalusia. The health consequences of excess weight for children are not as evident as for adults. However, child obesity is now being associated with pathologies, such as metabolic syndrome, which were previously believed to be only found in adults. Resistance to insulin is an important risk factor in subjects with severe obesity, which along with visceral obesity, make postprandial triglyceridemia more severe. This increases cardiovascular risk. However, in our opinion, this phenomenon has not been adequately studied in children. The hearthealthy properties of olive oil, the main ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, have been clearly highlighted in various studies. These properties include an improved postprandial lipid pattern. In this context, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of a Mediterranean-diet breakfast on the postprandial lipid parameters in a study group of overweight and obese preadolescents (age 10-14) in comparison to a control group of subjects with no weight problems. The results obtained provide greater knowledge of the physiopathology of child obesity and contribute to the elaboration of dietary recommendations for the maintenance of child health. Additionally, our results give information regarding the development of atherogenesis during the postprandial period, which can begin at a very early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare the usefulness of two methods to evaluate diet quality in young people in Southern Spain: a new Mediterranean Diet Pattern (MDP) and a modification of the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) for the Mediterranean area. The study population was 3190 schoolchildren aged 8-15 yrs. The questionnaires used were first validated (Bland-Altman plot and Wilcoxon tests) in a randomized sample. The DQI gives a more detailed evaluation of food components, whereas the MDS gives global information on food groups but includes foods characteristically consumed in the Mediterranean region. Highly similar results were obtained using the MDP and the adapted DQI-I, which appear to be equally useful to evaluate diet quality in a Mediterranean population. The fact that we selected the same types of food for both indices may explain the similar overall evaluations. According to these results, both methods appear to be equally appropriate for evaluating diet quality in a Mediterranean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper our aim is to analyse the way the relationship between health and food has been changing at the same time as Spanish society itself. From the beginnings of the consumer society until the present day the modernization process has made its imprint on the guidelines public bodies have issued to the public on caring for their health and diet. Beginning in the sixties with a welfare idea of a healthy diet, very typical of the decade, and meant for a population with nutritional problems, today we have guidelines for an overfed population. The social trends dominant in each historical moment are shown throughout this transformation process and the dietary recommendations have been part of the social change. However, the perceptions of the administration itself on what constitutes a healthy diet have also made their mark on the criteria. The modernizing nature of the paternalistic administration of the sixties can be easily seen in contrast with the public bodies of the eighties competing with the messages from the food and agricultural businesses. As the 20th century drew to a close, dietary advice was in keeping with a background dominated by considerations on the nature of social change and in which both public bodies and citizens trusted in the truths of science as a reference point for correct action. At the beginning of the 21st century reflexivity and questioning of scientific power appear and also an increase in public preoccupation with food risks. Each stage is analysed relating historical background and dietary recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the association of Mediterranean diet and cancer. It reports that the case-control study involved subjects with common cases of cancer including colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Specific components of Mediterranean diet including flavonoids, olive oil, and other antioxidant compounds, are also discussed. Results indicated that specific characteristics of the diet is found to reduce the risk of common cancers.

Abstract: The first results of the PREDIMED (PREvencion con Dieta MEDiterranea) randomized trial, after 3-month intervention, showed that the Mediterranean Diet (MD), supplemented with either virgin olive oil (VOO) or nuts, reduced systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TG) concentrations and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol when compared to a control (low-fat diet) group. Serum TG levels are an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease and are strongly determined by very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) composition, which can be specifically modified by dietary lipid source. Within the context of the PREDIMED study, we assessed the VLDL composition in 50 participants after 3 months of intake of two MD, supplemented with VOO or nuts, compared with a low-fat diet. Total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were reduced in subjects on the MD+nuts, whereas HDL-cholesterol increased after consumption of the MD+VOO. Serum TG concentrations were significantly lowered in both intervention groups (either the MD+nuts or MD+VOO). However, only the MD+VOO reduced the VLDL-cholesterol and VLDL-TG content and the TG/apolipoprotein B ratio in VLDL, which was used to estimate particle size. Although VLDL-TG fatty acids were very slightly modified, VLDL-TG molecular species in VLDL after consumption of the MD+nuts were characterized by a higher presence of linoleic acid (18:2, n-6), whereas after the intake of MD+VOO, they were rich in oleic acid (18:1, n-9). Therefore, we conclude that the reduction in systemic TG concentrations observed after consumption of the MD may be explained by reduction of the lipid core of VLDL and a selective modification of the molecular species composition in the particle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with other industrialized countries, the lower incidence of chronic-degenerative disorders in Mediterranean populations has been emphasized in recent decades. The health-promoting effects arising from Mediterranean dietary habits have been attributed to the large intake of plant foodstuffs rich in bioactive phytochemicals, such as melatonin. Recently, it has been suggested that melatonin present in edible plants may improve human health, by virtue of its biological activities and its good bioavailability. Plant melatonin, besides contributing to optimize the physiological functions regulated, in humans, by endogenous melatonin, may be involved in nutritional therapy to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases in western populations. In this view, the presence of melatonin in some Mediterranean foods and beverages adds a new element to the hypothesis of health benefits associated to Mediterranean dietary patterns, although the available data are still preliminary and incomplete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To assess the effect on oxidative damage of the administration of a Mediterranean diet (MD) compared with an Occidental diet (OD), in young adult volunteers, with or without the concomitant intake of red wine. Design: Forty-two omnivorous male students 20–27 years old were given either diet for 3 months. During the first and third month they received the prepared diets alone but during the second month they also had 240ml/day of red wine. Blood and urine samples were taken at 0, 30, 60, and 90 days for analyses. A linear mixed effect model was used to compare the effect of both diets and wine, controlling values by baseline measurements. Results: MD increased plasma vitamin C, β-carotene and total antioxidant reactivity (TAR). OD increased plasma vitamin E. Wine supplementation, analyzed combining both diet groups, raised plasma vitamin C, β-carotene, uric acid, TAR, plasma and urinary polyphenols and decreased plasma vitamin E. Also wine intake increased concentration of red blood cell (RBC) glutathione while significantly decreasing plasma glutathione. In oxidative damage measurements OD group showed higher concentration of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes and plasma nitrotyrosine, when compared with MD group. Wine intake significantly decreased 8-OHdG and plasma nitrotyrosine in both diets, particularly in OD. Conclusion: Volunteers on MD showed better antioxidant defenses and less oxidative damage than those on OD. Moderate wine consumption improved antioxidant defenses in both groups and counteracted the oxidative damage observed with OD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined the halo effect of a 2-year weight-loss diet trial, the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT), on the weight and nutritional patterns of participants' spouses. Design: DIRECT participants in a research centre workplace were randomly assigned to one of three diets: Low-fat, Mediterranean or Low-carbohydrate. A sample of wives of the DIRECT participants, who attended support update meetings specific to their husband's diet during the first 6 months, were followed for 2 years. Setting: South Israel. Subjects: Seventy-four women (mean age = 51 years, mean BMI=26·6 kg/m2). Results: Among the wives of husbands randomised to the Low-fat, Mediterranean and Low-carbohydrate diet, self-reported weight change was respectively -1·48 kg, -2·30 kg and -4·62 kg after 6 months, and +0·39 kg, -3·00 kg and -22·30 kg after 2 years. Weight loss among wives whose husbands were in the alternative diet groups combined (Mediterranean1Low-carbohydrate) was significantly greater than among wives whose husbands were in the Low-fat group after 6 months (P=0·031) and 2 years (P=0·034). Overweight wives experienced more weight loss. The weight change of couples was significantly correlated (r=0·42, P=0·001). Across all dietary groups, wives had significant improvement in their dietary patterns in all food groups according to their husbands' diets, mainly by a larger significant decrease in carbohydrate consumption in the Low-carbohydrate group (P=0·013 compared to Low-fat). Sixmonth weight change among the seventy-four DIRECT participants whose wives took part in the group support sessions was 25·2 kg, compared to 23·5kg among the 248 DIRECT participants whose wives did not take part in these sessions (P=0·020). Conclusions: Focusing on the couple as a unit could provide a cost-effective approach to weight-loss programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adiponectin is thought to exert anti-inflammatory actions. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the association of long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet with adiponectin levels, in a sample of cardiovascular disease-free adults. In a random sub-sample of “ATTICA” study, 532 men and women, serum adiponectin was measured. Among several sociodemographic, clinical and biological factors, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by a special diet score (MedDietSCore) that incorporated the inherent characteristics of this traditional diet. Unadjusted analysis revealed that participants who were in the highest tertile of the diet score had an average 41% higher adiponectin levels, as compared to those who were in the lowest tertile (P<.001). Multiadjusted data analysis showed that compared to the highest tertile of diet score, participants in the middle or the lowest one had an average 0.99±0.22 (P=.001) and 1.05±0.27 μg/ml (P=.001) lower adiponectin levels after adjusting for age, sex and various bioclinical factors. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with an increase on adiponectin levels. This finding may partially explain beneficial effects of this traditional healthy diet on the cardiovascular system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether endothelium-dependent vasomotor function and plasma levels of cellular adhesion molecules are affected by diets with different fat quantity and quality during the postprandial state in subjects with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to one of four isoenergetic diets distinct in fat quantity and quality: high-SFA (HSFA); high-MUFA (HMUFA) and two low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate (LFHCC) diets, supplemented with 1.24g/day of long chain n-3 PUFA (LC n-3 PUFA) or placebo for 12 weeks each. Flow-associated vasodilatation of the brachial artery and postprandial plasma levels of total nitrites, nitric oxide (NO) synthase, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and P-selectin were assessed post-intervention. Results: Post-intervention postprandial flow-associated vasodilatation was significantly higher after the HMUFA diet (P <0.05) compared to subjects adhering to the other three diets. Consistently, the postprandial NO synthase response significantly increased during the HMUFA compared with the HSFA and LFHCC (placebo) diets. Postprandial sICAM-1 levels were lower during the HMUFA than during the HSFA and LFHCC n-3 diets. Conclusions: Our data support the notion that the HMUFA diet improves postprandial endothelial cell function and decreases postprandial plasma sICAM-1 concentrations in patients with the MetS. These findings suggest that the postprandial state is important for understanding possible cardio-protective effects associated with the Mediterranean diet particularly in subject with the MetS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper I examine the role of wine within the "French Paradox" and the US media and government's response to that role. I recount the "discovery" of wine's ability to reduce the incidence of heart disease among a control group of French people, and how scientific research on wine proliferated as scientists attempted to reduce wine to its active ingredients. In this process, discourses of science and quantification create rational and ethical reasons to drink wine. In the process of quantification, wine is defined as a medicalized component of a healthy diet, and those who drink wine become medicalized patients. Knowing the line between `moderate" and "excessive" drinking becomes a mathematical calculation, and this calculation determines whether or not one is healthy. Such a move normalizes a scientific attitude toward public life by making the restrained, rational and numerate drinker into the "healthy" and ethical drinker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A former red-brick housing commission house in the bay-side suburbs of Melbourne has been transformed by Mark Dymiotis to replicate traditional village Mediterranean practices of his heritage. For many years, people have come into the garden through the Council of Adult Education and the Open Garden scheme to learn wine making and bread baking and other traditional Greek--Mediterranean everyday food practices. Mark draws on his own heritage and the knowledge of older people, the migrants who brought these practices to this land, about which he has been researching, writing and teaching for over 20 years. The garden is a platform for teaching about healthy and affordable everyday dietary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the following article, the author asks 480 Swedish respondents where they would go to eat well, and, to the same end, which places they would avoid. The results reveal a Swedish mental foodscape, a sort of imaginary geography of food which is shared by the respondents. The Mediterranean region together with Southeast Asia and Japan appear as favorite destinations for the respondents, while the United States stands out as a destination that Swedes would avoid if they wanted to eat well. Finally, the author argues that the way that the Swedish respondents make sense of food and place can be reduced to a small number of binary opposites, most importantly that between culture and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose of the present work was to validate the MedDietScore by means of plasma fatty acid levels. Methods The study sample consisted of 189 men (44±13 years old) and 185 women (40±15 years old), randomly selected from the ATTICA study database. All participants completed a food frequency questionnaire (the EPIC-Greek FFQ), and a modified version of the MedDietScore (using weights) was then calculated to evaluate the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Plasma and dietary fatty acids were measured. Results Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between the MedDietScore, monounsaturated fatty acids (P <0.001), monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (P <0.001), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) (P <0.05) and n-3 fatty acids (P <0.001), and inverse correlations between the diet score and polyunsaturated fatty acids (comprised of the sum of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids) (P <0.001), saturated fatty acids (P <0.01), and total n-6 fatty acids (P <0.001). The effect size of the relationships between the weighted-MedDietScore and fatty acids was better than the relationships with the initial version of the diet score. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the modified MedDietScore is a valid measure of various plasma fatty acids, and may prove a useful tool in assessing diet quality of adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]