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Assessing the dietary intake of polyphenols and their major food sources is the first step towards documenting the associations with health outcomes. Considering recent changes in dietary patterns of the Brazilian population, continuous monitoring of polyphenol intake is important. Thus, the present study was conducted to estimate the polyphenol intake and major food sources in the diet of the Brazilian population using data from the most recent National Dietary Survey (NDS, 2017–2018), to characterise the intake changes according to demographic characteristics and to compare the intake over the past decade in Brazil. Data from two cross-sectional population-based surveys were analyzed in the study. Trends in polyphenol intake and major food sources were estimated using food consumption data from NDS 2008–2009 (n 34 003) and 2017–2018 (n 46 164). The median (25–75th percentiles) of energy-adjusted polyphenol intake in 2017–2018 was 216·3 mg (125·3–495·2 mg) per 1000 kcal/d (4184 kJ/d), representing an increase of 12·3 mg/d from 2008–2009. However, unadjusted polyphenol intakes were similar between the surveys (medians: 364·3 mg/d in 2008–2009 and 366·9 mg/d in 2017–2018). The main food sources of total and polyphenol intake classes presented some variations between 2008–2009 and 2017–2018, with greater contribution of beans preparations, salads and tea to polyphenol intake, and decrease of orange contribution. Our study provided an updated information on polyphenol intake and its major food sources. The median intake remains lower than the reported by other populations. Furthermore, the results may contribute to future studies investigating temporal trends in polyphenol intake and disease risk.

Studies have been conducted in order to estimate bioactive compound consumption across populations, with substantial disparities according to the origin of the cohort examined. In this sense, Brazil is a continental country with marked differences in food plant availability across geographic regions. We aimed to estimate the bioactive compound intake according to Brazilian geographic region, as well as to determine the major contributors. Data were obtained from the National Dietary Survey 2017–2018, a cross-sectional population-based study including data on the individual food intake of 46,164 subjects aged ≥10 years. The consumption of polyphenols (total and classes) was significantly higher in the South compared with other regions (p = 0.0001). Total carotenoid intake was higher in the Midwest, followed by the Southeast (p = 0.0001). Tea was the main supplier of total polyphenol intake in the South, whereas coffee contributed the most to total polyphenol intake in other Brazilian regions. Açaí, caja juice, mango and corn were important suppliers of carotenoid intake in the North and Northeast. Bioactive compound intake presented variations according to Brazilian region, and individuals living in the South, Midwest and Southeast may experience higher bioactive-dense diets. We highlight the potential of many food plants for sustained explorations to the development of marketable products, possibly increasing the bioactive compound intake.

There is an inverse association between bioactive compounds intake and disease risk. The knowledge of its consumption according to socio-economic strata is important, which allows identification of potential intervention targets. Thus, we aimed to investigate bioactive compounds intake according to income level in Brazilian population. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey, a cross-sectional survey which included data on individual food intake of 34,003 subjects aged 10 years and over collected using two 24-h dietary records. Polyphenol and carotenoid content of foods was identified using published databases. Total polyphenol and carotenoid intake were determined according to per capita income, as well as main food sources. Total polyphenols and flavonoids intake increased with income level, and subjects with lower income showed higher phenolic acids intake than individuals in highest income (p = 0.0001). Total carotenoids and classes intake (with exception to β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) were higher among subjects in highest income quartile, compared to the lowest quartile (p = 0.0001). Coffee was major source to total polyphenols and phenolic acids intake, and orange juice was main flavonoid provider in individuals from all income levels. In the upper income quartile, total carotenoid was supplied mainly by tomato and kale, and fruits had important contribution to carotenoid intake in the lowest income quartile. There is important influence of income level on diet quality regarding intake of foods with bioactive compounds, and individuals with lower income may experience lower quality diets due to less availability of foods with bioactive compounds.

Introdução: Estudos epidemiológicos mostram associações inversas entre a ingestão de compostos bioativos e o risco de doenças crônicas. No entanto, a escassez de informações sobre a ingestão em nível populacional, especialmente em países na América Latina, tem limitado o avanço nas pesquisas. Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo estimar a ingestão de carotenoides, compostos fenólicos e glicosinolatos pela população Brasileira. Metodologia: Foram utilizados dados de consumo alimentar individual de 34.003 indivíduos com idade >=10 anos incluídos na Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares 2008-2009. As informações foram obtidas a partir de dois registros alimentares de 24 horas, e as receitas dos alimentos preparados foram desmembradas. O conteúdo de carotenoides, compostos fenólicos e glicosinolatos nos alimentos foi obtido por meio de bases de dados e publicações. Os resultados são apresentados em mediana e intervalo interquartil, e o teste Kruskal-Wallis foi utilizado para testar a diferenças segundo características sociodemográficas. Os principais contribuintes alimentares para a ingestão de carotenoides, compostos fenólicos e glicosinolatos foram determinados por porcentagem de contribuição. As estimativas foram calculadas utilizando fatores de expansão da amostra para garantir a representatividade da população, com nível de significância de 5% (p

mudanças no comportamento alimentar, que estão associados com o desejo de comer alimentos altamente palatáveis. Embora não haja uma relação causal clara, existe uma associação entre o desejo excessivo de chocolate e as mudanças hormonais do ciclo menstrual. Examinamos o efeito dos consumos de chocolate de leite e chocolate com maior teor de cacau (50%) adicionado de fibras no desejo por doces e sintomas de sí­ndrome de tensão pré-menstrual em 19 participantes. Este estudo experimental aberto durou 2 ciclos menstruais, incluindo fase de controle (fase I) com ingestão de chocolate de leite (50 g/dia) e fase de intervenção (fase II) com o consumo de chocolate 50% cacau com fibras adicionadas (50 g/dia) durante a fase lútea de cada ciclo. Os sintomas de sí­ndrome de tensão pré-menstrual foram classificados por escala validada. A intervenção com de chocolate 50% cacau com fibras adicionadas, comparada com o baseline e controle com chocolate ao leite, mostrou uma redução nos sintomas fí­sicos (p = 0,0206), e tanto os perí­odos de intervenção como os de controle mostraram mudanças nos padrões alimentares (p = 0,0012), como redução do desejo por doces, chocolates entre outros.Palavras-chave: sí­ndrome de tensão pré-menstrual, sí­ndrome pré-menstrual, cacau, chocolate, compulsão alimentar, serotonina.

The aim of this short review is to present and discuss the available evidence regarding the effects of consumption of compounds with functional properties on economic aspects. Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, and Scielo were used to search intervention studies published between 2000 and 2018 on the effects of functional bioactive compounds ingestion (via diet or supplement use) and economic outcomes, such as productivity and cost savings. The fatty acids omega-3 is the one with most studies published and through simulations developed in several countries, like the USA, Canada, and Italy, the supplementation of omega-3 has proven to be a cost-effective strategy for the reduction of cardiovascular diseases (considering only direct costs, not including costs of work absence and productivity losses). Also, it is reported that the increase of 1 g/day in consumption of dietary fibers can generate an important economy through the reduction of direct and indirect costs with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and intestinal constipation. Lastly, estimates point to the fact that regular dietary intake of phytosterols can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and the costs associated. Interventions involving functional bioactive compounds, such as n-3, dietary fibers, and phytosterols, are strategies that promote favorable health outcomes with viable costs. It is important to discuss the need for the development of models for economic evaluation in nutrition, to better estimate the absolute and relative monetary impact of nutritional interventions.

Epidemiological studies have suggested an inverse association between polyphenol intake and the risk of chronic diseases. However, the lack of comprehensive data on population-level intakes, especially in Latin American countries, has limited research on this topic. We aimed to estimate total and individual polyphenol intakes and determine the major dietary contributors in a representative sample of the Brazilian population. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey, a cross-sectional survey which included data on individual food intake of 34 003 subjects aged 10 years and over collected using two 24-h dietary records. Polyphenol content of foods was identified using the Phenol-Explorer database and Brazilian Food Composition Database. Total and individual polyphenol intake was calculated, as well as the intake distribution by socio-demographic factors. The median and 25–75th percentiles of polyphenol intake were 364·3 and 200·9–1008 mg/d, respectively. After energy adjustment, the median and 25–75th percentiles of polyphenol intake were 204 and 111·4–542·1 mg/1000 kcal/d (4184 kJ/d), respectively. Non-alcoholic beverages and fruits were the major polyphenol suppliers, and coffee and orange juice the main individual food contributors to polyphenol intake. The individual compounds most consumed were isomers of chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-caffeoylquinic acid), naringenin and hesperetin. The present study provides, for the first time, data on dietary intake of total and individual polyphenols by the Brazilian population and illustrates the low quality of their diet. These results will facilitate the study of associations between polyphenol class intake and health outcomes, and will also be useful for future dietary intake recommendations.

Objective: To characterize the profile of commercially available mineral waters in Brazil (from national and international sources) by calculating the potential renal acid load (PRAL). Methods: We evaluated 308 commercially available mineral waters in the five Brazilian macroregions. The content of sulfate, chloride, sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium from mineral waters were obtained to calculate the PRAL, using Remers & Manz formula, adapted for mineral waters. Results: From the 308 mineral waters collected, 256 were included in this analysis. We found a great variability in the composition of mineral waters according to the source and country of origin. All the components analyzed were present in greater quantities in the mineral waters from international sources and differed significantly from the values found in the mineral waters from Brazilian sources, with the exception of potassium and sodium (Mg: 1,9 vs 6,8, p=0,0008; Ca: 5,78 vs 32,9, p=0,001; SO4: 0,9 vs 13, p

Low-grade metabolic acidosis is a condition characterized by a slight decrease in blood pH, within the range considered normal, and feeding is one of the main factors that may influence the occurrence of such a condition. The excessive consumption of acid precursor foods (sources of phosphorus and proteins), to the detriment of those precursors of bases (sources of potassium, calcium, and magnesium), leads to acid-base balance volubility. If this condition occurs in a prolonged, chronic way, low-grade metabolic acidosis can become significant and predispose to metabolic imbalances such as kidney stone formation, increased bone resorption, reduced bone mineral density, and the loss of muscle mass, as well as the increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis. Considering the increase in the number of studies investigating the influence of diet-induced metabolic acidosis on clinical outcomes, this review gathers the available evidence evaluating the association of this disturbance and metabolic imbalances, as well as related mechanisms. It is necessary to look at the western dietary pattern of most countries and the increasing incidence of non-comunicable diseases for the balance between fruit and vegetable intake and the appropriate supply of protein, mainly from animal sources, so that it does not exceed the daily recommendations.

Phytochemical-rich foods consumption may be a valid nutritional strategy to reduce the risk of weight gain and obesity. The phytochemical index (PI) is a simple and nonspecific method to evaluate the phytochemical intake, defined as the percentage of dietary calories derived from foods rich in phytochemicals. We aimed to conduct a systematic review to evaluate whether high consumption of phytochemical-rich foods evaluated by the PI is associated with lower values of anthropometric measurements. The available literature suggests that the PI seems to be inversely associated with body weight and waist circumference. Analyzing the longitudinal changes in anthropometric variables, individuals with high intake of phytochemicals gained less weight and fat mass when compared to those with lower PI. Our findings suggest that higher PI is associated with lower body mass index, waist circumference and adiposity. Whether the results are a reflex of a lower calorie intake or the anti-obesity properties of phytochemicals remains to be elucidated.

Leucine, one of the three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) with isoleucine and valine, is an essential amino acid that has emerged due its potential ergogenic and therapeutic role in both exercise (especially resistance exercise) and some diseases (i.e., cancer, muscle disuse, and sarcopenia), respectively. Besides its role in energy provision as a nitrogen donor for muscle alanine synthesis, leucine is also a trigger amino acid that can modulate some cellular pathways involved in skeletal muscle protein synthesis and degradation, innate immune system (inflammation), and insulin secretion.

The aim of this commentary was to discuss the last studies regarding the effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation on oxidative stress in exercise in humans. The inclusion criteria encompassed published studies done in adult males and females between 2006 and 2013. The keywords used in the search engine were: endurance athlete, diet, oxidative stress, physical activity, diet, nutrition, antioxidant, antioxidant status, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, β-carotene and combinations. Twelve studies were identified and organized according to the methodology and results of supplementation: ergogenic, ergolytic, partial or no difference between groups. The results of these studies showed no effect on physiological parameters and activity of antioxidant enzymes (n = 07), better response of the placebo treatment (ergolytic effect; n = 02), partial results (n = 01) and ergogenic results of antioxidant supplementation (n = 02). It is concluded that supplementation with antioxidant vitamins has controversial effects to oxidative damage induced by endurance exercise. The discordances among the studies are presented and discussed.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), mainly leucine, have been described as potential modulators of resistance exercise-induced muscle adaptations which includes stimulation of muscle protein synthesis and attenuation of proteolysis. However, until the moment, there are no well controlled chronic studies (randomized, doubleblind and placebo-controlled) in humans assessing the effects of BCAAs/leucine supplementation on muscle hypertrophy and strength. The most well documented benefits of BCAAs/leucine concerning exercise is the attenuation of muscle damage and soreness. Previous reports support the theory that BCAAs/leucine could act through innate immunity. However, recent studies have demonstrated similar effects in humans with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMβ) supplementation. Since HMβ is a leucine metabolite, it appears that there is a metabolic relation among BCCAs/leucine, HMβ and the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage.