new paper on the effect of heavy metals on carotenoids and antioxidant enzymes

Antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) and carotenoids (lutein and  β-carotene) are often used as biomarkers of metal contamination of water  and agricultural soils.

In this study, the effects of heavy metals present in  irrigation water on the aforementioned carotenoids of potatoes (Solanum  tuberosum L.) and carrots (Daucus carota L.), cultivated in a greenhouse and irrigated with a water solution including different levels of Cr(VI) and Ni(II) were investigated.

These results were compared to the levels of the same metabolites that had been assessed in market-available potato and carrot samples.

The findings indicated that the levels of the examined metabolites on the treated with Cr and Ni samples, resemble the levels of the same parameters in the market samples, originating from polluted areas. 

Therefore, the antioxidant enzymes, catalase and peroxidase, and the carotenoids,  lutein and β-carotene, could be handled as indicators of heavy metal pollution.

a story on bread

http://www.greece-is.com/article/down-at-my-local-bakery/

 Bread: it can be viewed as an impersonal sliced loaf in a plastic bag at a supermarket shelf...
or it can be viewed as an experience (have you ever tried fresh warm bread? just out from the oven or your bakery?).

This bread story is so well written and definitely worth a read.

Thank you Omaira for reminding me my local bakery in Evia :)

Yannis

Food to protect the heart : goat Cheese > goat yogurt > goat milk

In vitro biological activity of total lipids (TL) and total polar lipids (TPL) of goat milk, goat yogurt, and goat white cheese samples toward washed rabbit platelet aggregation, expressed in micrograms

Given that goat milk and dairy products should be consumed daily according to suggestions based on Mediterranean diet, we evaluated the anti-atherogenic properties of goat milk and goat dairy products (yogurt and white cheese). Total lipids (TLs) of all three samples were extracted and separated into total polar lipids (TPLs) and total neutral lipids (TNLs).

TL and TPL were tested to determine whether they induce platelet aggregation or inhibit platelet aggregation induced by the platelet-activating factor (PAF). The most active lipids were found in goat white cheese (i.e., since they showed lower IC₅₀ values in both TL and TPL samples than corresponding fractions of goat milk and goat yogurt).

All the samples’ lipids, and especially the polar ones, were found to exhibit strong anti-atherogenic activities.

This fact highlights the nutritional value of goat dairy products in terms of cardioprotection, as PAF is a crucial inflammatory mediator that is implicated in the mechanism of atherogenesis.

In terms of cardioprotective activities, we found that
the activities are lowering in this order
cheese > yogurt > milk

The full paper is available here.

Coffee : why is it so good ?

Coffee is a good source of antioxidants.

Further reading : Troup G, Navarini L, Liverani F, Drew S. Stable Radical Content and Anti-Radical Activity of Roasted Arabica Coffee: From In-Tact Bean To Coffee Brew. PLOS ONE. 2015.

So, coffee traps the free radicals in our body and by doing so, it protects us from inflammation, heart diseases and ...cancer.

Taste-wise, though, coffee is at its best when black, no sugar, no milk.

chocolate polymorphism

In this blog, I am going to (try to) post news on food that can make us healthier (and hence happier).
It is a blog food not about recipes but about food science and human nutrition.
Every possible attempt is given to present the material in a practical layman way, but without ignoring the Science.

Today, 16.2.2016, as a first post on FunFood16, let's talk about chocolate.

when chocolate is in crystal form V, it is more tasty!

These are the 6 different crystal forms of chocolate. Form V is the most desirable! Because, it has perfect smoothness and sharpness and also a melting point as close as possible to human's body.
Hence, we can simply sit and enjoy it.
And, let's not forget the nutritional value of cocoa and chocolate!