High fat meals promote higher bioavailability of vitamin K2 compared to low fat meals

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the Journal of pharmaceutical sciences 1996 Sep;85(9):1012-6 and a recipe for eggs and asparagus.

Study title and authors:
Effect of dietary fat content on oral bioavailability of menatetrenone in humans.
Uematsu T, Nagashima S, Niwa M, Kohno K, Sassa T, Ishii M, Tomono Y, Yamato C, Kanamaru M.
Department of Pharmacology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8877895

Books:

Vitamin K2 has many beneficial roles including protecting us from heart disease, ensuring healthy skin, forming strong bones, promoting brain function, supporting growth and development and helping to prevent cancer.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of fat content on the bioavailability of menatetrenone (vitamin K2).

15 mg of vitamin K2 was administered at breakfast time to healthy male volunteers after meals with three different fat contents (A, 8.8 g; B, 20.0 g; C, 34.9 g) and almost the same calorie content.

The study found:
(a) Vitamin K2 levels were 30% higher after meal B (20.0g fat) compared to the lower fat meal A.
(b) Vitamin K2 levels were 276% higher after meal C (34.9g fat) compared to the lower fat meal A.

To conclude: High fat meals promote higher bioavailability of vitamin K2 compared to low fat meals.

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Recipe of the day

Eggs and Asparagus 

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Eggs

3 large eggs

1 tbs butter
1 small green capsicum
6 spears of Asparagus
dash of ground basil, turmeric, paprika, cumin and rosemary

Directions:
(1) Grill green capsicum on each side for about 10 minutes or so. Basically, you want to grill until the skin on each side is dark and blistered for easy removal.

(2) Remove from grill and take out the seeds as well as the blistered skin. Now thinly slice the capsicum.

(3) Grill the asparagus and then add the capsicum.

(4) Fry eggs with butter. Next, combine the herbs and spices then sprinkle all over fried eggs.

Serve eggs together with the grilled asparagus and capsicum.

Fried Egg and Asparagus



Dietary fat enhances the uptake of beta-carotene and raises vitamin A levels

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol 68, 623-629 and a recipe for bacon and sweet potato salad.

Study title and authors:
Serum retinol concentrations in children are affected by food sources of beta-carotene, fat intake, and anthelmintic drug treatment
F Jalal, MC Nesheim, Z Agus, D Sanjur and JP Habicht
Cornell University, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/68/3/623.abstract

Books:

The study examined the effect of food sources of beta-carotene, extra dietary fat, and parasitic intestinal roundworms infection on blood vitamin A levels in children. Meals and snacks with various amounts of beta-carotene and fat were fed at midday to children 3-6 years of age for 3 weeks. Some groups of children were dewormed before the feeding period, whereas others remained infected.

The study found:
(a) The greatest rise in blood vitamin A levels occurred when meals contained added beta-carotene sources and added fat and the children were dewormed.
(b) Adding more fat to the meal and deworming the children caused a rise in blood vitamin A levels similar to that seen when feeding additional beta-carotene sources.

To conclude: Dietary fat enhances the uptake of beta-carotene and raises blood vitamin A levels.

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Recipe of the day

Bacon and Sweet Potato Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Bacon

•4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in cubes;

•4 slices bacon;
•1 medium onion, finely chopped;
•2 cloves garlic, minced;
•1 1/2 tbsp homemade or Dijon mustard;
•2 tbsp lemon juice;
•4 loosely packed cups baby spinach;
•2 tbsp lard or other cooking fat;
•Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation:
1.Place the sweet potato cubes in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until tender.

2.In the mean time, cook the bacon slices over a medium heat in a large pan until crisp, about.4 minutes per side. Set aside

3.Add the onion and garlic to the pan as well as the additional cooking fat and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Season liberally with black pepper.

4.Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and mustard.

5.Drain the cooked sweet potato cubes and place in a bowl.

6.Add the baby spinach with the sweet potatoes and combine well and pour the cooked onions with all the drippings on top.

7.Crumble the cooked bacon over, combine and serve.

Bacon and Sweet Potato Salad



High fat diets boost the level of the crucial amino acid, carnitine

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol 45, 725-729 and a recipe for Puerto Rican beef.

Study title and author:
Effect of diet on plasma carnitine levels and urinary carnitine excretion in humans
G Cederblad

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/45/4/725.abstract

Books:

Carnitine has been shown to improve heart function and helps to treat peripheral arterial disease. Cederblad also notes that carnitine is essential for human energy production and can remove excess toxins from the cells.

The study examined the effects on carnitine levels in healthy men of either a high carbohydrate/low fat diet or a low carbohydrate/high fat diet. The two regimens contained the same amount of carnitine-rich food.

The study found:
(a) Carnitine levels increased significantly from the initial value on the low carbohydrate/high fat diet.
(b) Carnitine levels were significantly higher from day 3 on the low carbohydrate/high fat diet than the high carbohydrate/low fat diet.

The reasons that carnitine levels were higher in the low carbohydrate/high fat diet as compared to the high carbohydrate/low fat diet may have been:
(i) Absorption of dietary carnitine was increased by the high-fat diet.
(ii) Extra carnitine may have been synthesized by the body as a result of the high fat diet.

To conclude: Blood levels of the crucial amino-acid, carnitine, rose significantly in men following a low carbohydrate/high fat diet, while no change in carnitine levels were observed in individuals on a high carbohydrate/low fat diet.

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Recipe of the day

Puerto Rican Beef

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Ground Beef

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 bunch kale chopped
1 white onion sliced
1/2 of a green, red, and yellow bell pepper sliced
1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 sweet potatoes
1 ripe avocado

Instructions:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Add the bell peppers, onions, and olive oil and saute until the onions and peppers are tender. Add all of the spices and mix well. Add the kale and green olives, continue cooking stirring often until the kale is tender (about 4-5 minutes. Serve over mashed sweet potatoes with a side of sliced avocado. To quickly prepare the sweet potatoes, peel and quarter the potatoes and cook in a pressure cooker for 12 -14 minutes.

Puerto Rican Beef



Extremely low dietary fat intake leads to poor health

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Human Biology 2010 Nov-Dec;22(6):741-9 and a recipe for roast beef stuffed with spinach and herbs.

Study title and authors:
Assessment and characterization of the diet of an isolated population in the Bolivian Andes.
Berti PR, Jones AD, Cruz Y, Larrea S, Borja R, Sherwood S.
HealthBridge, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. pberti@healthbridge.ca

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20721984

Books:

The goal of the study was to characterize the composition and nutrient adequacy of the diets in the region of Potosí, Bolivia which have the highest rates of child malnutrition and under-five mortality in the Americas. The diets of 2,222 people were assessed.

The study revealed:
(a) The diet relies heavily on the potato and other tubers (54% of dietary energy) and grains (30% of dietary energy).
(b) Despite relative monotony, intakes of iron, vitamin C, most B vitamins, and vitamin A in adults were probably adequate.
(c) Riboflavin, calcium, and vitamin A intakes in children were low.
(d) Extremely low dietary fat intakes (approximately 3-9% of dietary energy from fat) likely prevent adequate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins as well as lead to deficiencies of essential fatty acids.

To conclude: Berti found that dietary inadequacies, especially of fats, may explain much of the poor health observed in Potosí. He recommends that an improved diet may be possible through increasing production and intake of local fat-rich food sources such as small animals.

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Recipe of the day

Roast Beef Stuffed with Spinach and Herbs

Ingredients:

1 x 1.3kg/3lb topside, sirloin or fillet of beef joint

Food Mall: Sirloin

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

2 hard-boiled egg yolks, chopped
50g/2oz fresh baby spinach, rinsed and finely chopped
30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
15ml/1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
15ml/1tbsp freshly chopped oregano or marjoram leaves
4 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges

Method:
1.Place the joint on a chopping board, remove any butcher’s string or elasticated meat bands and season on both sides. Using a sharp knife cut along the joint, horizontally, to create a pocket-like cavity, but do not cut all the way through.

2.In a medium bowl mix together the egg yolks, seasoning, spinach and herbs. Use the mixture to fill the cavity of the joint and tie with butcher’s string or elasticated meat bands.

3.Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4, 180°C,350°F.

4.Place the onions in a roasting tin, remove the joint from the marinade and position on top of the onions. Discard the marinade.

5.Open roast for the preferred calculated cooking time, basting occasionally with any rich beefy juices.

6.Serve the beef with the onions and pan juices.

Roast Beef Stuffed with Spinach and Herbs

High fat meals assist in the treatment of tuberculosis

This post includes a summary of a study published in Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2004;84(6):365-73 and a recipe for Italian veal chops.

Study title and authors:
Pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of clofazimine in relation to food, orange juice and antacid.

Books:

Nix DE, Adam RD, Auclair B, Krueger TS, Godo PG, Peloquin CA.

University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 210-207, Tucson, AZ 85721-0207, USA. nix@pharmacy.arizona.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15525560

Clofazimine is an antibiotic and is potentially useful for the treatment of disease due to multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as well as leprosy and certain chronic skin diseases. The study was conducted to explore issues relating to bioavailability in the presence of food, orange juice, and antacid.

The authors concluded administration of clofazimine with a high fat meal provides the greatest bioavailability. Both orange juice and aluminum-magnesium antacid produced a reduction in mean bioavailability of clofazimine.

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Recipe of the day

Italian Veal Chops

Food Mall: Veal Chops

Ingredients:

8 veal chops

pepper to taste
oregano
chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (1 lb. 12 oz) tomatoes

Instructions:
In skillet, brown chops. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with oregano and parsley. Add garlic and tomatoes. Cover and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.


Italian Veal Chops



High fat diets help to treat tuberculosis

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy  2010 Aug;54(8):3390-4 and a recipe for fried eggs and bacon with sliced grape tomatoes.

Study title and authors:
Effects of four different meal types on the population pharmacokinetics of single-dose rifapentine in healthy male volunteers.

Zvada SP, Van Der Walt JS, Smith PJ, Fourie PB, Roscigno G, Mitchison D, Simonsson US, McIlleron HM.

Books:

Division of Clinical Pharmacology, K-45 Old Main Building, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20516273

Rifapentine is an antibiotic drug used in the treatment of tuberculosis.

The study measured the effect of four different meals on rifapentine oral bioavailability. The meals were:
high fat (meal A), (English breakfast)
bulk and low fat (meal B), (maize meal porridge)
bulk and high fat (meal C), (maize meal porridge with lard)
high fluid and low fat (meal D) (chicken noodle soup)

Compared with the fasting state meal A (English breakfast, which included bacon, fried eggs, butter and full-cream milk) had the greatest effect on rifapentine oral bioavailability, increasing it by 86%.

The lowest effect was in meal B (maize meal porridge) which only registered a 33% increase. However when lard was added to the maize meal porridge, bioavailability increased to 46%.

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Recipe of the day

Fried Eggs and Bacon with Sliced Grape Tomatoes

Ingredient list:

Food Mall: Eggs

Three strips of bacon (nitrate, dairy, gluten, casein, sugar-free)

Three fresh eggs
15 grape tomatoes
Black pepper
Salt

Directions:
Add bacon to cold skillet and set heat to low. Bacon does not curl when added to a cold skillet and cooks best over low heat. Turn bacon frequently and allow browning to desired level of crispiness, which for me takes 3-4 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel to soak up excess grease. Crack three eggs into the hot bacon grease in skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Pierce yolks with a spatula to ensure even cooking. Add sliced tomatoes across eggs as they are cooking. Turn eggs with spatula to insure that all parts have cooked well. Transfer to plate and add bacon on the side.



Higher nutrient bioavailability with full fat salad dressings

This post includes a summary of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 80, No. 2, 396-403, August 2004 and a recipe for shrimp stuffed avocados.

Study title and authors:
Carotenoid bioavailability is higher from salads ingested with full-fat than with fat-reduced salad dressings as measured with electrochemical detection1,2,3

Books:

Melody J Brown, Mario G Ferruzzi, Minhthy L Nguyen, Dale A Cooper, Alison L Eldridge, Steven J Schwartz and Wendy S White

1 From the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames (MJB and WSW); the Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus (MGF, MLN, and SJS); and The Procter & Gamble Nutrition Science Institute, Cincinnati (DAC and ALE)

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/80/2/396.abstract
 
The study revealed that no absorption of carotenoids was observed when salads with fat-free salad dressing were consumed. A substantially greater absorption of carotenoids was observed when salads were consumed with full fat than with reduced-fat salad dressing.
 
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Recipe of the day

Shrimp Stuffed Avocados

Food Mall: Deveined Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 3 medium size avocados

• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 1/2 lb small or medium sized shrimp, cooked, shelled, deveined and chilled

Instructions:
Cut avocados in half; remove seed and skin. Stuff with shrimp. Add lemon juice.

Shrimp Stuffed Avocados