Monthly Archives: May 2011

Aspartame Digestion

Aspartame (3-amino-N-(α-carboxyphenylethyl) succinamic acid, N-methyl ester), is a methyl ester of the dipeptide aspartyl-phenylalanine (figure 1). Aspartame is used as a sweetening agent in  many foods on account of the fact that is roughly 180 times sweeter than table sugar … Continue reading

Posted in Aspartame, Methanol | Comments Off on Aspartame Digestion

Methanol Production by Colonic Microflora

Methanol is of interest to nutritional scientists because it is metabolised in the body to formate, high plasma concentrations of which can lead to metabolic acidosis and blindness. While methanol is a metabolic toxin, it is present naturally in a … Continue reading

Posted in Aspartame, Methanol | Comments Off on Methanol Production by Colonic Microflora

L-Tyrosine and Catecholamine Synthesis

Dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline catecholamine neurotransmitters, so named because their structure is based on catechol (figure 1). The catecholamines play an important role in the nervous system, where they are involved in activation of the sympathetic branch of the central … Continue reading

Posted in L-tyrosine | Comments Off on L-Tyrosine and Catecholamine Synthesis

Fluoride and Calcium

Before fluoride was added to drinking water in some Western countries, it was considered a toxic substance. Scientists had concerns that high levels of fluoride in the diet would lead to toxicity symptoms, the first of which was a mottling … Continue reading

Posted in Calcium, Fluoride | Tagged | Comments Off on Fluoride and Calcium

Fluoride: Metabolism and Excretion

Fluoride is of interest to nutritional scientists because of its toxic properties and because it is added to drinking water in many areas of the world. Fluoride is considered an essential element in man, based on its ability to accumulate … Continue reading

Posted in Fluoride | Tagged | Comments Off on Fluoride: Metabolism and Excretion

Cider and Apple Polyphenols

Red wine has attracted a lot of attention from nutritional researchers because evidence is mounting that it has favourable effects on cardiovascular health. Red wine is thought to be beneficial because it contains high levels of grape polyphenols such as … Continue reading

Posted in Alcohol, Cider | Comments Off on Cider and Apple Polyphenols

More on Selenium

Selenium is an important trace mineral in humans, which is incorporated into a number of selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase, iodothyronine deiodinase and thioredoxin reductase (here). It is known that supplementing with 200 µg of selenium a day reduces the … Continue reading

Posted in Selenium | Comments Off on More on Selenium

β-Glucans and Oats

Dietary fibre is of interest to nutritionists because research suggests that it may have health benefits. Dietary fibre is generally classed into two groups based on its solubility in water. Water insoluble fibres tend to provide roughage to foods and … Continue reading

Posted in Fibre, Oats (Avena sativa) | Comments Off on β-Glucans and Oats

Carotenoids in Tomato Products

Plants are known to contain a wide variety of biologically active phytochemicals that may have important health benefits in humans. Carotenoids are one group of phytochemicals that have been shown to protect from degenerative diseases such as cancer. Carotenoids are … Continue reading

Posted in Cancer, Carotenoids, Lycopene, Tomatoes | Comments Off on Carotenoids in Tomato Products

Medium Chain Triglyceride Metabolism

Triglycerides are biomolecules comprising of three fatty acids esterified to a glycerol back bone. Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are those triglycerides that contain fatty acids of carbon length from 6 to 12. Chain length not only determines the physical and … Continue reading

Posted in Medium Chain Triglycerides | Comments Off on Medium Chain Triglyceride Metabolism