Monthly Archives: March 2012

Whey Protein

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Whey is the portion of milk that remains dissolved in the aqueous portion after coagulation of casein into curd during the manufacture of cheese. Before whey protein became popular as a dietary supplement and before its nutritional significance was understood, … Continue reading →

Posted in Branched Chain Amino Acids, Immune System, Protein, Soy, Sulfur, Whey Protein | Comments Off on Whey Protein

β-Amylase

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Amylases are a group of isoenzymes that are able to hydrolyse the glycosidic bonds in starch. The importance of starch as an energy source throughout life makes amylases important enzymes in both animals and plants. In humans and other mammals, … Continue reading →

Posted in Amylase, Enzymes | Comments Off on β-Amylase

Plant Proteases

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Plants contain a number of well characterised proteases but their exact function is unknown. Proteases in plants may aid the mobilisation of nutrients from the seeds during germination, may aid in fruit ripening, as well as being integral to normal. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bromelain, Proteases | Comments Off on Plant Proteases

Polyphenol Oxidases in Plants

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Polyphenol oxidases are a group of copper containing enzymes found in plants, animals and bacteria. In plants, during fruit maturation, it is thought that polyphenol oxidases are largely responsible for the brown discolouration associated with ripening. This brown discolouration originates … Continue reading →

Posted in Chlorogenic Acid, Flavonoids, Hydroxycinnamic Acids, Polyphenol Oxidase, Polyphenols | Comments Off on Polyphenol Oxidases in Plants

Is Bromelain Absorbed and Bioavailable in Humans?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Plants are widely used for their therapeutic properties because they contain a large variety of chemicals that have in vivo activity in animals. Bromelain is a glycoprotein extract from the leaves and stems of pineapple that contains both protein and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bromelain | Comments Off on Is Bromelain Absorbed and Bioavailable in Humans?

Choline, Betaine and Homocysteine

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Homocysteine is a metabolite of the essential amino acid methionine which can build up in cells and plasma if nutrition quality is low. High concentrations of plasma homocysteine are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, because … Continue reading →

Posted in Betaine, Cardiovascular Disease, Choline, Homocysteine | Comments Off on Choline, Betaine and Homocysteine

More on Bone Mineral Density

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The associations between protein intake and bone mineral density is controversial. The general mainstream consensus is that high protein diets are detrimental to bone mineral density, but this is not supported by evidence in the literature. In fact, research suggests … Continue reading →

Posted in Acid / Base Balance, Bone Health, Potassium, Protein | Comments Off on More on Bone Mineral Density

Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Coronary Calcification

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Clinical evidence supports the epidemiological research suggesting that omega 3 (n-3) fatty acids are beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Both docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) are long chain fatty acids in fish oils that … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fish Oils | Comments Off on Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Coronary Calcification

Surrogate Markers for Vitamin D

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Research indicates that vitamin D requirements in human has been vastly underestimated until recently. Vitamin D insufficiency is a term used to describe individuals who do not develop the typical vitamin D deficiency diseases such as osteomalacia or rickets, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Vitamin D | Comments Off on Surrogate Markers for Vitamin D

Do People Eat When Hungry?

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Evidence shows that obesity is increasing in Western populations, and the metabolic abnormalities that accompany the physiological changes are starting to be understood. However, less time is spent by researchers understanding the social reason for these changes. Satiety is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Obesity, Satiety | Comments Off on Do People Eat When Hungry?