Beet Juice Powder
Liver-protecting effects of table beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) during ischemia-reperfusion
1: Nutrition. 2007 Feb;23(2):172-8
Liver-protecting effects of table beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) during ischemia-reperfusion.
II Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
OBJECTIVE: Table beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) contains important bioactive agents (betaine and polyphenols), which have a wide range of physiologic effects. Because nutritive antioxidants may reduce the occurrence of complications and postoperative mortality, dietary intake of polyphenols and vitamins before surgery may greatly contribute to the survival of patients. Our aim was to determine the liver-protecting properties of bioactive substances of table beet in a model of ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rat. METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into two groups: non-treated (n = 24) and fed with table beet (n = 8). For 10 days the second group was treated with lyophilized table beet (2 g/kg body weight daily) mixed into the rat chow. Hepatic ischemia was maintained for 45 min, followed by 15 min of reperfusion. Ischemia-reperfusion was carried out on animals from both groups. Chemiluminescent intensity, H-donating ability, reducing power, free SH group concentration, Randox-total antioxidant status, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities were determined by luminometry and spectrophotometry. Fatty acid (Shimadzu GC) and metal ion (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) concentrations were observed in the liver. RESULTS: As a result of feeding, global parameters (H-donating ability, reducing power, free SH group concentration) and enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) of the liver were found to increase significantly, which indicated that the treatment had a positive effect on its redox state. The increase found in zinc and copper content may protect the hepatocytes against oxidative stress because these elements are required for the function of superoxide dismutase enzymes. In the table beet group the concentration of short-chain fatty acids decreased, whereas that of long-chain fatty acids increased. The changes in metal element and fatty acid concentrations confirmed that these elements have an essential function in cellular pathways. CONCLUSION: It may be stated that a natural antioxidant-rich diet has a positive effect on redox homeostasis during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion.
PMID: 17234508 [PubMed - in process]
Physiological effects of extraction juices from apple, grape, and red beet pomaces in rats
1: J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Dec 27;54(26):10269-80.
Physiological effects of extraction juices from apple, grape, and red beet pomaces in rats.
Department of Food Chemistry and Preventive Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, D-14558 Nuthetal, Germany.
In comparison to classical fruit juice processing, polyphenols and dietary fiber can be extracted from pomace by means of pectinases and cellulases. In the present study, rats were fed with such produced extraction juices from apples, grapes, and red beets as drinking fluids instead of water for 4 weeks to evaluate their physiological effects. In all test groups, the intake of extraction juices was greater as compared to control (water intake), resulting in a higher urine excretion. In the apple and grape group, pH values in feces was lower than control. Administration of extraction juices from apples increased fecal counts of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. More acetate and total short-chain fatty acids appeared in intestinal contents of the apple and red beet group. Furthermore, the intestinal contents of test groups contained higher concentrations of primary bile acids, cholesterol, and cholesterol metabolites but lower concentrations of secondary bile acids. The total amount of steroids excreted by these groups was also greater than control. Quercetin and isorhamnetin appeared in urine of rats fed extraction juices from apples and grapes; in urine of the former group, phloretin was found also. Administration of the extraction juices, enriched in secondary plant metabolites and dietary fiber, resulted in beneficial nutritional effects in rats.
PMID: 17177570 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Betanin, the main pigment of red beet: molecular origin of its exceptionally high free radical-scavenging activity
1: Food Addit Contam. 2006 Nov;23(11):1079-87.
Betanin, the main pigment of red beet: molecular origin of its exceptionally high free radical-scavenging activity.
Faculty of Commodity Science, Poznan University of Economics, al. Niepodleglosci 10, 60-967, Poznan, Poland. a.gliszczynska-swiglo@ae.poznan.pl
In the present study, the pH-dependent free radical-scavenging activity of betanin in the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay was determined. It was found that at a pH > 4 betanin is about 1.5-2.0-fold more active than some anthocyanins considered very good free radical scavengers as determined in the TEAC assay. The increase in the TEAC values of betanin with increasing pH is discussed in terms of its calculated phenolic OH homolytic bond dissociation energy (BDE) and ionization potential (IP). The results suggest that the exceptionally high antioxidant activity of betanin is associated with an increasing of its H-donation and electron-donation ability when going from cationic state to mono-, di- and tri-deprotonated states present at basic solutions.
PMID: 17071510 [PubMed - in process
In vitro fermentation of sugar beet arabinan and arabino-oligosaccharides by the human gut microflora
In vitro fermentation of sugar beet arabinan and arabino-oligosaccharides by the human gut microflora
M.A.H.M. Al-Tamimi11 School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK, R.J. Palframan11 School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK, J.M. Cooper22 British Sugar plc, Oundle Road, Peterborough, UK, G.R. Gibson11 School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK and
R.A. Rastall11 School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK
1 School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK
2 British Sugar plc, Oundle Road, Peterborough, UK
Abstract
Aims: To determine the fermentation profiles by human gut bacteria of arabino-oligosaccharides of varying degree of polymerization.
Materials and Methods: Sugar beet arabinan was hydrolyzed with a commercial pectinase and eight fractions, of varying molecular weight, were isolated by gel-filtration chromatography. Hydrolysis fractions, arabinose, arabinan and fructo-oligosaccharides were fermented anaerobically by gut bacteria. Total bacteria, bifidobacteria, bacteroides, lactobacilli and the Clostridium perfringens/histolyticum sub. grp. were enumerated using fluorescent in situ hybridization.
Results: Bifidobacteria were stimulated to different extents depending on molecular weight, i.e. maximum increase in bifidobacteria after 48 h was seen on the lower molecular weight fractions. Lactobacilli fluctuated depending on the initial inoculum levels. Bacteroides numbers varied according to fraction; arabinan, arabinose and higher oligosaccharides (degree of polymerization, dp > 8) resulted in significant increases at 24 h. Only carbohydrate mixtures with dp of 1–2 resulted in significant increases at 48 h (log 8·77 ± 0·23). Clostridia decreased on all substrates.
Conclusions: Arabino-oligosaccharides can be considered as potential prebiotics.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Arabinan is widely available as it is a component of sugar beet pulp, a co-product from the sugar beet industry. Generation of prebiotic functionality from arabinan would represent significant added value to a renewable resource.
