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Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2021) | Viewed by 43928

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Amit K. Jaiswal

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Guest Editor

1. Sustainable Packaging and Bioproducts Research (SPBR) Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Faculty of Sciences and Health, Technological University Dublin, City Campus, Grangegorman, D07 ADY7 Dublin, Ireland
2. Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute, Technological University Dublin, City Campus, Grangegorman, D07 H6K8 Dublin, Ireland
Interests: food engineering; industrial biotechnology; biobased chemicals; nutraceuticals; waste valorisation; novel food processing technologies
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Dear Colleagues,

Fruits, nuts, and vegetables are an important part of the human diet and are a major source of biologically active substances such as polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and soluble and insoluble fibers. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that the consumption of fruits, nuts, and vegetables is positively associated with the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, reduced blood pressure, reduced risk of certain forms of cancer, better glycemic control, improved gastrointestinal function, and the control of diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis in humans. These effects have been partly attributed to their phytochemicals, which possess antioxidant properties that help in combating oxidative stress.

In this Special Issue, I invite you to submit original research and review articles on the health benefits and nutritional quality of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. You are welcome to submit articles on compositional analysis, as well as in vivo/vitro studies on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and other biological activities of fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Dr. Amit K. Jaiswal
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fruits, nuts, and vegetables
health benefits
epidemiological studies
phytochemicals
nutritional composition
antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-diabetic properties
bioactive non-nutrient and anti-nutrient compounds
vitamins and minerals in fruits, nuts, and vegetables

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4942 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Consumption Trend, Nutritional Value, Biological Activity Evaluation, and Sensory Properties of Mini Fruits and Vegetables

by Jiaqi Wang, Tingting Ma, Lukai Wang, Tian Lan, Yulin Fang and Xiangyu Sun

Foods 2021, 10(12), 2966; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10122966 - 02 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2309

Abstract

Mini fruits and vegetables (MFV) are pocket fruits and vegetables whose shape and volume are significantly smaller than those widely sold and well-known normal fruits and vegetables (NFV) on the market. Through the research on the market status and consumption trends of MFV, it was found that MFV have recently become a new market favorite. However, compared with NFV, there was found to be no relevant data on sensory quality, nutritional value, safety, etc. of MFV; this could indicate low consumer awareness of MFV, which in turn affects their planting and sales choices, as well as the market scale remaining small. In this context, six MFV with high degree of marketization were selected and compared with their corresponding NFV to evaluate the nutritional value, biological activity, and sensory properties. The results showed the nutritional value of MFV to be mainly related to their species. The nutritional value of MFV derived from immature, tender vegetables was generally lower than that of mature NFV. For example, the content of zeaxanthin in normal maize was 0.43 mg/kg, which was about 2.87 times that of mini maize (0.15 mg/kg). For newly cultivated mini varieties, their nutritional value often had different trends and rules compared with NFV. The nutritional value obtained by consuming MFV is not equal to that obtained by consuming the corresponding NFV of the same weight. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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20 pages, 3677 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Phytonutrients, Anti-Mutagenic and Chemopreventive Effects of Tropical Fruit Extracts

by Piya Temviriyanukul, Suwapat Kittibunchakul, Piyapat Trisonthi, Woorawee Inthachat, Dalad Siriwan and Uthaiwan Suttisansanee

Foods 2021, 10(11), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112600 - 27 Oct 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2585

Abstract

Thailand is located in the tropics and a wide variety of fruits are grown commercially. However, studies regarding the phytonutrients, anti-mutagenic and chemopreventive effects of these fruits are limited. Thus, phytochemical profiles and inhibition of key enzymes involved in obesity and diabetes, together with anti-mutagenic and chemopreventive properties of eight tropical fruit extracts cultivated in Thailand, including Psidium guajava ‘Kimju’, Psidium guajava ‘Keenok’, Ananas comosus ‘Pattavia’, Ananas comosus ‘Phulae’, Durio zibethinus ‘Chanee’, Durio zibethinus ‘Monthong’, Carica papaya ‘Khaekdum’ and Mangifera indica ‘Namdokmai’ were investigated. Different cultivars were also compared. Results showed that M. indica ‘Namdokmai’ was the most antioxidant-rich extract containing abundant 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and its derivative, gallic acid, as the main phenolics. M. indica ‘Namdokmai’ also exhibited high inhibitory capacities (>60% inhibition under studied conditions) against lipase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase, key enzymes as drug targets for controlling obesity and type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, all fruit extracts suppressed food mutagen-induced DNA mutations assayed by the Ames test, especially M. indica ‘Namdokmai’ and C. papaya ‘Khaekdum’ (>50% inhibition at 200 µg/plate). The M. indica ‘Namdokmai’ was also the most potent extract for suppression of cancer promotion (>90% inhibition at 200 µg/mL) followed by P. guajava ‘Kimju’, P. guajava ‘Keenok’ and C. papaya ‘Khaekdum’. Results potentially indicated that fruit intake after overcooked meat consumption might supplement nutrients and fiber and also reduce DNA mutation sources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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12 pages, 1782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutrient Content of Micro/Baby-Green and Field-Grown Mature Foliage of Tropical Spinach (Amaranthus sp.) and Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

by Albert Ayeni

Foods 2021, 10(11), 2546; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112546 - 22 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2509

Abstract

Micro/baby-greens are gaining popularity in human diets as functional foods that deliver superior nutritional values and health benefits to consumers. This study conducted multiple times between 2017 and 2019 under greenhouse conditions and in the field at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, showed that micro/baby-greens from tropical spinach (Amaranthus sp.) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) are rich in digestible carbohydrates, digestible protein, and dietary fiber. On dry weight basis, both vegetables have high relative percentages of P, K, and Mg; and relatively high ppm Fe, Mn, and Zn. Foliage tissues of both species are relatively low in total fat, Ca, and Cu. Between 10 and 20 days after sowing (DAS), percent digestible carbohydrates in fresh foliar tissue increased 100% in tropical spinach and 50% in roselle, while digestible protein dropped 21% in tropical spinach and 50% in roselle. Compared to field grown mature foliage, greenhouse-grown micro/baby-greens were lower in digestible carbohydrates and Ca but higher in digestible protein, P, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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16 pages, 10534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional and Phytochemical Traits of Apricots (Prunus Armeniaca L.) for Application in Nutraceutical and Health Industry

by Omar Alajil, Vidya R. Sagar, Charanjit Kaur, Shalini Gaur Rudra, R. R. Sharma, Rajeev Kaushik, Mahendra K. Verma, Maharishi Tomar, Manoj Kumar and Mohamed Mekhemar

Foods 2021, 10(6), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061344 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4939

Abstract

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a nutritious fruit, rich in bioactive compounds, known for their health benefits. The present study attempts to evaluate nutritional (sugars, organic acids, minerals) and nutraceutical traits (total phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, antioxidant activity) of six commercial apricot genotypes grown in India. Antioxidant activity was determined using three in-vitro assays, namely CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl). Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in the genotypes concerning nutritional and nutraceutical traits. Sucrose accounted for more than 60% of total sugars in most genotypes, followed by glucose and fructose. Citric acid accounted for more than 50% of the total organic acids present, followed by malic and succinic acids. Apricot is a good source of potassium (1430.07 to 2202.69 mg/100 g dwb) and iron (2.69 to 6.97 mg/100 g dwb) owing to its mineral composition. Total carotenoids content ranged from 0.44 to 3.55 mg/100 g, with β-carotene accounting for 33–84% of the total content. The results strongly suggest that genotypes ‘CITH-A-1’ and ‘CITH-A-2’, which have high dry matter and carotenoids content, are well suited for drying. ‘Roxana’ and ‘CITH-A-3’ are great for fresh consumption, while ‘Shakarpara’ and ‘Gold Cot’ are excellent for juice processing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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16 pages, 2582 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Genotype and Successive Harvests Interaction Affects Phenolic Acids and Aroma Profile of Genovese Basil for Pesto Sauce Production

by Michele Ciriello, Luigi Formisano, Christophe El-Nakhel, Marios C. Kyriacou, Georgios A. Soteriou, Fabiana Pizzolongo, Raffaele Romano, Stefania De Pascale and Youssef Rouphael

Foods 2021, 10(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10020278 - 30 Jan 2021

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 3960

Abstract

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an essential ingredient of the Mediterranean cuisine due to its distinctive aroma. Genovese basil leaves are used to prepare “pesto”, a condiment that has always caught the interest of consumers and producers. Usually, basil for industrial processing is harvested more than once to extract a higher yield. However, successive cuts can affect quality traits that play a crucial role in defining the product’s final sensory profile. This research was aimed to evaluate the impact of cut on the quantitative and qualitative properties of three Genovese basil cultivars (Aroma 2, Eleonora and Italiano Classico) grown in an open field. Nitrate content, phenolic acids and aromatic profile were determined by ion chromatography (IC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC/MS) analysis, respectively. The second harvest increased fresh biomass and total phenolic acids content by 172% and 413%, respectively, with Italiano Classico recording the highest values. The combination of second-cut Aroma 2 yielded the lowest nitrate (473.8 mg kg⁻¹ of fresh weight) and Eugenol (2.4%) levels. In the second harvest, Eleonora showed an increase in eugenol and trans-α-bergamotene of 75.3% and 48.2%, respectively; whereas, eucalyptol and β-cis-ocimene decreased by 34.4% and 51.6%, respectively. Although successive harvests may increase basil yield and quality overall, the cultivar-dependent response to successive cuts needs to be accounted for in order to accomplish standardization of industrial “pesto” sauce. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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18 pages, 1323 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Seasonal Variation of Health-Promoting Bioactives in Broccoli and Methyl-Jasmonate Pre-Harvest Treatments to Enhance Their Contents

by Vanesa Nuñez-Gómez, Nieves Baenas, Inma Navarro-González, Javier García-Alonso, Diego A. Moreno, Rocío González-Barrio and Mª Jesús Periago-Castón

Foods 2020, 9(10), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9101371 - 26 Sep 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3372

Abstract

Broccoli is a source of bioactive compounds that provide an important nutritional value. The content of these compounds can vary depending on agronomic and environmental conditions, as well as on elicitation. In this study, three crop trials were carried out to evaluate the effects of the cultivation season, the application of different dosages of methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) on the overall quality and on the total content of bioactive compounds of ‘Parthenon’ broccoli cultivated under the field conditions of southeastern Spain. Color parameters, chlorophyll content, total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity were measured to evaluate the overall quality. Moreover, individual carotenoids, phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and high performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode array detector coupled to mass spectrometer using electro spray ionization (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSⁿ). The content of total carotenoids, phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were higher in autumn compared with spring, showing increases of 2.8-fold, 2-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively. Moreover, a double application of MeJA increased the contents of total carotenoids, phenolic compounds and glucosinolates by 22%, 32% and 39%, respectively, relative to the untreated samples. Considering our results, the controlled and timely application of 250 µM MeJA to the aerial parts of the plants four days before harvest, on two consecutive days, seems to be a valid agronomic strategy to improve the health-promoting capacity of Parthenon broccoli, without compromising its overall quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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Review

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28 pages, 9222 KiB

Open AccessReview

Suitability of Banana and Plantain Fruits in Modulating Neurodegenerative Diseases: Implicating the In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence from Neuroactive Narratives of Constituent Biomolecules

by Barnabas Oluwatomide Oyeyinka and Anthony Jide Afolayan

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2263; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152263 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4783

Abstract

Active principles in plant-based foods, especially staple fruits, such as bananas and plantains, possess inter-related anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antioxidative, and neuromodulatory activities. Neurodegenerative diseases affect the functionality of the central and peripheral nervous system, with attendant cognitive deficits being hallmarks of these conditions. The dietary constitution of a wide range of bioactive compounds identified in this review further iterates the significance of the banana and plantain in compromising, halting, or preventing the pathological mechanisms of neurological disorders. The neuroprotective mechanisms of these biomolecules have been identified by using protein expression regulation and specific gene/pathway targeting, such as the nuclear and tumor necrosis factors, extracellular signal-regulated and mitogen-activated protein kinases, activator protein-1, and the glial fibrillary acidic protein. This review establishes the potential double-edged neuro-pharmacological fingerprints of banana and plantain fruits in their traditionally consumed pulp and less utilized peel component for human nutrition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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23 pages, 1857 KiB

Open AccessReview

Scientometric and Methodological Analysis of the Recent Literature on the Health-Related Effects of Tomato and Tomato Products

by Francesca Tilesi, Andrea Lombardi and Andrea Mazzucato

Foods 2021, 10(8), 1905; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10081905 - 17 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4241

Abstract

The health benefits of tomato, a vegetable consumed daily in human diets, have received great attention in the scientific community, and a great deal of experiments have tested their utility against several diseases. Herein, we present a scientometric analysis of recent works aimed to estimate the biological effects of tomato, focusing on bibliographic metadata, type of testers, target systems, and methods of analysis. A remarkably variable array of strategies was reported, including testers obtained by standard and special tomatoes, and the use of in vitro and in vivo targets, both healthy and diseased. In vitro, 21 normal and 36 cancer human cell lines derived from 13 different organs were used. The highest cytotoxic effects were reported on cancer blood cells. In vivo, more experiments were carried out with murine than with human systems, addressing healthy individuals, as well as stressed and diseased patients. Multivariate analysis showed that publications in journals indexed in the agriculture category were associated with the use of fresh tomatoes; conversely, medicine and pharmacology journals were associated with the use of purified and formulate testers. Studies conducted in the United States of America preferentially adopted in vivo systems and formulates, combined with blood and tissue analysis. Researchers in Italy, China, India, and Great Britain mostly carried out in vitro research using fresh tomatoes. Gene expression and proteomic analyses were associated with China and India. The emerging scenario evidences the somewhat dichotomic approaches of plant geneticists and agronomists and that of cell biologists and medicine researchers. A higher integration between these two scientific communities would be desirable to foster the assessment of the benefits of tomatoes to human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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27 pages, 2917 KiB

Open AccessReview

Searching for the Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Neuroprotective Potential of Natural Food and Nutritional Supplements for Ocular Health in the Mediterranean Population

by Mar Valero-Vello, Cristina Peris-Martínez, José J. García-Medina, Silvia M. Sanz-González, Ana I. Ramírez, José A. Fernández-Albarral, David Galarreta-Mira, Vicente Zanón-Moreno, Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano and María D. Pinazo-Duran

Foods 2021, 10(6), 1231; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061231 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6474

Abstract

Adherence to a healthy diet offers a valuable intervention to compete against the increasing cases of ocular diseases worldwide, such as dry eye disorders, myopia progression, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or age macular degeneration. Certain amounts of micronutrients must be daily provided for proper functioning of the visual system, such as vitamins, carotenoids, trace metals and omega-3 fatty acids. Among natural foods, the following have to be considered for boosting eye/vision health: fish, meat, eggs, nuts, legumes, citrus fruits, nuts, leafy green vegetables, orange-colored fruits/vegetables, olives-olive oil, and dairy products. Nutritional supplements have received much attention as potential tools for managing chronic-degenerative ocular diseases. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, hand-searched publications and historical archives were performed by the professionals involved in this study, to include peer-reviewed articles in which natural food, nutrient content, and its potential relationship with ocular health. Five ophthalmologists and two researchers collected the characteristics, quality and suitability of the above studies. Finally, 177 publications from 1983 to 2021 were enclosed, mainly related to natural food, Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and nutraceutic supplementation. For the first time, original studies with broccoli and tigernut (chufa de Valencia) regarding the ocular surface dysfunction, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma were enclosed. These can add value to the diet, counteract nutritional defects, and help in the early stages, as well as in the course of ophthalmic pathologies. The main purpose of this review, enclosed in the Special Issue “Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables,” is to identify directions for further research on the role of diet and nutrition in the eyes and vision, and the potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of natural food (broccoli, saffron, tigernuts and walnuts), the Mediterranean Diet, and nutraceutic supplements that may supply a promising and highly affordable scenario for patients at risk of vision loss. This review work was designed and carried out by a multidisciplinary group involved in ophthalmology and ophthalmic research and especially in nutritional ophthalmology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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20 pages, 366 KiB

Open AccessReview

Fruits and Vegetables in the Management of Underlying Conditions for COVID-19 High-Risk Groups

by Nora A. Moreb, Ahmed Albandary, Swarna Jaiswal and Amit K. Jaiswal

Foods 2021, 10(2), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10020389 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7098

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus, which is the cause of the current pandemic with 107,411,561 infections and 2,351,195 death worldwide so far. There are multiple symptoms that are linked with the infection of COVID-19 such as coughing, shortness of breath, congestion together with fatigue, fever, loss of taste or smell, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. The lack of or early stage of development of a cure for COVID-19 illness, there is need for insuring the best possible position of health to be able to fight the virus naturally through a robust immune system to limit severe complication. In this article, we have discussed the role of fruits and vegetables consumption to boost the immune system and major emphasis has been given to high risk group. We have taken into consideration a number of underlying conditions such as people with cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, hemoglobin disorder such as sickle cell disease, weakened immune system due to organ transplant. Furthermore, factors to improve the immune system, risks associated with quarantine and lifestyle and food handling during COVID-19 has been discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Benefits and Nutritional Quality of Fruits, Nuts, and Vegetables)

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