In:
Experimental Biology and Medicine, SAGE Publications, Vol. 235, No. 7 ( 2010-07), p. 839-848
Abstract:
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of provitamin A carotenoids. We evaluated the vitamin A (VA) bioefficacy of a whole foods supplement (WFS) and its constituent green vegetables (Study 1) and a variety of fruits with varying ratios of provitamin A carotenoids (Study 2) in VA-depleted Mongolian gerbils ( n = 77/study). After feeding a VA-deficient diet for 4 and 6 weeks in Studies 1 and 2, respectively, customized diets, equalized for VA, were fed for 4 and 3 weeks, respectively. Both studies utilized negative and VA-positive control groups. In Study 1, liver VA was highest in the VA group (0.82 ± 0.16 μmol/liver, P 〈 0.05), followed by brussels sprouts (0.50 ± 0.15 μmol/liver), Betanat ® ( β-carotene from Blakeslea trispora) (0.50 ± 0.12 μmol/liver) and spinach (0.47 ± 0.09 μmol/liver) groups, which did not differ from baseline. The WFS (0.44 ± 0.06 μmol/liver) and kale (0.43 ± 0.14 μmol/liver) groups had lower liver VA than the baseline group ( P 〈 0.05), but did not differ from the brussels sprouts, Betanat ® and spinach groups. In Study 2, liver VA was highest in the orange (0.67 ± 0.18 μmol/liver), papaya (0.67 ± 0.15 μmol/liver) and VA (0.66 ± 0.14 μmol/liver) groups, followed by the mango (0.58 ± 0.09 μmol/liver) and tangerine (0.55 ± 0.15 μmol/liver) groups. These groups did not differ from baseline. The banana group (0.47 ± 0.15 μmol/liver) was unable to maintain baseline stores of VA and did not differ from the control (0.46 ± 0.13 μmol/liver). These fruits (except banana), vegetables and the WFS were able to prevent VA deficiency in Mongolian gerbils and could be an effective part of food-based interventions to support VA nutrition in developing countries and worldwide.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1535-3702
,
1535-3699
DOI:
10.1258/ebm.2010.009216
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2010
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2020856-X
SSG:
12
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