Among other factors, food intolerance is cardinal in triggering irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in a significant percentage of patients. As a result, specific dietary patterns are the first-line therapeutic approach. The low-FODMAP diet (LFD) is gaining ground as the most well-documented diet intervention that significantly reduces IBS symptoms. Though the LFD improves symptoms, the diet’s impact on intestinal low-grade inflammation, one of the cardinal mechanisms contributing to symptom development, remains doubtful. On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is recommended for chronic low-grade inflammation-related diseases because of its anti-inflammatory properties, derived predominantly from olive oil and phenolic compounds. Thus far, the role of a modified LFD, enriched with the MedDiet’s anti-inflammatory components, has not been evaluated in IBS patients. This review aims to examine the hypothesis of a potential combination of the immunomodulatory effects of the MedDiet with the LFD to improve IBS symptoms.
Stevia, a zero-calorie sugar substitute, is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In vitro and in vivo studies showed that stevia has antiglycemic action and antioxidant effects in adipose tissue and the vascular wall, reduces blood pressure levels and hepatic steatosis, stabilizes the atherosclerotic plaque, and ameliorates liver and kidney damage. The metabolism of steviol glycosides is dependent upon gut microbiota, which breaks down glycosides into steviol that can be absorbed by the host. In this review, we elucidated the effects of stevia’s consumption on the host’s gut microbiota. Due to the lack of randomized clinical trials in humans, we included in vitro using certain microbial strains and in vivo in laboratory animal studies. Results indicated that stevia consumption has a potential benefit on the microbiome’s alpha diversity. Alterations in the colonic microenvironment may depend on the amount and frequency of stevia intake, as well as on the simultaneous consumption of other dietary components. The anti-inflammatory properties of stevioside were confirmed in vitro by decreasing TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 synthesis and inhibiting of NF-κB transcription factor, and in vivo by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK in laboratory animals.
Background: Dietary and lifestyle habits constitute a significant contributing factor in the formation of anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of overweight and obese populations. The iMPROVE study recruited overweight and obese Greek adults and investigated the effect of gene–diet interactions on weight management when adhering to a six-month, randomized nutritional trial including two hypocaloric diets of different macronutrient content. The present paper displays the design of the intervention and the baseline findings of the participants’ dietary habits and their baseline anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. Methods: Baseline available data for 202 participants were analyzed and patterns were extracted via principal component analysis (PCA) on 69-item Food-Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ). Relationships with indices at baseline were investigated by multivariate linear regressions. A Lifestyle Index of five variables was further constructed. Results: PCA provided 5 dietary patterns. The “Mixed” pattern displayed positive associations with logBMI and logVisceral fat, whereas the “Traditional, vegetarian-alike” pattern was nominally, negatively associated with body and visceral fat, but positively associated with HDL levels. The Lifestyle Index displayed protective effects in the formation of logBMI and logGlucose levels. Conclusions: Dietary patterns and a Lifestyle Index in overweight and obese, Greek adults highlighted associations between diet, lifestyle, and anthropometric and biochemical indices.
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