Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Stalk and Leaf Supplementation Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Insulin Resistance Markers in Liver of Mice Exposed to a High-Fat Diet

Abstract

Background Although beet stalks and leaves are not consumed and are usually discarded, they are an important source of bioactive flavonoids possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, which could be explored to prevent metabolic disorders associated with an unhealthy diet. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of supplementation with beet (Beta vulgaris L.) stalks and leaves on metabolic parameters and glucose homeostasis in mice exposed to a high-fat diet.Methods Six-week-old male Swiss mice were randomly divided into five experimental groups submitted to either standard diet (CT) or high-fat diet (HF), and HF-fed mice were subdivided into three treatment groups supplemented with oven-dehydrated beet stalks and leaves (SL), lyophilized beet stalks and leaves (Ly) or beet stalk and leaf extract (EX).Results Supplementation with SL was able to ameliorate glucose homeostasis (P < 0.05) with no alteration in hepatic triglyceride content. It remains to be clarified if the enhancement in the glucose homeostasis observed in HFSL could be a consequence of improvement in pancreatic insulin secretion and/or glucose uptake from skeletal muscle and white adipose tissues.Conclusions The current results suggest that beet stalks and leaves could be used as adjuvants to improve parameters related to glucose metabolism in the liver.

Organic Beet Leaves and Stalk Juice Attenuates the Glutathione Peroxidase Increase Induced by High-Fat Meal in Dyslipidemic Patients: A Pilot Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial

“…Studies has reported that vitexin is capable of donating electrons and acting as a good radical scavenger and being good for antioxidant enzyme-protecting activities, which could effectively prevent cells from oxidative damage [36,37]. Considering the importance of reducing food waste, some studies [8,19,38] have characterized vitexin and its derivatives as the most prominent compounds in beet leaves and stalks, highlighting the use of unconventional parts of foods in an attempt to improve the effects of unregulated intake of fatty meals.…”

“…Recent experimental studies showed that beet leaves and stalks could be used as adjuvant in dietary-induced obesity in mice to reduce the damage generated by oxidative stress and to improve parameters related to glucose homeostasis, including fasting glucose and glucose tolerance [8,9]. Beyond that, vitexin and its derivatives were the major bioactive compounds present in beet leaves and stalks.…”

A Functional Orange Juice Fortified with Beetroot By-Products Attenuates Hyperlipidemia and Obesity Induced by A High-Fat Diet

“…In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 1.9 billion adults were obese, 340 million adults were overweight, and 340 million children and adolescents were overweight [1]. Obesity is associated with lifestyle and food quality [2]. It is considered the main reason for dyslipidemia, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) [2].…”

“…Obesity is associated with lifestyle and food quality [2]. It is considered the main reason for dyslipidemia, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) [2]. A high-fat diet is strongly associated with developing obesity, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress, particularly in the liver [3].…”

Beet (Beta vulgaris) Improve Blood Glucose and AKT2 Gene Expression in High Fat and Fructose-induced Rats

“…Beetroot has antioxidative properties and hepatoprotective activity [5], and some studies showed that beetroot or products from its derivative can glycemia control [6]. Lorizola et al [7] reported that supplementation beet stalks and leaves containing flavonoids could ameliorate glucose homeostasis significantly in the high-fat diet-fed mice. An ethyl acetate fraction of Molineria latifolia containing high polyphenol can be reported to escalate the effectors' expression of insulin signaling such as GLUT4, hexokinase 2, IRS1, IRS2, and AKT2 via phosphorylation of IRS1/ Akt pathway in tissues of skeletal muscle of high-fat diet-induced diabetic male rats [3].…”