Onion and Apple Functional Ingredients Intake Improves Antioxidant and Inflammatory Status and Vascular Injury in...

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Biochemistry
• Physiology

Background:

• Obesity is linked to metabolic dysfunction, including dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and increased oxidative stress.
• Functional ingredients from fruits and vegetables may offer therapeutic benefits for metabolic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of onion and apple functional ingredients on metabolic health in obese Zucker rats.
• To assess the impact of these ingredients on lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial function.

Main Methods:

• Obese Zucker rats were fed diets containing 10% onion or 10% apple for 8 weeks.
• Key metabolic parameters, antioxidant status, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory biomarkers, and gene expression were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Onion and apple diets improved food efficiency ratio and lipid profiles (lower total cholesterol, LDL, triacylglycerols; higher HDL).
• These diets reduced glycemia, insulinemia, hepatic injury biomarkers, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
• Antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzyme activities, and GLP-1 levels increased, while endothelial impairment and pro-inflammatory gene expression decreased.

Conclusions:

• High pressure-processed onion and apple functional ingredients exert beneficial effects on metabolic health in obese rats.
• These effects are mediated by improved food efficiency, lipid-lowering, glycemic control, reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, and enhanced endothelial function.