NUTR 3000 Take-home assignment-Phytochemicals and metabolism 45 points
Aside from the ‘nutrient’ components of food, non-nutrient components of foods such as fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, called ‘phytochemicals’ can have a notable effect on metabolism. The goal of this assignment is to help you learn more about the phytochemicals that may be predominant in your diet and the potential impact on your health.
Q-1. List your favorite fruit, vegetable, herb and spice. (4 points)
Q-2. What is the main phytochemical that has been identified as the ‘bioactive’ compound in your chosen fruit, vegetable, herb and spice and considered responsible for its biological activity/effect on health (e.g. curcumin in turmeric, resveratrol in red grapes/red wine, piperine in black pepper)? List the names and chemical structures of the four phytochemicals (one each from your fruit, vegetable, herb and spice), and the respective classes of phytochemicals they belong to (e.g. resveratrol belong to the class of polyphenols/stilbenes). (12 points)
Q-3. Choose any one of the four phytochemicals listed above and answer the following questions:
- What is known about the health effects of your chosen phytochemical (e.g. reduces risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes)? (4 points)
- How does the bioactive phytochemical exert its health effect (mechanism of action) (e.g. reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, including any available molecular/biochemical details such as COX-2 inhibition, prevent LDL-oxidation etc.)? You may include supporting figures for mechanism of action to support your explanation. (10 points)
- How good is the evidence for role in health (studied in cells/animals or humans, positive results from human clinical studies is considered superior evidence)? (5 points)
- What is the best dietary approach to maximizing its benefits? (e.g. is it more available in raw food, cooked food, is there a particular method of cooking, preparation or processing that is recommended? For instance, resveratrol more bioavailable in red wine vs red grapes, lycopene more available in cooked tomatoes vs. raw). (5 points)
- Is it available as a supplement and would you recommend consuming it in this form (consider the dose, efficacy and safety)? (5 points)
