Maria Luz Fernandez

University of Connecticut | UConn · Department of Nutritional Sciences

Diet is one of the factors that prevents the development and death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). It has been proposed that diets high in protein, which increase satiety, and with a high content of antioxidants, help reduce cardiovascular risk factors. The egg is one of the foods that produces greater satiety and provides antioxidants. In addi...

As Editors-in-Chief of Nutrients—one of the largest nutrition journals in the world—we would like to comment on this subject because it will remain topical for as long as it exists [...]

Background: The prevalence of breast cancer and its mortality rate are increasing rapidly among women worldwide. On other hand, the courses of chemotherapy as the main treatment for these patients are too much exhaustive and annoying. This study was designed to evaluate the use of synbiotics (probiotics + prebiotics) supplementation as a safe and...

Most atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by modifying lifestyles, including unhealthy diets. Eggs contain important carotenoids that may impact cardiovascular risk. The lipid nature of eggs can improve the bioavailability of other carotenoids, such as Annatto (Bixa orellana L.), with reported antioxidant properties. Although nu...

Plant-based diets (PBDs) have become very popular in recent years and have been identified as a dietary strategy associated with protection against chronic disease. However, the classifications of PBDs vary depending on the type of diet. Some PBDs have been recognized as healthful for their high content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibe...

Aims Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of nut consumption on the metabolic profile of healthy adults with overweight/obesity have yielded conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of incorporating nuts into the diet on serum lipid profile, glycemic markers, and blood pressure in h...

Once the general public accepts that dietary cholesterol is not a concern for cardiovascular disease risk, foods that have been labeled as high-cholesterol sources, including eggs, may be appreciated for their various other dietary components. One of the nutrients in eggs that deserves further discussion is egg protein. Egg protein has been recogni...

Key takeways: Eggs can be part of a healthy diet. Epidemiologic evidence and clinical trials have found no links between egg intake and increased risk for heart disease. Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein. Eggs, in addition to numerous vitamins and minerals, contain compounds including choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin with functions tha...

We recently reported that the inclusion of whole eggs in plant-based diets (PBD) increased plasma choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether this dietary pattern would protect against oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation, two common characteristics...

There is a clear correlation between gut microbiota, diet, and metabolic outcomes. A diet high in fiber has been shown to decrease inflammation, increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce dyslipidemias whereas a diet high in fat and sugar leads to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation. There is recent evidence suggesting that t...

Dietary cholesterol has been a topic of debate since the 1960s when the first dietary guidelines that limited cholesterol intake to no more than 300 mg/day were set. These recommendations were followed for several years, and it was not until the late 1990s when they were finally challenged by the newer information derived from epidemiological studi...

Plant-based (PB) diets are considered a healthy dietary pattern; however, eggs are not always included in this dietary regime. We hypothesized that the addition of two eggs per day would increase HDL cholesterol as well as plasma lutein, zeaxanthin and choline in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this randomized controlled crossover in...

Background Diet plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS). In addition to being environmentally sustainable, plant-based diets (PBD) have demonstrated a range of health benefits, including a protective effect against MetS. Most research on this topic has focused on PBDs as a whole, without considering the in...

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has increased dramatically in the last 20 years afflicting more than 425 million people all over the world with 34 million located in the US, emphasizing the need for strategic therapies including dietary prescriptions or other lifestyle changes to reduce these numbers. In addition to abnormally high plasma glucose levels, hig...

We previously demonstrated that intake of three eggs/d for 4 weeks increased plasma choline and decreased inflammation in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The purpose of the current study was to further explore the effects of phosphatidylcholine (PC) provided by eggs versus a choline bitartrate (CB) supplement on the gut microbiota, trimeth...

Childhood obesity is a national epidemic, and many efforts have been made to understand its risk factors. The purpose of this review was to provide an updated account of the observational studies evaluating the relationship between 100% fruit juice intake and obesity in children and adolescents, and to highlight the major risk factors that may impa...

Non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hepatic steatosis, and cancer are more prevalent in minority groups including Hispanics when compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, leading to the well-recognized terminology of health disparities. Although lifestyle factors including inadequate dietary habits, decrease...

Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and their metabolites have long been recognized to protect against inflammation-related diseases including heart disease. Recent reports present conflicting evidence on the effects of n-3 PUFAs on major cardiovascular events including death. While some studies document that n-3 PUFA supplementation r...

Citation: Usheva, N.; Galcheva, S.; Cardon, G.; De Craemer, M.; Androutsos, O.; Kotowska, A.; Socha, P.; Koletzko, B.V.; Moreno, L.A.; Iotova, V.; et al. Complementary Feeding and Overweight in European Preschoolers: The ToyBox-Study. Nutrients 2021, 13, 1199. https://

Purpose of Review The association between plasma Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO), diet and risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still not fully understood. While epidemiologic research shows a causal relationship between plasma TMAO concentrations and CVD risk, the role of dietary precursors in determining plasma concentrations of TMAO and biomar...

The dietary guidelines as well as the organizations that establish the recommendations are not homogeneous across regions of the world. Each country utilizes specific icons to better describe to the public easy ways to follow specific recommendations, including the use of pyramids, plates, and other forms of presenting key information. All dietary...

In this study were evaluated the effects of the chronic consumption of agraz (Vaccinium meridionale) on antioxidant status and oxidative stress markers in 40 women with metabolic syndrome (MetS) (47.2 ± 9.4 years) through a double-blind, crossover design study, in which participants consumed daily agraz or placebo during 4 weeks, separated by a 4-w...

The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of related factors that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Vaccinium meridionale Swartz contains polyphenols that could modulate some components of MS. Epidemiological and intervention studies have shown differences between men and women in MS components and antioxidant capacity....

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance, which increase the risk of heart disease. Eggs have numerous nutrients including choline, carotenoids, and fat-soluble vitamins that may protect against these conditions. Egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a major contributor of dietary choline in the American...

Diverse notions exist regarding egg intake, which is one of the main sources of dietary cholesterol, and its effect on blood lipids. We conducted this study to update the previous meta‐analysis for their flaw in calculated effect size. PubMed, Scopus, ISI, and Cochrane were searched up to April 2019, for relevant randomized controlled clinical tria...

Objectives Our previous study in a young healthy population indicated that choline from eggs (phosphatidylcholine) was more bioavailable than choline from a supplement (choline bitartrate) as determined by plasma choline concentrations. The purpose of this study was to compare equivalent amounts of two choline sources on plasma choline and its deri...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare equivalent amounts of two choline sources on plasma cholesterol and the parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults aged 32 to 70 years. Methods Twenty-three subjects with MetS participated in this randomized, crossover clinical trial. Subjects underwent an initial period of 2 weeks without...

Background: It has been demonstrated that some individuals (approximately 1/3 of the population) can be classified as hyper-responders to dietary cholesterol. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the response to dietary cholesterol (provided by eggs) would mediate lipoprotein metabolism and the bioavailability of lutein, z...

Zeaxanthin, a non-provitamin A carotenoid that belongs to the xanthophyll family, has been less studied than its isomer lutein. However, zeaxanthin has also been shown to have a number of beneficial effects for human health due to its ability to quench free radicals, exert antioxidant effects, as well as decrease inflammation. It is the purpose of...

Objectives: Intake of eggs and other lipid-rich foods has been a controversial topic for many years. However, some studies support the notion that regular intake of eggs and other lipid-rich foods does not increase biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and may even promote reductions in disease risk. Despite this consensus, the effect of such lipid...

Objectives It has been demonstrated that some individuals (approximately 1/3 of the population) can be classified as hyper-responders to dietary cholesterol. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the response to dietary cholesterol (provided by eggs) would affect lipoprotein metabolism and the bioavailability of lutein, zeaxanthin and...

Often described as ‘nature’s perfect food’, perceptions of egg consumption and human health have evolved substantially over the past decades, in particular dietary guidelines no longer include a limit for dietary cholesterol and recommend eggs as part of healthy eating patterns. This book presents the opportunities for processing eggs to produce va...

Objective Whole eggs are rich sources of several micronutrients. However, it is not well known how egg consumption contributes to overall nutrient adequacy and how it may relate to CVD risk factors. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine how whole egg consumption contributes to nutrient intakes and to assess its association with CVD risk f...

As we move forward and continue to publish the most recent and prominent scientific findings in Nutritional Sciences for the next 10 years, the current editors-in-chief would like to take a look at the history of Nutrients[...]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with low-grade inflammation and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) dysfunction. Polyphenol-rich foods may improve these alterations. Agraz is a fruit rich in polyphenols (mainly anthocyanins); however, there is limited information about its effects on human health. We evaluated the effects of agraz consumption as...

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by increased oxidative stress and a pro-inflammatory state. Vaccinium meridionale Swartz (known as “agraz”) is a berry rich in polyphenolic compounds with demonstrated antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of agraz consu...

Moringa leaves (ML) are contain numerous phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid from other dietary sources has been recognized as an important modulator of metabolic pathways related to lipid synthesis, lipoprotein uptake and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ML would lower hepatic lipid accumul...

Despite the fact that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 withdrew the previous restriction on dietary cholesterol (300 mg/day), consumption outside of this range is met with resistance from the public. Eggs are a primary source of cholesterol in the diet, and are a good source of high quality protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant...

Recent evidence suggests that the composition and function of HDL particles may be more important than HDL cholesterol concentration when assessing risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). HDL is involved in reverse cholesterol transport, the process by which excess cholesterol is removed from tissues and returned to the liver for biliary excretion....

It is well known that eggs are rich sources of micronutrients including choline, selenium, vitamin B12, and carotenoids. It has not been well assessed, however, how egg consumption contributes to overall nutrient adequacy in the American diet, and how consumption of eggs may affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Therefore, the aim of th...

Leaves from the plant Moringa Oleifera have been found to improve insulin resistance, reduce inflammation and lower plasma lipids in several animal models. The polyphenols/flavonoids present in Moringa leaves (ML) appear to be the bioactive components responsible of these beneficial effects. In this study we hypothesized that Moringa leaves (ML) wo...

Eggs are a source of many nutrients, including cholesterol and choline, thus there is uncertainty regarding the impact of egg intake on plasma lipids and the choline metabolite trimethylamine‐N‐oxide (TMAO). In particular, it has not been established whether there is a dose‐dependency between egg consumption and changes in plasma lipids and plasma...

Aim: To study the effects of a functional food-based dietary intervention on faecal microbiota and biochemical parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: This placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study included 81 patients with T2D divided into two 3-month treatment groups: one following a reduced-energy di...

Background: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are protective against atherosclerosis. However, HDL function is impaired in metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to low-grade inflammation and dyslipidemia. Foods containing polyphenols, such as grapes, may prevent HDL dysfunction via antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effects. We evaluated the effects...

Background: Plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) concentrations have been associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Eggs are a rich source of choline, which is a precursor of TMAO. Objective: The effects of egg intake versus daily choline supplementation were evaluated on plasma choline and TMAO in a young, healthy population. Methods: Thirty pa...

Sensations from foods and beverages drive dietary choices, which in turn, affect risk of diet-related diseases. Perception of these sensation varies with environmental and genetic influences. This observational study aimed to examine associations between chemosensory phenotype, diet and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Reportedly healthy women (n...

We previously reported that compared to an oatmeal breakfast, one egg per day did not alter plasma lipids, plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin or C reactive protein in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) (n = 29). However, plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and the liver enzyme Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST) were lower durin...

The relationship between blood cholesterol and heart disease is well-established, with the lowering of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol being the primary target of preventive therapy. Furthermore, epidemiological studies report lower risk for heart disease with higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Ther...

Background: Telomerase Activator 65 (TA-65), a compound extracted from Astragalus membranaceus has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for extending life span. Scarce information exists on the effects of TA-65 on parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: We recruited 40 patients with MetS to determine the effects of TA-65 on dyslip...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is associated with high concentrations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The impact of dietary cholesterol on plasma lipid concentrations still remains a concern. The effects of egg intake in comparison to choline bitartrate supplement was studied in a young, healthy population. Thirty participants we...

Background: Habitual consumption of eggs has been hypothesized to positively modify biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk through proposed antioxidant properties. Objectives: To examine this relationship, 50 young, healthy men and women were enrolled into a randomized crossover clinical intervention. Methods: Participants consumed either 2 eggs...

Dairy products have been implicated in overall metabolic health, and epidemiological data suggests an inverse relationship between chronic disease and dairy intake. Yogurt consumption specifically has been shown to exert protective effects against heart disease and diabetes. Dairy and yogurt have also been shown to contribute to healthy bones, gast...

Moringa Oleifera (MO), a plant from the family Moringacea is a major crop in Asia and Africa. MO has been studied for its health properties, attributed to the numerous bioactive components, including vitamins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, tannins and saponins, which are present in significant amounts in various components of the pla...

Objective The study aims were to (i) identify determinants of Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) use and (ii) describe the association between NFP use and dietary intake among Latinos with type 2 diabetes. Design Baseline cross-sectional data from a clinical trial were used to assess the association between NFP use and dietary intake. Diet was measured u...

We have previously demonstrated in guinea pigs that Moringa Oleifera leaves (ML) decrease hepatic lipids and inflammatory cytokines while plasma cholesterol and triglycerides are unaffected. To determine the effects of ML on adipose tissue inflammation and lipid accumulation, twenty- four guinea pigs (n = 8/per group) were randomly allocated to con...

To investigate the mechanisms by which Moringa oleifera leaves (ML) modulate hepatic lipids, guinea pigs were allocated to either control (0% ML), 10% Low Moringa (LM) or 15% High Moringa (HM) diets with 0.25% dietary cholesterol to induce hepatic steatosis. After 6 weeks, guinea pigs were sacrificed and liver and plasma were collected to determine...

The chemical structure of polyphenols consisting of aromatic rings, capable of quenching free radicals, makes them ideal candidates to protect against oxidation. Polyphenols are present in a variety of foods including grapes, berries, dark chocolate, coffee and tea to mention a few. A number of studies have shown that dietary polyphenols exert a pr...

Eggs contain high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, yet regular consumption is still met with uncertainty. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of consuming two eggs per day or a heart-healthy oatmeal breakfast on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and satiety measures in a young, healthy...

Eggs are a source of cholesterol and choline and may impact plasma lipids and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) concentrations, which are biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Therefore, the effects of increasing egg intake (0, 1, 2, and 3 eggs/day) on these and other CVD risk biomarkers were evaluated in a young, healthy population. Thirty...

Background: HDL function may be more important than HDL concentration in determining risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition, HDL is a carrier of carotenoids and antioxidant enzymes, which protect HDL and LDL particles against oxidation. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the impact of consuming 0-3 eggs/d on LDL and HDL par...

Eggs are a rich source of nutrients including high-quality protein equally distributed between the white and the yolk. The perception that egg yolks contain dietary cholesterol has either limited egg consumption or resulted in a selective preference for egg whites when most of the nutrients and other beneficial components are located in the yolk. T...

In 1968, the American Heart Association recommended the consumption of no more than 300 mg/day of dietary cholesterol and emphasized that no more than 3 eggs should be eaten per week, resulting in substantial reductions in egg consumption, not just by diseased populations but alsobyhealthyindividuals,andmoreimportantlybypoorcommunitiesinundeveloped...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an obesity-associated spectrum of comorbidities defined by the presence of metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver. If left untreated, NAFLD can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is recognized as the most common liver disease...

Background: It is not clear how oil-in-water nanoemulsions of lutein may affect bioavailability and consequently alter lipoprotein metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Objective: The bioavailability as well as effects of a powdered lutein (PL) and an oil-in-water lutein nanoemulsion (NANO; particle size: 254.2 nm; polydispersity index...

Sodium carbonate was proposed as a sacrifice template and tannic acid was used as a natural cross-linker to prepare hollow zein nanoparticles (HZN/T). The formulation of nanoparticles, including the amount of water, zein and sodium carbonate, were optimized by surface response methodology (Box-Behnken design). The optimized HZN/T exhibited a small...

Grapes are a good source of polyphenols, compounds characterized by their antioxidant properties, which may protect against atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is defined as the narrowing of the lumen in main arteries resulting in decreased blood flow leading to thrombosis or myocardial infarction. The formation of the atherosclerotic plaque can be ac...

We developed a nano‐emulsion of lutein disolved in medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil with d‐alpha tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) as the surfactant. The average particle size was 223.6 nm, with a polidispersity index (PDI) of 0.5 and a zeta (ζ) potential of −17 mV. Then the efficacy of this nano emulsion was compared to regul...

The effects of consuming 0 or 1 egg per day on weight, blood pressure, plasma lipids and plasma glucose was evaluated in young, healthy men and women (24.1 ± 2.2 years). Thirty eight participants (19 men and 19 women) underwent a two‐week washout period in which no eggs were consumed. This 2‐week period was followed by 4 weeks of intake of 1 egg pe...

Zein is the major storage protein from corn with strong hydrophobicity and unique solubility and has been studied as an excellent natural biomaterial for encapsulation and delivery of nutraceuticals. Although zein nanoparticles can be easily prepared by anti‐solvent liquid‐liquid dispersion method, the nanoparticles usually have a dimension greater...

We investigated the effects of two different breakfasts on HDL antioxidant and size properties. This was a randomized crossover design in which 48 subjects (24 women and 26 men) aged 18 to 30 y had for breakfast either 2 eggs/d or 1 packet of oatmeal/d. Participants were randomly assigned to consume the egg or oatmeal breakfast for 4 weeks and afte...

Background Diet management is one of the cornerstones of type 2 diabetes care. Therefore, food label (FL) use is likely to be key in helping individuals with type 2 diabetes in making healthier food choices. Objective The aims of the study were to identify 1) determinants of FL use, and 2) the association between FL use and diet among Latinos with...

It is well known that plasma lipids, waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure (BP) increase following menopause. In addition, there is a perceived notion that plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations also decrease in postmenopausal women. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated plasma lipids, fasting glucose, anthro...

Obesity is associated with metabolic disturbances that cause tissue stress and dysfunction. Obese individuals are at a greater risk for chronic disease and often present with clinical parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS), insulin resistance, and systemic markers of chronic low-grade inflammation. It has been well established that cells of the im...

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that affects a substantial part of the population around the world. Whether type I or type II, this disease has serious macro- and microvascular complications that constitute the primary cause of death in diabetic patients. Microvascular complications include diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy....

The Mediterranean diet (MedD) has been shown to decrease biomarkers associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Further, numerous studies have demonstrated that the MedD diet improves insulin resistance, raises HDL cholesterol, and decreases plasma triglycerides as well as inflammatory markers and blood pressure. There are also...

Atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of death worldwide. Oxidative stress, low grade inflammation and HDL dysfunction contribute to the development of this disease and therefore, dietary interventions that could counteract these factors are being studied. Special attention has been given to the potential p...

Objectives: A 6-week cross-over study design was used to determine the effect of increased dairy consumption in typically low-dairy consumers (n = 37) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) on systemic inflammation and hepatic enzymes. Methods: This was a randomized study in which participants consumed low-fat dairy (LFD) (10 oz 1% milk, 6 oz nonfat yog...

Background: The consequences of increased body mass index (BMI) on the metabolic disorders associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) have not been thoroughly examined. Methods: We analyzed data from 262 individuals, 97 men and 165 women (aged 18-70 years), classified with MetS to investigate whether variations in BMI could be associated with par...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that have the ability to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Hundreds of miRNAs have been identified in humans and they are involved in the regulation of almost every process, including cholesterol transport, metabolism, and maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis. Because of their small siz...

There is concern that egg intake may increase blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, we have previously shown that eggs reduce inflammation in patients at risk for T2DM, including obese subjects and those with metabolic syndrome. Thus, we hypothesized that egg intake would not alter plasma glucose in T2DM patients...