FRUTTA A GUSCIO La frutta a guscio è per lo più rappresentata all’interno della frutta secca. È notevolmente calorica, ricca di proteine ed è una buona fonte di fibra alimentare, calcio, ferro, potassio, vitamina E, fosforo ecc. Esempi di frutta a guscio sono le arachidi, le carrube, le castagne, le mandorle, le nocciole, le noci, i pinoli e i pistacchi.

VALORI NUTRIZIONALI DELLA FRUTTA SECCA (per 100 g di prodotto) Proteine (g) Lipidi (g) Carboidrati (g) Energia (Kcal) Ferro (mg) Calcio (mg) Arachidi 29 50 8.5 598 3.5 64 Mandorle 22 55.3 4.6 603 3 240 Nocciole 13.8 64.1 6.1 655 3.3 150 Noci 14.3 68.1 5.1 689 2.1 83 Pistacchio 18.1 56.1 8.1 608 7.3 131

Nuts Overview In 2003, the U.S. FDA approved this package label: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” According to FDA, "Types of nuts eligible for this claim are restricted to almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts..” 3

Nuts Nutritional Value Nuts are important for what they don’t offer: 1. Nuts do not contain cholesterol. 2. Nuts only contain trace amounts of sodium. (Unless it has been added to the nuts during processing) Nuts are usually thought of as a high fat food. Although, this is true– nuts are high in fat-- it is not the same as animal fat. Nuts are mostly high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, the fats that lower your bad cholesterol. 4

The Importance of Specific Nuts Walnuts One ounce of walnuts (about 14 shelled walnut halves) is all that is needed to meet the 2002 dietary recommendations for omega-3 FA. The type of omega-3 FA found in walnuts is linolenic acid, which can be transformed into either EPA or DHA in humans and animals. Almonds One ounce of almonds (about 20-24 shelled whole almonds) provides 35% of the daily value for vitamin E. Peanuts Although it is often discussed with nuts, peanuts are actually a legume, along with dry beans, peas and lentils. One ounce of roasted peanuts provides about 10% of the daily value for folate. 5

The Importance of Specific Nuts Omega-3 fatty acids (linolenic acid found in walnuts and other sources included) help to decrease one’s risk for CVD. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is important in that it is believed to help promote healthy aging. A recent study has also suggested that a diet rich in foods containing vitamin E may help protect some against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Folate is a B vitamin that has been recognized for some time now, particularly for women of childbearing age, as it is believed to help reduce the incidence of birth defects and lower the risk of heart disease. 6

STUDI DI INTERVENTO SUL CONSUMO DI MANDORLA Riduce i livelli di LDL Riduce la glicemia Previene le CHD Non causa aumento di peso Riduce la perossidazione lipidica Effetto anti-infiammatorio

L’AMIGDALINA L’amigdalina ed il Laetrile sono contenuti nei semi di mandorle. Sono dei glicosidi ciano-genetici utilizzati dalla pianta come mezzo di difesa, potendo facilmente subire idrolisi enzimatica con sviluppo di acido cianidrico. La comunità scientifica ha concentrato, di recente, la sua attenzione su queste molecole in quanto è stata verificata un’attività antineoplastica. Questa proprietà sarebbe dovuta alla presenza nelle cellule neoplastiche di un enzima che scinde l’amigdalina producendo la formazione di cianuro, a sua volta letale per le stesse cellule tumorali. 8 8

Berries Nutritional Value Many berries are suitable to eat raw after rinsing and most types of berries vary from 50 to 100 calories per serving when eaten raw. Berries are loaded with: vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. All berries with strong red and blue colors have phytochemicals that can potentially reduce cancer rates and other chronic diseases. Oxygen radical absorptive capacity (ORAC), is a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables. Berries have some of the highest antioxidant levels of any fresh fruits

Berries Berry research has traditionally focused on their antioxidant properties. Berries (or their extracts) rank highly on in vitro antioxidant measures, such as oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) analyses, and have been shown in various in vitro assay systems to mitigate oxidative stress. Berry extracts and anthocyanin preparations have been shown in various in vitro and in vivo animal models to affect specific steps in cell signaling pathways that are known to be involved in chronic disease initiation and development including anti-inflammatory specific effects 10

Berries The most commonly identified anthocyanins in berries are cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin. In addition to anthocyanins, berries contain several other phenolic compounds that may contribute to their anti-inflammatory potential, such as flavonols, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins, and ellagitannins. 11

Ribes nero (black currant) Black currants are native to parts of Europe and Asia and are an excellent source of vitamin C in addition to anthocyanin polyphenols. The major anthocyanins found in black currants include: cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside 12

Ribes nero (black currant) 13

Mirtillo (blueberry) Blueberries are well-known for their antioxidant effects in vitro and in vivo. In the past few years, data on blueberry consumption and inflammatory status have emerged, although results have been inconsistent. Long-term (6−8 weeks) interventions showed no effect of blueberry supplementation on selected inflammatory markers, whereas one acute study reported significant improvements in inflammatory status attributable to blueberry intake in an exercise model 14

Mirtillo (blueberry) 15

Fragola (strawberry) Strawberries contain a number of essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and potassium as well as polyphenolic components, including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and various flavonols. Pelargonindin-3-O-glucoside is the main anthocyanin of strawberries, with lesser amounts of cyanidin glycosides Published human studies assessing strawberry intake and inflammation outcomes have been from acute as well as long-term-feeding studies 16

Fragola (strawberry) 17

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