Performance with Fruit

Fruit is usually marketed as healthful products and more recently, there is growing consumer demand for superfruit such as blueberry, cranberry and pomegranate as they are positioned in the market with specific and validated health claims.

An exercise nutrition research program at the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research is currently looking beyond the macronutrients such as carbohydrates and protein that have traditionally formed the basis of sports recovery drinks. Preliminary findings are directing the researchers to the intrinsic benefits of fruit.

Plant & Food Research scientists are investigating the benefits of fruit such as varieties of kiwifruit (including gold, red, orange and purple and small kiwi berries with edible skins), varieties of apples, pears, berry-fruit and some vegetables. Findings show that compounds present in plant-based foods are important in reducing the negative impact of excessive exercise can have on the body, as well as positively complementing the benefits of appropriate exercise.

Scientists found that Zespri Gold kiwifruit may potentially improve muscle performance, prolong the time to muscle fatigue and enhance the body’s natural defenses against diseases.

Study on blackcurrants

A preliminary study found that an extract derived from New Zealand-grown blackcurrants minimizes muscle damage, modulates infl ammation and potentially enhances the body’s natural defenses against disease. The findings are published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative Comparative Physiology 2009.

The study on individuals undergoing moderate exercise showed that those who took the blackcurrant extract exhibited reduced markers for oxidative stress linked to muscle damage and inflammation. The individuals also showed increased activity linked to enhanced immune responsiveness.

The positive link between blackcurrants and exercise has been previously highlighted in studies in Japan, where scientists evaluated the ability of New Zealand-grown blackcurrants to reduce inflammation in muscle groups related to sustained computer use and keyboard typing. This research flagged the potential of blackcurrants to reduce lactic acid build-up in muscles.

While we have yet to determine the specific blackcurrant compounds leading to the observed effects, we doubt vitamin C is a factor as previous studies at Plant & Food Research found the extracts contained low levels of the vitamin.

While exercise is universally agreed to be beneficial to one's health, intense training can have some drawbacks, including lowering the body’s immune defenses and increasing risk of muscle damage. There is a demand to find solutions that are ‘natural’ rather than synthetically based, and fruit may be the answer.

Kiwifruit study

In an earlier study, our scientists found that Zespri Gold kiwifruit may potentially improve muscle performance, prolong the time to muscle fatigue and enhance the body’s natural defenses against disease. These findings are published in the proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand in 2008.

Results of the study confirmed our previous studies about the fruit’s ability to improve the body’s natural immune defenses. As with the work on blackcurrants, the research continues to establish the compounds in the kiwifruit that are responsible for the beneficial effects.

It is known that the fruit contains vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. Any of these alone or in combination could be involved in the beneficial effects, although it is likely that actions on muscle performance and fatigue are mediated via phytochemicals or Vitamin C. The fruit often contains 20% more vitamin C than a typical green kiwifruit.

This published research is also supported by unpublished work on juices for a New Zealand-based juice company Good Health Organisation. Juices derived from the kiwifruit and blackcurrants showed signs of enhancing muscle strength and endurance. While these are preliminary findings from the exercise nutrition program, the studies reveal indicators of improved physical performance and recovery from exercise.

Consumers are recognizing the health benefi ts associated with exercise and they are more aware of the impact from sustained sports training. While exercise is universally agreed to be healthy, intense training can have some drawbacks, including lowering the body’s immune defenses and increasing risk of muscle damage. There is a demand to find solutions that are ‘natural’ rather than synthetically based and fruit may be the answer.

www.plantandfood.com

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Research developments

The nutrition research program at the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research is part of a science program on functional foods and health. In addition to physical health, this program looks at gut health, immunology, brain and mood foods. The multi-disciplinary approach is supported by a number science teams that cover immunonutrition, cell biology, bioavailability, nutritional neuroscience, fruit chemistry, food science engineering, and sensory science. The program includes a number of government and commercially funded projects.

The blackcurrant research is on-going and it is part of the ‘New Berries’ research project funded by the New Zealand Government and the New Zealand blackcurrant industry. This program investigates the antioxidant and inappropriate inflammation controlling properties of berry-fruit and berry-fruit products. With sensory analysis, the program aims to use this knowledge to direct breeding programs to create elite New Zealand berries that are tasty with assured health-promoting properties for multiple end-uses, including the development of functional foods.

The Zespri Gold kiwifruit research is continuing as a part of the ’Wellness Foods’ research project, also funded by the New Zealand Government. This program aims to develop functional food ingredients and prototype products based on fruit and vegetables that are of economic importance to the country.

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