Throughout history, malnutrition and deficiency diseases have been a problem for our planet’s population. A balanced diet significantly influences everyone’s health, and fiber intake appears to play a more important role than previously thought. The natural dietary fibers are a category of carbohydrates in the constitution of plants that are not completely digested in the human intestine. High-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, have consistently been highly beneficial to health and effectively reduced the risk of disease. Although the mode of action of dietary fiber in the consumer body is not fully understood, nutritionists and health professionals unanimously recognize the therapeutic benefits. This paper presents the fiber consumption in different countries, the metabolism of fiber and the range of health benefits associated with fiber intake. In addition, the influence of fiber intake on the intestinal microbiome, metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), neurological aspects, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer prevention are discussed. Finally, dietary restrictions and excess fiber are addressed, which can cause episodes of diarrhea and dehydration and increase the likelihood of bloating and flatulence or even bowel obstruction. However, extensive studies are needed regarding the composition and required amount of fiber in relation to the metabolism of saprotrophic microorganisms from the enteral level and the benefits of the various pathologies with which they can be correlated.

Mussels have a particular nutritional value, representing a highly valued food source and thus sought after worldwide. Their meat is a real culinary delicacy, rich in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, trace elements, enzymes, and vitamins. The seasonal variation of mussels’ biochemical composition has been studied to determine the best harvesting period to capitalize on various biologically active fractions. In this work biochemical determinations have been performed on fresh flesh samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis specimens from the Black Sea coast to study seasonal variations in mussels’ biochemical compounds. An analysis of significant lipid classes and the fatty acid composition of lipid extracts obtained from mussel flesh has also been performed. Since mussels retain pollutants from the marine environment, in parallel, the concentration of heavy metals in the meat of mussels collected for the analysis of the chemical composition was investigated. The impact and risk of heavy metal poisoning due to food consumption of mussels contaminated due to pollution of the marine harvesting area was evaluated by the bio-concentration factor of metals and estimated daily intakes of heavy metals through mussel consumption.

Background: The long-term consumption of junk food products can lead to nutritional and metabolic imbalances, especially when it is associated with a lack of physical activity and the consumption of alcohol or other high-calorie products. Methods: The evaluation of junk food consumption among teenagers and young people in Romania was carried out with the help of a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire. Results: A total number of 1017 respondents participated in this study, comprising 470 males and 547 females aged between 16 and 25 years. Although the majority of young people fell into the normal-weight category (607 of them, p < 0.0001), some aspects can be noted that in the long term can produce a series of nutritional imbalances: an increased tendency toward sedentarism, with 553 (p = 0.613) of the respondents declaring that they performed sports rarely or not at all, and a tendency toward relatively high consumption of foods high in calories (fast food products and especially fried potatoes, hamburgers, shawarma, pastries, and snacks, along with sweetened drinks and even alcoholic beverages). The respondents participating in this study even indicated a perceived addiction to the consumption of certain products: coffee (50.48%), fried potatoes (38.9%), hamburgers (37.05%), shawarma (31.65%), and snacks (30.08%). Many of these products are rich in calories, saturated fat, and even trans fat. Conclusions: This study highlights a series of aspects that can have long-term negative effects related to the excess weight associated with other imbalances: consumption preferences among young people for hypercaloric fast food products, sweetened drinks associated with reduced physical activity, and even the development of some forms of food addictions for a series of hypercaloric foods.

Lysimachia nummularia L. is a perennial herbaceous plant rich in bioactive compounds, which can be utilized for medicinal purposes. The present work aims to analyze the phenolic compounds from different parts of the Lysimachia nummularia L. plant using the HPLC technique: Lysimachiae radix (the root part), Lysimachiae herba (the aerial part), Lysimachiae flores (flowers). In order to determine the phenolic compounds, extraction from the three categories of vegetable products was performed with ethanol 70% (v/v) using three extraction methods: (i) Soxhlet extraction, (ii) maceration and (iii) ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The content of polyphenols was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity was evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CUPRAC methods. The antioxidant activity was correlated with the content of phenolic compounds in the analyzed extracts. The following phenolic compounds were separated, identified and quantified: 3-O-methylgallic, gallic, ferulic, caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric acids and trans-resveratrol. According to the experimental data, the highest content of total polyphenols was observed in the hydroethanolic extract from Lysimachiae flores (22.10 ± 1.48 mg gallic acid/g), which also presented remarkable antioxidant activity.

Background: Gastrointestinal tract cancers represent a significant worldwide health concern, accounting for almost one-third of cancer-related deaths. The existing chemotherapy drugs used in gastrointestinal cancers are ineffective, so prognosis is poor, recurrence and metastasis rates are high, and survival time remains short, necessitating the development of novel antitumor drugs that exhibit low toxicity and less potential for the development of drug resistance. This challenge is considerable, but evidence from the past decades supports the medicinal properties and functionalities of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and acid phenolics with anticancer activities. Our purpose was to find data on the relationship between gastrointestinal cancer and bioactive compounds from Prunus species, focusing on their molecular mechanisms of action. Results: Studies highlight the potential of bioactive compounds from Prunus species to modulate the cancer cell signaling pathways involved in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis. Conclusions: The studies reviewed suggest that polyphenols from Prunus species exhibit promising gastrointestinal anticancer activities and could represent an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment. Further studies are necessary to validate these compounds’ therapeutic potential and their feasibility as cost-effective treatments for cancer.

The current study evaluated the anticonvulsant properties of ethanolic extracts from Morus alba, Angelica archangelica, Passiflora incarnata, and Valeriana officinalis using integrated phytochemical, in vivo, biochemical, and computational approaches. Phytochemical analysis by UHPLC-HRMS/MS revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds, notably flavonoids such as isorhamnetin, quercetin, and kaempferol. In an electroshock-induced seizure model, Morus alba extract (MAE, 100 mg/kg) demonstrated significant anticonvulsant effects, reducing both seizure duration and incidence, likely mediated by flavonoid interactions with GABA-A and 5-HT3A receptors, as suggested by target prediction and molecular docking analyses. The extracts of Angelica archangelica (AAE, 100 mg/kg) and Passiflora incarnata (PIE, 50 mg/kg) exhibited moderate, non-significant anticonvulsant activities. At the same time, Valeriana officinalis (VOE, 50 mg/kg) displayed considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties but limited seizure protection. All extracts significantly reduced brain inflammation markers (TNF-α) and enhanced antioxidant defenses, as indicated by total thiols. Molecular docking further supported the interaction of key phytochemicals, including naringenin and chlorogenic acid, with human and mouse 5-HT3A receptors. Overall, Morus alba extract exhibited promising therapeutic potential for epilepsy management, warranting further investigation into chronic seizure models and optimized dosing strategies.