Mexico has a wide variety of edible plants, such as mallow and garambullo flowers. Their composition is based on nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals), as well as phytochemicals, organic or inorganic acids, etc. For the traditional consumption of these plants, they are boiled and then combined with other ingredients. However, after a thermal treatment, their nutritional and sensory qualities are affected. In this work, we study the effect of thermal treatment on the total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant capacity, and vitamin C of two edible plants from Mexico. Both plants had a high amount of TPC as ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and apigenin. Both plants had a high amount of TPC as ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and apigenin. After thermal treatment, the samples showed a high antioxidant capacity analyzed by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•), 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS●+), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), associated with a high retention (78 and 89%) of phenolic compounds in the food matrix. Coumarin and ferulic acid were identified in both samples, while apigenin was only found in the mallow leaves and quercetin in the garambullo flowers after thermal treatment. Vitamin C content was higher on mallow leaves compared to garambullo flowers after thermal treatment. Further research is needed to characterize and evaluate the effect in both plants.

This research aimed to compare some physicochemical and antioxidant properties in vegetables (chard, beet, coriander, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrot, and tomato) of ecological and commercial production. The ecological products were cultivated and obtained from three harvests in an ecology garden with standardized methodologies for implementation while the commercial samples were obtained from a local supplier. On the same purchase or harvest day, the color, texture, moisture, and ashes parameters were measured in the fresh produce without unpeeling. In the lyophilized samples, bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll a and b, β-carotenes, anthocyanins, betalains, and lycopene) were determined, and antioxidant activity was found using the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS^•+), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and chelating activity. The ecological vegetables presented better color (high luminosity and intensity) than commercial samples, and, according to the value of ΔE, this is a difference that can be perceived by the human eye. In the same way, the ecological vegetables were more turgid than the commercial samples (p < 0.05). The content of bioactive compounds was found in higher concentrations in ecologically produced vegetables and this was correlated positively with antioxidant capacity. It is important to carry out more studies to determine the effect on health of these vegetables when they are integrated into the diet and thus to be able to recommend their inclusion in the diet as a sustainability strategy in the production of vegetables for self-consumption.

A total of 770 school-aged children aged 7 to 12 years were recruited from public and private elementary schools in Hidalgo, Querétaro, Mexico City an

Background: Adolescence is a critical stage for establishing lifelong dietary habits and preventing non-communicable diseases through adequate intake of bioactive compounds. Numerous studies have thoroughly examined the antioxidant profile of traditional diets such as the Mediterranean diet. In contrast, current research provides limited insights into the antioxidant properties of foods typically consumed by Mexican adolescents. Objective: So, this study aimed to quantify the total phenolic compound (TPC) content and antioxidant capacity (AC) of frequently consumed foods and to estimate dietary intake in Mexican adolescents. Methodology: The selected food groups were identified based on their frequency of consumption by 15% or more of the adolescent population, considering those that have demonstrated a sufficient quantity of antioxidants. It was analyzed TPC and ABTS•⁺ and DPPH• to determine the antiradical activity of the analyzed samples. Results: The estimated daily intake of TPC was 1484.01 mg GAE/person, while AC intake was 345.67 mg AAE/person (ABTS•⁺) and 5399.14 µmol TE/person (DPPH•). Cereals and fruits were the major contributors to total antioxidant intake, while the contribution of leafy vegetables and nuts was relatively low. The statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between TPC and AC. The results of the study indicate the antioxidant potential of the adolescent diet. Conclusions: Despite certain limitations, the values obtained from the study are comparable to those of other studies that employed similar methodologies. Consequently, promoting the early consumption of fresh plant-based foods rich in antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which can enhance the dietary profile and contribute to adolescents’ long-term health, constitutes a significant area of research.

Background/Objectives: Medicinal plants are central to traditional medicine and primary health care, yet few school programs use medicinal botanical gardens as learning spaces. We evaluated a school-based educational intervention centered on a medicinal botanical garden on medicinal plant knowledge and selected anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical indicators in urban primary school children. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study without a control group was conducted in an urban public school in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico (January–June 2025). A garden with 15 medicinal species and a 15-session educational program (30 h) were implemented. A total of 103 children aged 7–12 years completed pre- and post-intervention assessments: a nine-item pictogram questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.83 in a validation sample of 195 children; six knowledge items formed the knowledge score), anthropometry, vital signs, and capillary glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Changes were analyzed with paired t-tests (Wilcoxon signed-rank as sensitivity analysis) and chi-square-based tests for categorical data. Results: The knowledge score (0–12) increased from 4.14 ± 2.03 to 11.39 ± 0.90 (mean difference 7.25, 95% CI 6.84–7.67; p < 0.001), and all children improved. Small but significant decreases were observed in weight (−0.33 kg), body fat (−0.25 percentage points), BMI (−0.43 kg/m²), total cholesterol (−3.4 mg/dL), triglycerides (−5.6 mg/dL), and glucose (−7.0 mg/dL) (all p < 0.05), whereas heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure did not change. Most cholesterol and triglyceride values were at the lower limit of the device. Conclusions: A medicinal botanical garden combined with a structured educational program was associated with a large improvement in children’s medicinal plant knowledge and small changes in some health indicators. Given the single-group design, causal effects cannot be established, and controlled studies are needed.