Functional dyspepsia is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by postprandial fullness, early satiation, epigastric pain, and epigastric burning. The pathophysiology of the disease is not fully elucidated and there is no permanent cure, although some therapies (drugs or herbal remedies) try to reduce the symptoms. Diet plays a critical role in either the reduction or the exacerbation of functional dyspepsia symptoms; therefore dietary management is considered to be of high importance. Several foods have been suggested to be associated with worsening functional dyspepsia, such as fatty and spicy foods, soft drinks, and others, and other foods are thought to alleviate symptoms, such as apples, rice, bread, olive oil, yogurt, and others. Although an association between functional dyspepsia and irregular eating habits (abnormal meal frequency, skipping meals, late-night snacking, dining out, etc.) has been established, not many dietary patterns have been reported as potential factors that influence the severity of functional dyspepsia. A higher adherence to Western diets and a lower adherence to FODMAPs diets and healthy patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, can contribute to the worsening of symptoms. More research is needed on the role of specific foods, dietary patterns, or specific eating habits in the management of functional dyspepsia.

The Carob tree is an evergreen tree of the Mediterranean. Carob pods are highly nutritious. Despite their high sugar content, carob pods contain insoluble fibers, D-pinitol as well as phenolic compounds. The purpose of this study was to compare acute postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses to beverages containing Imera carob powder versus sucrose in healthy male adults and to characterize the phenolic profile of the Imera variety using LC-TTOF MS. A randomized, controlled crossover study examined the glycemic effects of beverages made with Imera carob powder (30 g) versus sucrose (14 g) in 15 healthy males. After an overnight fast and 1-month washout between sessions, participants consumed both beverages. Carob significantly lowered glucose levels (109.2 vs 120.3 mg/dL, p = 0.003) and insulin levels (9.8 vs 14.6 μIU/mL, p = 0.001) at 30 min, with reduced AUCi values for both glucose and insulin at 0-30 and 30-60 min. LC-TTOF MS analysis revealed that the Imera cultivar contains phenolic compounds, including gallic acid, catechin, quercetin, myricetin and kaempferol.

Background: Maternal health is a global public health priority and a key determinant of generational and societal well-being. Healthy lifestyle behaviors from preconception through postpartum can be promoted by mobile applications, telehealth and chatbots, but evidence on their effectiveness remains limited despite their growing acceptance and use. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of digital tools targeting lifestyle and health-related outcomes across the maternal journey. Methods: Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL from January 2020 to May 2025. Eligible studies involved randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with digital components targeting nutrition, physical activity, sleep, smoking, and/or alcohol consumption among women during preconception, pregnancy, or up to six months postpartum. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool (PROSPERO: CRD420251075108). Results: Thirty-one RCTs ( n = 7,153 women) were included, conducted during preconception ( n = 3), pregnancy ( n = 20), and postpartum ( n = 15). Across interventions, reminders (64.5%), self-monitoring (58.1%), and goal-setting (48.4%) were the most commonly used behavior change features. Digital interventions showed beneficial effects related to nutrition (e.g., improved dietary intake, micronutrient supplementation), physical activity, sleep quality, and insomnia during pregnancy. Among women with overweight/obesity who used digital tools, consistent reductions in gestational weight gain were observed. In contrast, preconception and postpartum interventions demonstrated only modest or inconsistent effects, particularly for anthropometrics and metabolic outcomes. Surprisingly, very few studies reported engagement or usage statistics. Conclusions: Digital health tools may improve lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy, but evidence for sustained preconception or postpartum benefits remains limited. The heterogeneity in study design and high risk of bias drive the need for long-term RCTs with standardized measures and engagement metrics to optimize digital strategies for maternal health promotion.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic upper abdominal symptoms and complex pathophysiology. Conventional therapies show limited efficacy, prompting interest in alternative approaches. Mastiha, is a natural resin with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and prebiotic properties. Mastiha-water contains water-soluble components and essential oil traces. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Mastiha and Mastiha-water in alleviating FD symptoms and improving quality of life in a randomized, three-way crossover study conducted in Athens, Greece. Adult volunteers,diagnosed based on Rome IV Criteria and differential diagnosis were enrolled after written consent. They underwent a three-phase intervention, each lasting four weeks, with a 14-day washout period between interventions: (A) Mastiha capsules (1.4 g/day); (B) Mastiha-water (20 ml/day); (C) a no-intervention period. Primary outcomes were assessed using the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS). Secondary outcomes included quality of life, anxiety levels, and changes in medication. Statistical analysis was conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Both Mastiha and Mastiha-water significantly improved FD symptoms compared to the no-intervention period (p < 0.001). Mastiha effectively reduced upper abdominal bloating, epigastric burning, and heartburn, while Mastiha-water improved quality of life (p = 0.012). In conclusion, Mastiha-based therapies may have a potential benefit in FD. Findings hereby support the selective use of Mastiha and Mastiha-water based on specific FD symptoms profile.ClinicalTrials.gov number: [NCT05687539].

Background/Objectives: Ceratonia siliqua L. (carob) is a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential health-promoting properties. This study investigated the kinetics of serum metabolites following the consumption of a carob beverage and evaluated associated changes in circulating antioxidant status. Methods: Fifteen apparently healthy adult men completed an acute postprandial intervention; only male participants were included to minimize the biological variability related to sex-dependent differences in phytochemical kinetics and antioxidant responses. Participants consumed a beverage from carob pod powder (30 g) dispersed in water (200 mL). Blood samples were collected at baseline and every 30 min for 6 h following intake. Serum metabolic profiling was performed using a non-targeted liquid chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) approach. Antioxidant responses were assessed by measuring ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and serum resistance to copper sulphate-induced oxidation. Results: Twenty-four putative metabolites were detected, including phenolic compounds, fatty acids, amino acids, dipeptides, monosaccharides, pyridoxine, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. Urolithin B appeared at 30 min (28.0 ± 4.0 × 10² a.u.), while p-cresol sulfate increased from 53.3 ± 6.5 × 10² a.u. at baseline to 130.0 ± 7.0 × 10² a.u. at 30 min. FRAP values did not change significantly over time (p = 0.332), whereas oxidation lag time showed a significant time effect (p = 0.001), reaching its highest mean at 180 min (9093.5 ± 1885.1 s). Conclusions: Carob beverage consumption resulted in a diverse postprandial serum metabolite profile. Antioxidant responses appeared to be only partly explained by circulating phenolics, suggesting that additional pathways and bioactive constituents may contribute.