There are many methods or indicators used for evaluating the nutritional value of foods; however, it is difficult to accurately reflect the comprehensive nutritional value of a food with a single indicator, and a systematic evaluation system is lacking. In this article, we systematically summarize the common evaluation methods and indicators of the nutritional value of foods. The purpose of this review was to establish an evaluation procedure for nutritional properties of foodstuffs and to help scientists choose more direct and economical evaluation methods according to food types or relevant indicators. The procedure involves the selection of a three-level evaluation method that covers the whole spectrum of a food’s nutritional characteristics. It is applicable to scientific research in the fields of agricultural science, food science, nutrition, and so on.

The health benefits of the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) require further validation. We examined associations between PHD adherence and risks of mortality and chronic diseases using data from two prospective cohorts—the US NHANES (1999–2018, 42,947 participants) and the UKB (125,372 participants)—and a meta-analysis of 37 published cohort studies (3,244,263 participants). Higher adherence to PHD was associated with lower all-cause mortality in both cohorts. In the UKB, it was also associated with reduced the risk of cancer and respiratory disease mortality. In the meta-analysis, higher adherence to the PHD was associated with lower risks of all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and reduced risks of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, CVDs, coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This analysis suggests that higher adherence to the PHD may offer substantial health benefits.

The consumption of edible vegetable oil is an important source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E for the human body. Guiding residents to consume scientifically and reasonably control the intake of edible oils is an important part of promoting the construction of a healthy China. Currently, Chinese residents have an insufficient understanding of the scientific consumption of edible oils, leading to an intake exceeding the dietary recommendations, resulting in excessive fat intake and increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this study analyzed the cognitive preferences and willingness to pay a premium for edible vegetable oils among urban consumers in China. The survey included 1098 Chinese urban consumers of vegetable oils. The research found that attitudes, health value, monetary value, and environmental endowment of urban residents are the main predicting factors of the intention to purchase high-quality vegetable oils. This study confirms the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior in the consumption of high-quality vegetable oils and provides theoretical contributions and insights for Chinese enterprises and policymakers in formulating marketing strategies for vegetable oils.

Although pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is considered a rare disease, the incidence thereof has increased steadily in recent years, while a safe and effective cure remains beyond reach. In this study, the potential of tocotrienol-rich fractions (TRF) and carotene to alleviate PF was explored. PF was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats via a single intratracheal bleomycin (BLM) (5 mg/kg) instillation. These rats were subsequently treated with TRF, carotene, pirfenidone (Pir) and nintedanib (Nin) for 28 days via gavage administration, whereafter histopathological performance, biochemical functions and molecular alterations were studied in the lung tissues. Our results showed that TRF, carotene, Nin and Pir all ameliorated PF by reducing inflammation and resisting oxidative stress to varying degrees. The related mechanisms involved the TGF-β1/Smad, PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways. Ultimately, our findings revealed that, when combined with TRF, the therapeutic effects of Nin and Pir on PF were enhanced, indicating that TRF may, indeed, provide promising potential for use in combination therapy in the treatment of PF.

As one of the fruits widely planted in China, the quality of sweet cherries is affected by various factors. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of geographical indication (GI) sweet cherries grown in China and to analyze the effects of cultivars, climate types, and soil conditions on their quality traits. Twenty-two parameters of nine cherry samples and their planted soil properties were analyzed through a descriptive analysis and correlation analysis. There were significant differences in the physiochemical traits. Notable positive correlations between the fruit weight and its size, rate of edibility, and flavonoid content were shown. The Univariate-General Line Model exhibited that weight, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and total phenolic content (TPC) were mainly influenced by both the cultivar and climate type, while only the cultivar affected the maturity index (MI). Soil condition parameters were significantly different for each sample. Based on the established linear regression models, it was found that soil P had a positive impact on SSC and TA, but a negative effect on TPC (p < 0.05). On the other hand, soil K had a negative effect on TA but a positive impact on TPC (p < 0.05).