Many disorders are a result of an inadequate supply of macronutrients and micronutrients in the diet. One such element is iodine. This study used curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. Sabellica L.) biofortified with the 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol iodine compound. The effect of the heat treatment on the chemical composition of the curly kale was studied. In addition, iodine bioavailability was evaluated in in vivo studies. Our investigation showed that iodine loss depends on the type of heat treatment as well as on the variety of kale. Curly kale biofortified with iodoquinoline had significantly higher iodine levels after thermal processing (steaming, blanching, boiling) than the vegetable biofortified with KIO₃. Generally, steaming was the best thermal processing method, as it contributed to the lowest iodine loss in curly kale. The red variety of kale, ‘Redbor F₁’, showed a better iodine stability during the heat treatment than the green variety, ‘Oldenbor F₁’. The thermal treatment also significantly affected the dry matter content and the basic chemical composition of the tested varieties of the 5,7-diI-8-Q biofortified kale. The steaming process caused a significant increase in total carbohydrates, fiber, protein and crude fat content (‘Oldenbor F₁’, ‘Redbor F₁’), and antioxidant activity (‘Oldenbor F₁’). On the other hand, boiling caused a significant decrease, while steaming caused a significant increase, in protein and dry matter content (‘Oldenbor F₁’, ‘Redbor F₁’). The blanching process caused the smallest significant decrease in ash compared to the other thermal processes used (‘Oldenbor F₁’). A feeding experiment using Wistar rats showed that iodine from the 5,7-diI-8-Q biofortified kale has a higher bioavailability than that from the AIN-93G diet. A number of promising results have been obtained, which could form the basis for further research.

Iodine is a key micronutrient essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolic processes and maintains overall health. Despite its importance, iodine deficiency is a global health issue, leading to disorders such as goiter, hypothyroidism, and developmental abnormalities. Biofortification of crops with iodine is a promising strategy to enhance the dietary iodine intake, providing an alternative to iodized salt. Curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is a nutrient-rich vegetable high in vitamins A, C, K; minerals; fiber; and bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying properties. This study evaluates the effects of diets containing iodine-biofortified curly kale (‘Oldenbor F₁’ and ‘Redbor F₁’) on iodine content, tissue iodine levels, and various biochemical parameters in laboratory rats. The biofortified curly kale was enriched with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol. The iodine content in the AIN-93G (control) diet and the non-biofortified curly kale diets did not differ significantly. However, diets with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol biofortified kale showed significantly higher iodine levels compared with the control diets. Tissue analysis revealed the highest iodine concentrations in the liver and kidneys of rats fed diets with biofortified curly kale, indicating better iodine bioavailability. Biochemical analysis showed that rats fed the biofortified kale diet had lower total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels compared with rats fed the control diet. Additionally, the biofortified diet improved the liver function markers (ALAT, ASAT) and reduced oxidative stress markers (TBARS). The study also investigated the expression of thyroid-related genes (Slc5A5, Tpo, Dio1, Dio2) in response to diets containing biofortified kale. The results demonstrated significant changes in gene expression, indicating adaptive mechanisms to dietary iodine levels and the presence of bioactive compounds in the biofortified kale. The study also observed variations in uric acid levels, with lower concentrations in rats fed a diet with biofortified curly kale. Biofortified curly kale supports thyroid function and improves liver and kidney health by reducing oxidative stress and modulating key biochemical and genetic markers. These findings suggest that biofortified curly kale can effectively increase dietary iodine intake as a nutritional intervention to address iodine deficiency and promote overall health.

Background: Asthma and obesity commonly co-occur in children, with obesity contributing to asthma development through inflammatory and mechanical pathways. A Mediterranean diet may reduce inflammation and improve outcomes. However, research on the effects of nutritional interventions and dietary education in children with asthma and obesity within the Polish population remains limited. Methods: 142 participants were enrolled in the observational study and divided into three groups: children with asthma and overweight/obesity, children with overweight/obesity, and a control group. Anthropometric and clinical data, dietary habits, and lifestyle parameters (sleep duration, physical activity, screen time) were assessed at baseline and after one year of nutritional intervention. The Mediterranean diet was the main dietary model advocated throughout the intervention. Diet quality and adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern were evaluated using the KIDMED 2.0 index, reflecting the anti-inflammatory components of the intervention. Nutritional education was delivered every 6–8 weeks. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The nutritional intervention led to significant improvements in metabolic parameters, evidenced by reductions in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose levels. A decrease in C-reactive protein levels indicated reduced inflammation. The adherence index to the Mediterranean diet, measured by the KIDMED 2.0 scale, significantly increased in all groups, with the most favorable effects observed in the obese/overweight group with asthma. Positive behavioral changes were also noted, including increased physical activity, longer sleep duration, and reduced screen time. The intervention also contributed to a significant improvement in participants’ nutritional knowledge. Conclusions: Dietary education and an anti-inflammatory diet improved health in children with asthma and obesity. Early nutritional interventions helped reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, and shape behaviors. The findings stress the need to integrate diet education into therapeutic and preventive strategies for affected pediatric populations.

Iodine is a key micronutrient essential for thyroid hormone synthesis, which regulates metabolic processes and maintains the overall health. Despite its importance, the iodine deficiency is a global health issue, leading to disorders such as goiter, hypothyroidism, and developmental abnormalities. Biofortification of crops with iodine is a promising strategy to enhance the dietary iodine intake, providing an alternative to iodized salt. Curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is a nutrient-rich vegetable, high in vitamins A, C, K, minerals, fiber, and bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying properties. This study evaluates the effects of diets containing iodine-biofortified curly kale ('Oldenbor F1' and 'Redbor F1') on iodine content, tissue iodine levels, and various biochemical parameters in laboratory rats. The biofortified curly kale was enriched with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol. The iodine content in the AIN-93G (control) diet and non-biofortified curly kale diets did not differ significantly. However, diets with 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol biofortified kale showed significantly higher iodine levels compared to control diets. Tissue analysis revealed the highest iodine concentrations in the liver and kidneys of rats fed diets with biofortified curly kale, indicating better iodine bioavailability. Biochemical analysis showed that rats fed the biofortified kale diet had lower total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) levels as compared with rats fed the control diet. Additionally, the biofortified diet improved the liver function markers (ALAT, ASAT) and reduced oxidative stress markers (TBARS). The study also investigated the expression of thyroid-related genes (Slc5A5, Tpo, Dio1, Dio2) in response to diets containing biofortified kale. The results demonstrated significant changes in gene expression, indicating adaptive mechanisms to dietary iodine levels and the presence of bioactive compounds in the biofortified kale. The study also observed variations in uric acid levels, with lower concentrations in rats fed diet with biofortified curly kale. These findings suggest that biofortified curly kale can effectively enhance dietary iodine intake and improve various health parameters, supporting its potential as a nutritional intervention to address iodine deficiency and promote overall health.

The impact of heat treatment on the phenolic profile of iodine-biofortified kale remains insufficiently resolved at the compound level. Using an untargeted LC–HRMS workflow, we profiled phenolic compounds in green and red kale cultivated without iodine or biofortified with KIO3 or 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol, and subsequently subjected to raw, blanching, steaming, or boiling treatments. In total, 135 phenolic compounds were tentatively annotated based on accurate mass and MS/MS fragmentation. PCA indicated that cultivar explained most of the global variance, whereas thermal processing dominated within-cultivar differentiation. Compound-level comparisons revealed the largest differences between steamed and boiled samples, with predominantly higher relative signal intensities after steaming, particularly in red kale. Iodine supplementation introduced additional, cultivar-dependent shifts that mainly affected effect magnitude rather than the direction of the steaming-boiling contrast. Overall, the data highlight culinary processing as the primary determinant of phenolic remodelling in iodine-enriched kale and support evaluating biofortified vegetables under realistic preparation conditions.

The impact of culinary processing on the phenolic profile of iodine-biofortified kale remains insufficiently resolved at the compound level. Green- and red-leaved kale grown without iodine supplementation or biofortified with KIO₃ or 5,7-diiodo-8-quinolinol (DIQ) was subjected to blanching, boiling, or steaming. LC–HRMS profiling resulted in 135 phenolic annotations, including three compounds confirmed using authentic standards, while selected major phenolics were additionally quantified or semi-quantified by PDA detection. Multivariate analysis revealed pronounced cultivar-related differences. Among processed samples, thermal processing accounted for the largest proportion of phenolic variation (61.6% in green and 68.5% in red kale), while iodine treatment accounted for 9.3% and 7.2%, and the Processing × Iodine component for 24.2% and 19.6%, respectively. Compound-level analysis revealed pronounced differences between steamed and boiled samples, with predominantly higher relative LC–HRMS signals after steaming, especially in red-leaved kale. Processing-related phenolic patterns also differed among Control, KIO₃, and DIQ sample pools. Because each cultivar × iodine treatment combination represented a single pooled biological source, iodine-associated differences were interpreted descriptively rather than as inferential treatment effects. Overall, thermal processing was a major determinant of phenolic composition, while processing-related patterns varied among iodine-treatment pools.