Kim JS, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2019 Apr;13(2):126-133. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2019.13.2.126

Park YH, et al. Korean J Community Nutr. 2016 Dec;21(6):558-573. https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2016.21.6.558

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the level of energy intake from carbohydrate and the dietary and health characteristics among Korean adults. We examined the diet quality and health conditions of Korean adults by segmenting them into eight groups according to the level of energy intake from carbohydrate (<45%, 45–50%, 50–55%, 55–60%, 60–65%, 65–70%, 70–75%, and ≥75%). From the data of the 7th (2016–2017) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 7566 subjects aged 19 to 64 years were analyzed. Diet quality was much lower in the groups whose energy intake from carbohydrate was <50% or ≥65%, compared to the groups whose energy intake from carbohydrate was 50–65%. Hypertension or low HDL-cholesterolemia was associated with low (<45%) or high (≥70%) energy intake from carbohydrate. We found no considerable difference in the diet quality and health conditions between the groups whose energy intake from carbohydrate was 50–55% and 55–65%. In conclusion, it is suggested to expand the current acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) for carbohydrate for Korean adults (i.e., 55% to 65%) to include 50–55%.

The present study aimed to evaluate two different spectrophotometric assays for detection of vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity (VCEAC) of foods. Fifty popular, antioxidant‐rich fruits, vegetables and beverages in the U.S. diet were analyzed for their 2,2′‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid (ABTS) anion radical scavenging activity (ABTS assay) and their ability to reduce 1,1‐diphenyl‐2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (DPPH assay). The highest VCEAC was detected for strawberry with 520.7 ± 39.3 mg vitamin C equivalent (VCE)/100 g by DPPH assay and for blueberry with 476.6 ± 28.9 mg VCE/100 g by ABTS assay. Although the order differed slightly, both assays identified the same top ten VCEAC food items in the U.S. diet based on fresh weight as blueberry, plum, strawberry, red cabbage, red wine, grape, cherry, green tea, broccoli and apple. VCEAC of 50 food items detected by ABTS assay showed a strong positive relationship with VCEAC measured by DPPH assay (r = 0.886, p<0.001). VCEAC detected by ABTS assay demonstrated a stronger positive association with the USDA database for the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) (r = 0.473, p < 0.01). ABTS assay was superior to DPPH assay in reflecting the antioxidant levels of foods containing hydrophilic, lipophilic, high‐moisture, or high‐pigmented nutrients. Hence, ABTS assay may be more useful than DPPH assay in detecting VCEAC in foods. Grant Funding Source : Supported by Beginning Grant in Aid (BGIA) No. 0865092E from the American Heart Association and University of Connecticut Faculty Large Grant