Vegetables are low in energy and rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber; various health benefits associated with their intake have been reported. Salads are one of the most convenient ways to consume vegetables and can be made simply by pouring mayonnaise, dressing, olive oil, or other condiments over a selection of vegetables. There are also many reports on the ways in which vegetable intake can improve health. However, there is no comprehensive review summarizing the health functions of vegetables when consumed as a salad. The effects of vegetable salads on amounts of vegetable intake, lifestyle-related diseases, and the absorption of specific nutrients through mayonnaise, as well as the effects of the order in which vegetable salad and carbohydrates are consumed, have been reported. In this review, the health functions of vegetable salad consumption are reported.

Hypertensive patients who adopt a sodium-restricted diet have difficulty maintaining this change, and this could increase stress. On the other hand, soup rich in umami substances (dashi) was reported to reduce indexes of anxiety and stress. The objective of this study was to measure mood and physiological stress indexes during administration of a sodium-restricted diet with and without an umami substance (free L-glutamate) by a cross-over randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Japanese female university students. The baseline was measured for 5 days followed by a sodium-restricted diet intervention phase that lasted for 10 days. The Profile of Mood States questionnaire was administered, a stress marker in saliva (chromogranin-A) was measured, and the amount of sodium intake was confirmed from 24 h urine collection samples. Results showed that the sodium reduction was verified by 24 h urine excretion. The percentage of change in the stress marker from the baseline showed that the stress level in group without the umami substance was significantly higher than that in the group with the umami substance (p = 0.013) after receiving a sodium-reduced diet for 6 or more days, indicating that stress was alleviated. This study suggested that umami substances might help to ameliorate stress during a sodium-reduced diet, especially in the initial phase.

Background/Objectives: Vegetable leftovers constitute more than half of Vietnamese school lunch waste, partly due to limited ingredient variety, which may reduce meal acceptance. Methods: This cross-over study assessed the impact of diversifying vegetable options on intake and satisfaction among 40 students at a suburban Vietnamese primary school. Five new menus were developed by redistributing a 100 g vegetable portion into smaller servings of multiple vegetable types, combining them creatively with protein-rich foods or rice while maintaining nutritional value and cost. Students alternated between current and new menus over four weeks. Sensory evaluations using a 5-point hedonic scale and food weighing were conducted daily. Results: Most students increased vegetable intake during the new menu period. Mean intake was significantly higher with new menus (81.5 g; 95%CI: 77.1–85.9) compared to current menus (71.1 g; 95%CI: 65.2–75.1) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that enhancing vegetable variety in combination can significantly improve intake and sensory characteristics without additional costs. This scalable strategy offers a practical solution for schools to foster healthier eating habits among students.

A hen’s egg consists of an eggshell, eggshell membrane, egg yolk, and egg white, among which the egg yolk and egg white are consumed. Eggshells are usually discarded. The term eggshell is used to refer to the eggshell including the eggshell membrane, and both the eggshell membrane and the eggshell after removal of the eggshell membrane are known to exhibit health-promoting functions. The major component of the eggshell membrane is protein, and the major component of the eggshell after removal of the eggshell membrane is calcium (calcium carbonate). A characteristic feature of eggshells is their porous structure, and they are known to dissolve readily in gastric acid upon ingestion. Because dissolution by gastric acid is essential for absorption of dietary calcium, eggshells have attracted attention as a calcium source with high digestibility and bioavailability. High phosphorus intake inhibits calcium absorption, but eggshell calcium has low phosphorus content. This review discusses eggshell calcium’s health benefits: contributing to bone health (SOS in bone +40 m/s from baseline) and reduced blood pressure (systolic −8 mmHg, diastolic −4 mmHg from baseline). It also covers eggshell membrane’s absorbability, knee pain relief, and skin hydration improvement.