The advances in Nutrigenomics bring forth a deeper understanding of the connections between human health and foods at a molecular level. Such knowledge will fuel the desire of the consumers to make steps in order to prevent or reduce the onset of diseases to which they may be pre-disposed.
Food companies will use such knowledge in Nutrigenomics in producing a whole new range of value-added food products. Nutrigenomics will help people understand how foods interact with their genetic predispositions to diseases like heart problems, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Also, the companies in food industry will leverage such knowledge by offering foods that provides longevity and guarantees healthier lives.
Vegetables are believed to be rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phyto-chemicals and anti-oxidants. They are among the highly-recommended food components in most diets. A particular vegetable that caught the attention of food scientists is the Broccoli.
Broccoli has been labeled as among the super foods. The scientists at Harvard considered it as the most healthful vegetable as it has more vitamin C than orange, more calcium than a glass of milk, and three times more fiber than a slice of wheat bran. It is especially rich in phytonutrient sulforaphane. The sulforaphane molecules in broccoli are found to be increasing the transcription and translation of glutamate cystein lygase, and hence, can increase the glutathione synthesis in the human body.
Glutathione is a powerful anti-oxidant that is found almost nearly in every cell in the human body. It is essential in maintaining the normal function of the immune system. Glutathione is a tri-peptide enzyme that the human body synthesizes from the amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. When these amino acids are placed together in a correct sequence and structure, the effort requires enzymes such as the glutamate cystein lygase.
The scientists behind the Nutrigenomics at the John Hopkins University and also studying the broccoli in a more in-depth level discovered the mechanism of the process mentioned above. According to them, the interior portion of the liver cells is a protein system that keeps the transcription factor nrf2. Sulforaphane, a sulfur-enriched molecule naturally abundant in broccoli can attach to the live cells or the protein system, thereby releasing nrf2.
Further, the nrf2 as a transcription element can attach to particular promoter regions of DNA and switch on the transcription of genes for detoxification enzymes such as the glutamate cysteine lygase. The glutamate cysteine lygase in turn can then be utilized to synthesize the glutathione. Hence, eating broccoli increases the synthesis of glutathione and other cyto-protective proteins which contribute to optimum health.
Nutrigenomics is an emerging science. Its principles are helpful in understanding the human genome. The scientists behind nutrigenomics are seeking answers that could prevent or stop diseases before they can even occur. It is a new field of research in science to increase people's understanding of how foods eaten can influence their metabolic pathways. Understanding how nutrition affects genes, and how such effects impact the human health may be the key to the evasive secret to longevity.
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