Alon Kaplan1, Hila Zelicha1, Gal Tsaban1, Anat Yaskolka Meir1, Ehud Rinott1, Julia Kovsan1, Lena Novack1, Joachim Thiery2, Uta Ceglarek2, Ralph Burkhardt2, Anja Willenberg2, Amir Tirosh3, Ioav Cabantchik4, Meir J Stampfer5, Iris Shai6. 1. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. 2. Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Germany. 3. Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Center at Sheba Medical Center, Israel; Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H., Chan School of Public Health and Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Department of Biological Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. 5. Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H., Chan School of Public Health and Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. 6. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: irish@bgu.ac.il.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: While the world is extensively looking for alternatives to animal protein sources, it is not clear which plant sources can provide the requisite full complement of essential amino acids (EAAs). Wolffia globosa is an aquatic, edible duckweed, the smallest plant on earth, and it offers all nine EAAs, dietary fibers, polyphenols, iron, zinc and B12 vitamin. This work was designed to evaluate Mankai (a newly developed high-protein strain of W. globosa) as an optional bioavailable source of EAAs for humans (primary outcome), and of further nutrients such as vitamin B12, in comparison to well-established animal and plant protein sources; cheese and peas, respectively. METHODS:36 men, subjected for 3 days to a stable diet and subsequent overnight (12 h) fast, were randomized to consume one of three iso-protein (30 g) based test-meals (soft cheese, green peas, Mankai). Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 90 and 180 min. RESULTS: The 3 h blood concentrations of the EAAs: histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, and tryptophan, triggered by intake of Mankai, was essentially significant as compared to baseline (p < 0.05) and similar to that of soft cheese and pea changes (p > 0.05 between groups). Although branched-chain-amino-acids (leucine/isoleucine, valine) increased significantly by Mankai within 3 h (p < 0.05 vs. baseline), the change was relatively higher for cheese as compared to Mankai or peas (p < 0.05 between groups). The increase in vitamin B12 by Mankai was higher as compared to changes induced by either cheese (p=0.007) or peas (p=0.047, between groups). CONCLUSIONS: Mankai may provide a high-quality substitute source for animal protein, and a potential bioavailable source of vitamin B12.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND & AIMS: While the world is extensively looking for alternatives to animal protein sources, it is not clear which plant sources can provide the requisite full complement of essential amino acids (EAAs). Wolffia globosa is an aquatic, edible duckweed, the smallest plant on earth, and it offers all nine EAAs, dietary fibers, polyphenols, iron, zinc and B12 vitamin. This work was designed to evaluate Mankai (a newly developed high-protein strain of W. globosa) as an optional bioavailable source of EAAs for humans (primary outcome), and of further nutrients such as vitamin B12, in comparison to well-established animal and plant protein sources; cheese and peas, respectively. METHODS: 36 men, subjected for 3 days to a stable diet and subsequent overnight (12 h) fast, were randomized to consume one of three iso-protein (30 g) based test-meals (soft cheese, green peas, Mankai). Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 90 and 180 min. RESULTS: The 3 h blood concentrations of the EAAs: histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, and tryptophan, triggered by intake of Mankai, was essentially significant as compared to baseline (p < 0.05) and similar to that of soft cheese and pea changes (p > 0.05 between groups). Although branched-chain-amino-acids (leucine/isoleucine, valine) increased significantly by Mankai within 3 h (p < 0.05 vs. baseline), the change was relatively higher for cheese as compared to Mankai or peas (p < 0.05 between groups). The increase in vitamin B12 by Mankai was higher as compared to changes induced by either cheese (p=0.007) or peas (p=0.047, between groups). CONCLUSIONS: Mankai may provide a high-quality substitute source for animal protein, and a potential bioavailable source of vitamin B12.
Authors: Jurriaan J Mes; Diederik Esser; Dianne Somhorst; Els Oosterink; Sandra van der Haar; Meeke Ummels; Els Siebelink; Ingrid M van der Meer Journal: Plant Foods Hum Nutr Date: 2022-02-12 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Alon Kaplan; Hila Zelicha; Anat Yaskolka Meir; Ehud Rinott; Gal Tsaban; Gidon Levakov; Ofer Prager; Moti Salti; Yoram Yovell; Jonathan Ofer; Sebastian Huhn; Frauke Beyer; Veronica Witte; Arno Villringer; Nachshon Meiran; Tamar B Emesh; Peter Kovacs; Martin von Bergen; Uta Ceglarek; Matthias Blüher; Michael Stumvoll; Frank B Hu; Meir J Stampfer; Alon Friedman; Ilan Shelef; Galia Avidan; Iris Shai Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2022-05-01 Impact factor: 8.472