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Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 1011–1022 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

Antioxidant status can be used as a biomarker to assess chronic disease risk and diet can modulate antioxidant defence.

Objective:

To examine effects of vegetarian diet and variations in the habitual intakes of foods and nutrients on blood antioxidants.

Subjects and Setting:

Thirty-one vegetarians (including six vegans) and 58 omnivores, non-smokers, in Northern Ireland.

Design:

A diet history method was used to assess habitual diet. Antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, uric acid, zinc- and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were measured in fasting plasma and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured in erythrocytes.

Results:

Vegetarians had approximately 15% higher levels of plasma carotenoids compared with omnivores, including lutein (P⩽0.05), α-cryptoxanthin P⩽0.05), lycopene (NS), α-carotene (NS) and β-carotene (NS). The levels/activities of all other antioxidants measured were similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Total intake of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices was positively associated with plasma levels of several carotenoids and vitamin C. Intake of vegetables was positively associated with plasma lutein, α-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene and β-carotene, whereas intake of fruits was positively associated with plasma β-cryptoxanthin. Intake of tea and wine was positively associated with FRAP value, whereas intake of herbal tea associated positively with plasma vitamin C. Intakes of meat and fish were positively associated with plasma uric acid and FRAP value.

Conclusions:

The overall antioxidant status was similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Good correlations were found between intakes of carotenoids and their respective status in blood.

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Acknowledgements

The funding for this project was obtained from the Department of Education and Learning (DEL), Northern Ireland and Unilever Research, UK. We thank Prof. Maurice O’Kane and Dr Mark Lynch for the analysis of plasma uric acid at Clinical Biochemistry Department, Altnagalvin Hospital, Co. Londonderry. We also thank Mr James Coulter, Mr Neil Dennison, Dr Chris Gill, Miss Tracey McCaffrey and Ms Marta Ross for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, UK

    S Haldar, I R Rowland, Y A Barnett, I Bradbury & P J Robson

  2. Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK

    J Powell & J Fletcher

  3. College of Science and Technology, The Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, UK

    Y A Barnett

  4. Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, Calgary, AB, Canada

    P J Robson

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  1. S Haldar
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  2. I R Rowland
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  4. I Bradbury
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  5. P J Robson
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  6. J Powell
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  7. J Fletcher
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Correspondence to S Haldar.

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Guarantor: IR Rowland.

Contributors: The study was designed and supervised by IRR, YAB, SH, JP, JF. IB contributed to statistical design and PJR contributed to nutritional assessment design. SH was the primary conduct of this study and carried out the blood sample analyses, data interpretation and preparation the manuscript. All authors contributed to the revision of this manuscript.

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Haldar, S., Rowland, I., Barnett, Y. et al. Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 1011–1022 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602615

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602615

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