PLANT-BASED FOODS AS A SOURCE OF LIPOTROPES FOR
PREVENTING HEPATIC STEATOSIS
Fardet A, Martin J.-F., Chardigny J.-M.
Human Nutrition Unit (JRU 1019), Department of Human Nutrition, INRA, Human Nutrition Research Centre of Auvergne, F-63000 CLERMONT-FERRAND, France. Tel.: 33(0)473624704, fax: 33(0)473624755, e-mail: anthony.fardet@clermont.inra.fr
Background and objectives: Lipotropes are food components that limit excessive hepatic
triglyceride contents or steatosis. Steatosis is often associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and may lead to more serious pathologies such as steatohepatitis, hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis, and/or cancer in the end. Yet, whereas steatosis concerns several millions people worldwide, the lipotropic potential of foods has never been studied; and lipotrope-rich foods remain quite unknown. Based on available food data, our objective was to characterize and quantify the lipotropic potential of plant-based foods to improve nutritional recommendations for subjects at risk of hepatic steatosis.
Methods: From lipotrope contents found in literature and nutritional tables (mainly USDA food
composition tables), 132 plant-based foods, 4 main lipotropes (betaine, choline, myo-inositol and methionine), and 4 micronutrients that support lipotropic action of the main lipotropes (niacin, pantothenic acid, folates and magnesium) could have been selected. Plant-based food lipotropic potential was expressed into a new index, the Lipotropic Capacity (LC) that integrates the sum of the 8 lipotropic densities relative to a reference food. Results: Vegetables are the best source of
lipotropes on a 100 kcal-basis and plant-based foods are a more diversified - but complementary - source of lipotropes than animal-based products. Technological processes reduce plant-based foods lipotropic potential by around 20%: while refining, then thermal treatments, are the most drastic treatments, fermentations may event tend to increase lipotrope densities. By comparing lipotrope consumption via both French standard diet (INCA 2 survey) and Food guide pyramid, we evaluated that our consumption in betaine, choline and myo-inositol should be increased: this can be easily reached by choosing lipotrope-dense foods like beetroot, spinash or coffee. On a one euro-basis, grains products (i.e. cereals, nuts and leguminous and oleaginous seeds) are the best compromise between a high LC and a cheap supply in lipotropes. Conclusions: Plant-based foods are relevant sources of lipotropes for preventing hepatic stetaosis. In addition, the LC allows easily ranking foods according to their lipotropic potential. But, it remains indispensable to carry out studies in humans to relate food LC with prevalence of hepatic steatosis. Key words: Lipotropes, plant-based foods, lipotropic capacity, technological processes, consumption
