UC Davis

The concept of food as medicine has existed for centuries. The focus of this dissertation is on plant-based functional foods that contain unique bioactive compounds with properties beyond basic nutrition. The health benefits of plant-based food consumption are supported by large epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials demonstrating that the intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are inversely associated with the rate of chronic disease morbidity and mortality. Two functional foods, sorghum and red wine, were studied. Chapter I provides a historical overview on the use of food as medicine and the application to modern times, with an emphasis on sorghum and red wine. Chapter II presents three probe studies that detail the postprandial plasma amino acid and glucose responses in healthy adult men following the intake of extruded or conventional sorghum flour. Chapter III explores the effects of Hokkaido Zweigelt red wines from different vintage years on cardiovascular health outcomes in healthy adult men. Chapter IV reviews the results of clinical research studies on red wine and vascular health, discussing factors that contribute to variable results, and proposes considerations for future studies. Chapter V provides perspectives and insights for future clinical nutrition research. Additionally, Appendix A describes the role of strawberries for weight management in adolescents and offers dietary recommendations. Appendix B summarizes the results of clinical studies with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes on skin health outcomes. Taken together, the body of work emphasizes the importance of plant-based functional foods as key elements to support health promotion and disease prevention.