Everyday Foods May Yield Medicinal Benefits

Chives, grape seeds and pine nut oil all show early promise, researchers say

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

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TUESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) --- Grape seeds, chives and Korean pine nut oil might have more in common than their ability to add zest to meals.

According to new research, all three foods may help boost health and fight disease.

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The three studies were presented March 26-28 at the American Chemical Society annual meeting, in Atlanta. They highlight, respectively, grape seed extract's ability to lower blood pressure; chives' capacity to protect against salmonella and other food-borne illnesses; and pine nut oil's power to suppress appetite.

Although the results are preliminary, they point the way to more in-depth studies, the researchers said.

"I am very optimistic about our research," said chive study lead researcher Salam A. Ibrahim, from the department of food science and nutrition at North Carolina A&T State University, in Greensboro, N.C.

Ibrahim and his colleagues noted that although many plant, herb and mushroom extracts demonstrate antimicrobial properties, chives seem to have the most potent effect against 38 strains of salmonella -- the most common bacterial food-borne illness.

The researchers purchased chives from a local Greensboro store and cut, blended and mixed down the food to obtain chive extract.

Lab tests with various quantities of the extract revealed that, in sufficient quantities, chives can inhibit salmonella activity without the need for additional irradiation or chemical preservatives.

However, when the chive extract was heated above 121 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes the antibacterial effect was completely lost.

As well, Ibrahim noted that the 800 microliters of chive extract needed to produce a 100 percent protective effect against salmonella was much higher than most people would find appetizing.

One solution to the problem might be through combining of chives with other natural and/or chemical preservatives. "We have a formula that looks very promising and has no effect on flavor, while at the same time protecting against salmonella," Ibrahim said.

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