Achieving Nutritional Adequacy Of Vitamins E and K With An Egg/Plant-Based Food Pairing - Study 1

Malnutrition of the fat-soluble nutrients vitamin E (α-tocopherol; αT) and vitamin K (phylloquinone; PQ) is problematic. Since αT and PQ are rich in plant foods (e.g. spinach) that are mostly absent of accessible lipid, dietary patterns that can potentiate αT and PQ bioavailability by pairing vegetables with lipid-rich foods have been emphasized. The purpose of this study is to use deuterium-labeled spinach (containing stable isotopes of αT and PQ) to validate eggs as a dietary tool to improve αT and PQ bioavailability directly from a model plant food, and hence achieve nutrient adequacy. It is expected that compared with deuterium-labeled spinach alone, co-ingestion of eggs will dose- and time-dependently increase plasma bioavailability of spinach-derived deuterium-labeled αT and PQ without affecting time to maximal concentrations or half-lives. The outcome will therefore support an egg-based food pairing that can enhance the health benefits of plant-centric dietary patterns.