CISTANCHE TUBLULOSA COULD BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICINAL PLANT IN HALOPHYTES FARMING Ⅲ

These values indicate that the percentage of fat in Cistanche (0.76%) is low when compared with other foods (like many vegetables). 

3.3. Crude Fiber

As it is known, the recommended fiber content for adults is 25 to 30 grams per day based on different age and sex groups, which as follows:

Usually, the amount of fiber consumed per person on daily basis is less than the recommended dose, and the main reason for this is the inadequate use of vegetables and fruits. The daily consumption of 5 units of vegetable and fruits will prevent many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, many types of cancers and many digestive diseases. Among the dietary patterns that are aimed at preventing chronic diseases, such as the Healthy Dietary Pattern, Mediterranean, and DASH, the major part of the recommendations rest on the use of vegetables and fruits, which are the main source of fiber. Children and adults need at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day for good health, but most people get only about 15 grams a day. Fiber reduces the risk of developing various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation.

According to the data in Table 2, the fiber content of this plant is 5.7% of the dry weight of the plant. Fiber contents in vegetables such as mushrooms, New Zealand spinach, spinach and broccoli are (2.7%), (1.5%), (2.2%) and (3.6%) respectively. This amount is reported in plants with very high fiber content, such as corn bran (79%), asbestos (29.3%) and lentils (10.7%). The comparison of these values with the data in Table 2 emphasizes the medium fiber content of this halophyte. 

Comparing the carbohydrate content of this sample (72.64%) with dietary carbohydrate sources such as white bread (54.5%), French bread (51.88%), rice (28%), and spaghetti (75%), it is clear that the carbohydrate percentage of this plant, is high and special and can play a distinctive role in healthy vegetables. In general, carbohydrates are found to be less common in some common vegetables. As a percentage, it is 6% in broccoli and 5.8% in cabbage. The carbohydrate content of this plant is very high (more than 70%), therefore, the study of glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are necessary to determine.

The importance of minerals in the daily diet is so much that the inappropriateness of their consumption is one of the most important factors in the prevention of diseases. For example, high levels of sodium and the mismatch between sodium and potassium have led to blood pressure and stroke. 

Among the various diets that are recommended for the health and prevention of chronic diseases, DASH diet has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on blood pressure by decreasing sodium intake and increasing potassium through the intake of a lot of fruits and vegetables. This special diet emphasizes the consumption of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and legumes. In a clinical trials study in 1994, the DASH diet, showed the effect of a diet on blood pressure inhibition, the result of which led the US Food Guide of 2010 to be based on this diet. Today, the DASH is even used as a weight loss diet. In this type of diet, depending on the individual, along with whole grains of fruits and vegetables with 4 to 5 recommended servings of each, low-fat dairy, oil and fat group, meat and legume groups with an emphasis on fish and legumes with 2 servings per day, and the nuts and seeds are recommended at about 4-5 servings per week (Sacks et al., 2001). 

What follows points to the importance of some macro and micro minerals, along with a comparison of the amount of each mineral

in this sample under study with the same amount of minerals in other foods so that a more comprehensive review of the nutritional value of this plant can be made.

Despite the need for sodium in many biochemical reactions in the body, its overdose (2 g/day, according to the World Health Organization report) is considered as a major risk factor for hypertension, stroke, heart disease, stomach cancer and osteoporosis and is known to be an important indicator of metabolic syndrome. In 2010, the American Food Guide announced the salt intake amount as much as a teaspoon. Regarding the various health guides, strong health benefits such as stopping blood pressure, preventing cancer, and reducing calcium excretion and bone health is pinpointed by considering a decrease in sodium intake by reducing the available resources, whether reducing the salt on the eating table or latent salt in food items such as tomato paste, pickled vegetables and canned foods. 

Consistent with the report (Powles et al., 2013), the average sodium intake was 3.95 g/per day, which is almost twice the amount recommended by the World Health Organization. This amount is 10% higher in men than in women, with the highest daily sodium reported in East Asia, and Central and Western Europe (more than 4.2 grams per day). The average sodium intake in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa are between 3.9 and 4.2 grams per day, and in North America, Australia and New Zealand, it is between 3.4 and 3.8 grams a day, and in Latin America and the sub-Saharan. Africa, it is less than 3.3 grams a day. Like other halophytes, sodium content in this sample is higher than in other food items. Sodium in Cistanche, was 5.3% of dry weight of the plant, respectively. For example, sodium content in the food table for 100 grams of food is as follows 38758 mg or about 40%

for salt, 200 mg in salmon, 1809 mg for Roqufort cheese, 38 mg for onions, 5 mg for white mushrooms, and 8 mg for pumpkin. The amount of sodium in this sample is not recommended in any healthy diet, but in many cases, it is always recommended that you do not consume large amounts of sodium, because high sodium intake will have adverse effects on human health. 

For example, it increases the excretion of calcium from the urine, which affects human health in different stages of life, from adolescence and the need to reach proper height to being elderly and the need to control blood pressure (Wiseman, 2008). 

Studies reveal that a high potassium intake through specific diet decreases the risk of stroke, lowers blood pressure, protects against loss of muscle mass, preserves bone mineral density, and reduces the formation of kidney stones. The primary functions of potassium in the body include regulating fluid balance and controlling the electrical activity of the heart and other muscles. The Adequate Intake recommendation for potassium is 4,700 milligrams (mg) per day for adults.

Most adults do not meet this recommendation. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an intake of 3,510 mg per day and agrees that most of the global population do not meet this recommendation. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium is crucial to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

DASH is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life. When following the DASH eating plan, it is important to choose foods that are low in saturated and trans fats and rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein content as well as sodium (He & MacGregor, 2009; Sacks et al., 2001; Strazzullo, D’Elia, Kandala, & Cappuccio, 2009). 

By comparing the potassium content of the sample with other food items in the table of compounds, we see that the potassium content of this plant is significantly high. The amount of potassium in Cistanche, was 2646 mg per 100 g of dry weight of the plant. This macro ingredient is found in beverages such as tea (6040 mg), beans (1359 mg), and other herbs such as lettuce root (556 mg), cabbage (170 mg) mushrooms (448 mg), melons (112 mg), bananas (358 mg) and oranges (212 mg) for 100 grams of food. Because of its high content of potassium, in certain diets, such as DASH, which is effective in controlling blood pressure, it is considered as one of the most important nutrients.

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Magnesium, as a mineral in the body, is present in many foods and is available as a dietary supplement. Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the bodyincluding protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation (Medicine, 1997; B. J. Rude RK, Blackman MR, Cragg GM, Levine M, Moss J, White JD, eds., 2010; C. B. Rude RK, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR, 2012). 

Magnesium also plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm (C. B. Rude RK, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR, 2012). Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet also increases intakes of other nutrients, such as potassium and calcium that are associated with reductions in blood pressure, so any independent contribution of magnesium cannot be determined. Higher magnesium intakes might reduce the risk of stroke (Larsson, Orsini, & Wolk, 2012). 

In a meta-analysis of 7 prospective trials with a total of 241,378 participants, an additional 100 mg/day of magnesium in the diet was associated with an 8% decreased risk of total stroke, especially ischemic rather than hemorrhagic stroke. A large, well-designed clinical trial is needed to better understand the contributions of magnesium from food and dietary supplements to heart health and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (Song & Liu,2012).

The American Diabetes Association states that there is insufficient evidence to support the routine use of magnesium to improve glycemic control in people with diabetes (Evert et al., 2013). Although limited in number, studies suggest that increasing magnesium intake from food or supplements might increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal and elderly women (Medicine, 1997). For example, one short-term study found that 290 mg/day elemental magnesium (as magnesium citrate) for 30 days in 20 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis suppressed bone turnover compared with placebo suggesting that bone loss decreased (Aydin et al. 2010). The authors of a review on migraine prophylaxis suggested that taking 300 mg of magnesium twice a day, either alone or in combination with medication can prevent migraines. The Adequate Intake recommendation for magnesium is 420 and 320 milligrams (mg) per day for men and women,respectively. Different types of magnesium supplement (tablets, syrups and pills) are available alone or in combination with other compounds on the market.