Effect of Apple and Apple Pomace on Inflammation and Cholesterol Metabolism in Healthy Overweight

The investigators will assess the protective and antiinflammatory effects of processed fruit and fruit fibre in overweight subjects with signs of metabolic syndrome. A single-blinded parallel study is conducted to investigate the protective effects of fruit fibre on colonic epithelium. Relevant signalling pathways related to cholesterol metabolism, vascular inflammation, oxidative defence, apoptosis and sterol metabolism will be targeted. Volunteers are randomly assigned one of three groups. They are instructed to follow a polyphenol and pectin restricted diet for six weeks. The last four weeks in this six week period, the restricted diet is supplemented with whole apples (550g/day), apple pomace (22g/day) or nothing. Blood, urine, faecal samples and colon biopsies are collected before and after the four weeks intervention period.