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British researchers who analyzed data from nearly 29,000 European participants in a cancer and nutrition study – about 12,000 of whom had type 2 diabetes – found that drinking one 12-ounce sugar-sweetened beverage a day increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 22 percent. The risk dropped to 18 percent when total energy intake and body mass index were taken into account. The increased risk of diabetes from sugary drinks in Europe is similar to that found in a meta-analysis of studies conducted mostly in North America that found a 25 percent increased risk. Little or no association with diabetes risk was found among drinkers of artificially sweetened drinks or pure fruit juice and nectar (diluted fruit juice) drinks.
"Consumption of sweet beverages and type 2 diabetes incidence in European adults: results from EPIC-InterAct", Diabetologia, April 24, 2013
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An accidental discovery in mice by researchers at Case Western Reserve University finds that the essential nutrient vitamin E can alleviate symptoms of liver disease brought on by obesity. The researchers were originally studying the effect of vitamin E deficiency on the central nervous system, using liver tissue to practice surgical techniques. They were surprised to find that the mice were in the advanced stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and were deficient in vitamin E. Supplementation with vitamin E averted most of the disease symptoms, confirming the relationship between vitamin E deficiency and liver disease.
"Vitamin E Identified as Potential Weapon Against Obesity", News release, presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, April 23, 2013
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Researchers recently presented three studies associating tree nuts with a better nutrient profile, better diet quality, lower body weight, lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors. Nuts included in the studies were almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. One study involving 803 adults found that eating one ounce (one serving) of tree nuts weekly was associated with a seven percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome. Another study showed that nut consumption was associated with a decrease in total cholesterol, LDL or "bad" cholesterol, blood pressure, and coronary heart disease risk.
"New Findings on Tree Nuts and Health Presented", Nutrition Horizon, April 23, 2013
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Health authorities and nutritionists worldwide have been getting the word out about the health benefits of lowering salt intake, but is anyone listening? Apparently not, according to a new U.S. study supported by food ingredients supplier Tate & Lyle. Actual intake of sodium is on the rise, increasing by 63 mg/day every two years from 1001 to 2012. The study analyzed data from national health surveys. The largest contributors of sodium to the diet were grains and grain products, followed by meat, poultry, fish and mixtures, vegetables, and milk and milk products. Tate & Lyle has a partial solution to the problem, it says: a salt product that reduces by sodium content from 25-50 percent in food applications.
"Continued Rise in Sodium Intake in the U.S. Diet over the Last Decade despite Health Officials Call for Reduction", News release, Tate & Lyle, April 22, 2013
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Three months of a grape-enriched diet significantly reduced the inflammatory markers in the liver and abdomens of obese rats and helped reduced damage to the liver and kidneys associated with metabolic syndrome, U.S. researchers report. Inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in cardiovascular disease progression and organ dysfunction in type 2 diabetes, researchers said. “Grape intake impacted both of these components in several tissues which is a very promising finding," they concluded. Natural components known as polyphenols found in grapes polyphenols probably responsible for these beneficial effects.
"Grape Intake May Protect Against Metabolic Syndrome-Related Organ Damage", News release, University of Michigan research presented at the Experimental Biology conference, April 22, 2013
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A U.S. study that compared vitamin D levels in 30 adults after ingesting supplements and mushroom powder found no statistical difference among the sources. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health and muscle strength, reducing the risk of fracture, osteomalacia, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Participants took capsules containing 2,000 IU of vitamin D2 or vitamin D3, or mushroom powder containing vitamin D2. The researchers noted, however, that the powders were made from mushrooms that had been exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light. The researchers also found that mushrooms make vitamin D2 through a process similar to what occurs in human skin after sun exposure. Mushrooms not only produce vitamin D2, but can produce vitamin D3 and vitamin D4.
"Mushrooms Can Provide as Much Vitamin D as Supplements", News release, presentation at the American Society for Biochemistry and Microbiology annual meeting, April 22, 2013
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Losing weight is best accomplished by changing one’s diet and physical activity patterns. But U.S. researchers suggest that for best results the changes should be implemented at the same time. Focusing on changing diet first, they cautioned, could actually hinder the establishment of a consistent exercise routine. If people need to start with one or the other, they suggested starting with exercise first. The researchers worked with 200 mostly sedentary people age 45 and older whose eating habits were not particularly healthy. Some started exercising first, some changed their diet first, etc. The participants who changed their diet first did a good job meeting the dietary goals, but failed to meet their exercise goals.
"Behavioral Impacts of Sequentially versus Simultaneously Delivered Dietary Plus Physical Activity Interventions: the CALM Trial", Annals of Behavioral Medicine, April 21, 2013
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Of the 465 drugs subject to a Class 1 recall by the FDA between 2004 and 2012, 51 percent were dietary supplements for bodybuilding, weight loss and sexual enhancement, a Canadian study has found. They were recalled because they contained unapproved medicinal ingredients – including steroids – that could cause serious health problems or even death. The most commonly recalled dietary supplement to be recalled were sexual enhancement products (40 percent). According to the researchers, about 65,000 dietary supplements are offered in the U.S. and consumed by more than 150 million Americans. Researchers said better regulation of the supplements should be a priority.
"The Frequency and Characteristics of Dietary Supplement Recalls in the United States", JAMA Internal Medicine, April 18, 2013
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For the first time in 28 years of reporting, breakfast sandwiches have knocked bacon off the list of top ten items Americans eat for breakfast at home and at restaurants, according to The NPD Group. Breakfast sandwiches, mostly grabbed on the go, climbed into the No. 10 spot. At the top of the list were coffee, cold cereal, fruit juice, milk and bread. An NPD analyst said the ”beauty” of the breakfast sandwich is “you can get that 1950s breakfast of eggs, toast, cheese and meat” in one convenient package. Forty-six percent of all restaurant breakfasts (for the year ended November 2012) included a sandwich (i.e., breakfast sandwiches, breakfast wraps, burgers and “other” sandwiches).
"Breakfast Sandwiches Make Top 10 List for Americans in the Morning", The NPD Group, April 18, 2013
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There has been some concern over the years that taking too much vitamin E poses significant health risks, but a new U.S. study finds that people cannot overdose on vitamin E because excess amounts are not harmful and at any rate are excreted. The antioxidant vitamin, found in oils, fats and some other foods, is important for proper functioning of organs, nerves and muscles. It is also an anticoagulant that can reduce blood clotting. Some people, especially those on a low-fat diet, consume inadequate dietary levels, take vitamin E supplements.
"Mechanisms for the Prevention of Vitamin E Excess", The Journal of Lipid Research, April 15, 2013
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With as many as 25 percent of people over age 70 experiencing mild cognitive impairment, it is helpful to know whether drugs, herbal products or vitamin supplements prevent the onset of the condition. Turns out they don’t, according to a Canadian review of relevant scientific studies. There just wasn’t any evidence that pharmacologic treatments such as cholinesterase inhibitors, herbal supplements like gingko, vitamins such as vitamin B6 or omega-3 fatty acids, are effective. The strongest evidence was for the value of mental exercises such as computerized training programs or intensive one-on-one personal cognitive training in memory, reasoning, or speed of processing.
"Preventing cognitive decline in healthy older adults", CMAJ, April 15, 2013
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Researchers in the U.K. have found evidence that increasing one’s intake of nitrates from leafy vegetables and beets can lead to improvements in cardiovascular health. The study examined the impact of drinking 8 oz. of beet juice daily on blood pressure. The beet juice contained about 0.2g of dietary nitrate, levels found in a large bowl of lettuce or two beets. Participants with high blood pressure who drank about 8 ounces of beet juice experienced a decrease in blood pressure of about 10 mm Hg over a 24-hour period. The researchers cautioned that the findings are preliminary and don't yet suggest that supplementing the diet with beet juice conveys long-term health benefits.
"Enhanced vasodilator activity of nitrite in hypertension: critical role for erythrocytic xanthine oxidoreductase and translational potential", Hypertension, April 15, 2013
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L-carnitine, a trimethylamine compound found in red meat and other foods, and sold over-the-counter as a dietary supplement, significantly improves cardiac health in patients after a heart attack, according to a review of 13 clinical studies conducted between 1989 and 2007. The findings associate L-carnitine with significant reduction in death from all causes and a highly significant reduction in ventricular arrhythmias and anginal attacks following a heart attack. L-carnitine was associated with a 27 percent reduction in all-cause mortality, a 65 percent reduction in ventricular arrhythmias, and a 40 percent reduction in the development of angina.
"L-Carnitine in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis", Mayo Clinic Proceedings, April 11, 2013
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An Arizona mother of a child with allergies to processed foods decided to put the whole family on a strict preservative-free whole grain diet. She also decided that if she wanted whole-grain tortillas she’d have to make them herself. Reworking an old family recipe, she came up with a whole-grain tortilla. Her son’s migraines and seizures ended. And when her husband lost his job in 2009, she decided to turn her creation into a business. The family now makes their tortillas – 2,000 dozen a week – in a small commercial-grade kitchen in Tucson and sells them a local food co-op and farmers markets. Shoppers will soon be able to find them at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and at Tucson Medical Center.
"Neto's Tucson: Neto's Tucson: Family tortilla makers go whole grain", Arizona Daily Star, April 14, 2013
It sounds oxymoronic, but a “vegetarian butcher shop” in Brooklyn, N.Y., is having great success supplying a flour-based meat substitute known as seitan – an alternative to tofu, tempei, etc. – to local home cooks, restaurants and retail stores. Seitan is made from gluten, the main protein of wheat, by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch dissolves. The gluten is then mixed with flavor and texture ingredients, shaped into dough, and cooked for use in vegetarian stir-fry, sandwiches, salads, soups, omelettes etc. The owners of Monk’s Meats – who started their business when they realized that fresh seitan was not available in grocery stores – produce 100 to 150 pounds of seitan daily. It is then hand-delivered to customers.
"Monk's Meats: A Vegetarian Butcher Makes a Case for Wheat Meat", The Huffington Post, April 10, 2013
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U.S. researchers studying the effect of berry consumption on brain function in rats found that a berry diet rich in phytonutrients protected the animals’ brains from irradiation, a lab technique for simulating aging. They determined that berries promoted neurochemical changes in the brain, particularly autophagy, which regulates the synthesis, degradation and recycling of cell components. Accumulation of toxins in the brain was thereby significantly reduced. The researchers are now conducting clinical studies in older adults, aged 60 to 75, to see if their findings in rats apply in humans.
"More Evidence Berries Have Health-Promoting Properties", News release, unpublished study conducted at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, April 21, 2013
A recently published Italian study found no chemical reason why the cereal grain sorghum should not be eaten by people with celiac disease. The researchers said the absence of gliadin-like peptides in sorghum makes it a viable alternative to wheat, rye and barley for people with celiac disease, a severe allergic reaction to gluten. The researchers cautioned, however, that the sorghum used for human consumption should be the food-grade cultivars that they tested. Food-grade sorghum does not contain condensed tannins like regular sorghum used as animal feed that can reduce the digestibility of dietary proteins. Food-grade sorghum is inexpensive and highly nutritional, making it suitable for gluten-free breads.
"Sorghum is celiac-safe: Study", Bakery and Snacks, April 04, 2013
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Circulation, April 01, 2013
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