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A British clinical study involving 332 kids between four months and three years of age found that the children were more likely to eat vegetables if introduced to them before 24 months. Children that young are more receptive to new eating experiences. After that, they tend to get pickier and more wary of novel foods, especially green ones. For the study, children from the U.K., France and Denmark were fed between five and ten servings (100 grams) of artichoke puree, served straight, sweetened with sugar, or mixed with vegetable oil for added energy. Twenty percent of the kids cleaned their plates, and 40 percent learned to like artichokes. About 16 percent of the children were termed “non-eaters” because they ate less than 10 g even when it was offered for a fifth time.
"Offer vegetables early and often to fussy toddlers, study says", BBC News Health, June 30, 2014
Researchers in Spain have discovered something that may help restore the tarnished reputation of traditional white bread, long a staple of American households. Thirty-eight healthy adults were questioned about their diets. In addition, stool samples were analyzed to determine the bacteria present in their intestines A surprising finding was that white bread boosted the levels of Lactobacillus, a group of beneficial bacteria. The analysis also showed that the citrus-derived compound pectin actually reduces levels of some helpful bacteria, contrary to findings of previous research on pectin alone. That revelation led to perhaps the most useful insight derived from the research: the impact of foods on our microbiomes should be analyzed in combinations, rather than discretely.
"Pilot Study of Diet and Microbiota: Interactive Associations of Fibers and Polyphenols with Human Intestinal Bacteria. ", Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, June 11, 2014
A Nielsen study finds that six of ten American households have one person who is paying close attention to their diet and restricting their intake of at least one food. The poll, conducted by Harris, found that topping the list of restricted ingredients was sugar (36 percent) and sodium/salt (36 percent), followed by carbohydrates (22 percent), dairy, meat, and gluten. A Nielsen spokesman said that a restriction of an allergen or other risky food for one person in a household “can turn into a household ban”. And that presents both a challenge and an opportunity for food retailers and manufacturers. The poll also found that 87 percent of Americans are trying to eat a healthful diet.
"Majority of American households have someone monitoring or restricting a part of their daily diet", News release, Nielsen, June 10, 2014
Scientists at Oregon State University say the case against vitamin and mineral supplements is far from “closed” as some researchers declared recently. Last December scientists published three separate studies that said most vitamin and mineral diet supplements have “no clear benefit and may even be harmful” to well-nourished adults. The OSU researchers, however, said many types of dietary supplements fill nutritional gaps, improve general health, may help prevent chronic disease, are not harmful and are very cheap. They agreed that a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables offers the greatest health benefit, but the diet of many Americans is heavy on calories and light on nutrients. The OSU researchers and colleagues called it “irresponsible to ignore decades of nutrition research” on the benefits of dietary supplements.
"Enough Is Enough. ", Annals of Internal Medicine, June 02, 2014
A U.S. study finds that more exercise is not really as good for you as more types of exercise. Performing a single type of workout – just running, just cycling, etc. – is less effective for fitness and weight loss than following a regimen of resistance exercises, interval sprints, pilates or yoga stretching, and endurance exercise. The study involved 36 females and 21 males aged 35 to 57 who were obese or overweight -- basically out of shape. For 16 weeks three randomly assigned groups ate the same amount of whey protein daily, but exercised differently: some were sedentary, some did resistance training, and some did multidimensional activities. The researchers found that multidimensional exercisers showed the greatest health improvements, including weight loss, abdominal fat loss and lower blood pressure.
"Timed-daily Ingestion of Whey Protein and Exercise Training Reduces Visceral Adipose Tissue Mass and Improves Insulin Resistance: The PRISE Study. ", Journal of Applied Physiology, May 30, 2014
Though its use as a healthful sweetener in everyday cooking and baking is probably far off in the future, a naturally occurring taste-modifying protein known as “miraculin”, found in the berries of the Synsepalum dulcificum plant, is getting a lot of attention these days. The so-called “miracle fruit” from West Africa provides a “sweet fix” before eating a sugar-free dessert, for example. It is being tested at high-end restaurants around the world, where it turns sour flavors to sweet without the obesity-inducing effects of sugar. But before the full potential of the berry can be realized, some technical problems need to be resolved. Refrigerating and heating miraculin cause the protein to activate long before food can be sampled.
"The 'Miracle' Berry That Could Replace Sugar", The Atlantic, May 29, 2014
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The Journal of Nutrition, January 29, 2014
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