A diet developed especially to lower cholesterol also fortuitously reduces blood pressure even better than the DASH diet, according to Canadian research. Scientists were taking a second look at a 2011 study of the impact of the so-called “portfolio diet” on cholesterol patients when they discovered by chance its effect on hypertension. The diet lowered blood pressure an average of two percent better than the DASH (dietary approach to stopping hypertension) diet. The diets are similar in that they de-emphasize animal proteins. But the portfolio regimen features mixed nuts, soy protein, plant sterols (from vegetable oils and leafy vegetables) and viscous fiber (from oats, barley and eggplant). DASH emphasizes fruit, vegetables and whole grains, no snack food, and less dairy.

High-temperature meat cooking methods, such as barbecuing and pan-frying, create carcinogens (PhIP and MeIQx) that increase the risk of kidney cancer, especially among people with certain gene mutations. For the study, U.S. researchers analyzed eating habits and genetic information of 659 kidney cancer patients and 699 healthy people. Kidney cancer patients were found to eat more red and white meat compared to healthy individuals. But they also had 54 percent higher levels of PhlP and double the levels of MelQx, suggesting the impact of high-heat cooking. Moreover, those with variations in one gene (ITPR2) were more vulnerable to the effects of PhIP, ostensibly confirming the link between high-temperature meat cooking and renal cancer.

A British review of published studies on artificial sweeteners – i.e., saccharin, aspartame, sucralose and stevia – has found that their use in place of sugar reduces caloric intake and helps people lose weight. For the study, 12 clinical trials, 228 comparative human intervention studies, and 90 animal studies were analyzed. The researchers found that comparisons of the dietary impact of artificially-sweetened drinks and water, for example, showed that they did not increase appetite, as some scientists have argued. Instead, artificially-sweetened beverages reduced weight more than water, perhaps because they may be an easier dietary change to make than switching to water.

The FDA has issued a recommendation that Americans limit "added sugar" consumption to no more than ten percent of daily calories. The agency also wants food labels to distinguish between natural sugar and added sugar. Except for children three and under, that would mean a limit of 12.5 teaspoons, or 50 grams, of added sugar a day, about the same amount as in a can of Coca-Cola. The problem for American consumers is that sugar, honey and high-fructose corn syrup are not only found in obvious things like sodas, cookies and candy. They are also in healthful foods like low-fat yogurt, granola, wholegrain breads, ketchup, pasta sauce, canned fruit, prepared soups, salad dressings and marinades. Food industry skeptics argue that new labels distinguishing between natural and added sugar will only confuse shoppers.

Clean eating, organic, “free from,” and “flexitarian” (i.e., part-time vegetarian) are some of the key trends in food and drinks for 2016, according to an analysis of product launches by Innova Market Insights. The desire for transparency in food ingredients showed itself in the form of the “clear label" trend, a step up from “clean label.” Though most consumers don't need foods “free from” gluten, wheat, or dairy, they want them anyway, making it a major trend. Part-time vegetarians have reduced meat consumption for health, sustainability or animal welfare reasons, and that’s having an impact on new food products. Consumers are looking for fresh alternatives to preservatives, like fermentation and other ancient techniques. Other new products exploit the newfound desire to eat more vegetables, though in different forms like smoothies and pastas.

A former FDA official says don’t worry about the efficacy of dietary supplements – at least for now. Pay attention instead to their safety. Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, now at Johns Hopkins University, argues that many dietary supplements – vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, etc. – are spiked with pharmaceuticals, are poorly manufactured, or lack the stated ingredients. Unfortunately, there is gridlock in dealing with the problem at the national level because manufacturers oppose closer scrutiny of efficacy and federal laws handcuff the FDA, keeping it from effectively monitoring the thousands of products on the market. But Sharfstein says that manufacturers would probably support stronger safety controls if they were not tied to analysis of product claims.

The Environmental Working Group reports that 86 breads and baked goods it analyzed contained a possible carcinogenic ingredient known as potassium bromate. The compound, linked in animal studies to cancer and development of tumors, is added to flour to firm up the dough, help it rise and give the finished bread an appealing white color. California is the only U.S. state that regulates potassium bromate. It requires a warning label on food containing it. Among the 86 products containing the potentially harmful compound are Hormel Foods breakfast sandwiches, Weis Kaiser rolls and French toast, and Goya turnover pastry dough.

More than two-thirds of American adults say they take dietary supplements, and a large majority (84 percent) believe supplements are safe, according to a survey sponsored by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade organization representing dietary supplement makers. Americans have the most confidence in the vitamins and minerals category. The survey found that between 2014 and 2015, overall usage of vitamins and minerals and “specialty supplements” remained flat. Usage of “herbals & botanicals” and “sports nutrition & weight management” supplements grew five percent.

A U.S. study reports that drinking beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is associated with an increased prevalence and risk of chronic bronchitis in American adults. Adults who drink non-diet soda five or more times per week are 1.8 times as likely to develop chronic bronchitis as people who drink them only once or twice a month. And it doesn’t matter if smoking is involved. The researchers suggested that poorly absorbed excess fructose in the gut interacts with proteins to form antigens (“enFruAGEs”) that work their way to the lungs, triggering an immune response and causing bronchitis. More research is needed to prove the connection.

Science has gradually reversed the conclusion first drawn by a scientist in the 1950s – namely, that America’s consumption of fat was the cause of the heart disease epidemic. Study after study over the last ten years has concluded that – contrary to the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans – fat is not a cause of cardiovascular disease or obesity. And now a study shows that whole milk is not only not bad for you, it actually offers cardio-protective benefits. So, the question becomes, will the new federal dietary guidelines back off the warnings against consuming all fats? Will they suggest avoiding trans fats and encourage eating unsaturated fats found in fish, nuts and vegetable oils? One thing is sure, says one scientist: it is okay to have whole fat food, including whole fat milk, and that message “is slowly seeping into consciousness.”

Nutritionists, dieticians and other food experts advise against eating white pasta because it’s made with white flour that loses its healthful bran and germ – along with fiber, protein, iron and B vitamins – when it is milled. It ends up as a high-glycemic, quickly digested carbohydrate. Food manufacturers know all this, too, and so have been developing alternative pastas made with whole grains rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. Shoppers can now find at least six types of whole grain pastas that are more heart healthy: whole wheat, quinoa, sprouted grain, buckwheat noodles, spelt and brown rice.

After reviewing urine collections and CT scans of 1,486 kidney stone patients, U.S.  researchers concluded that calcium supplements – but not foods rich in calcium – increase the risk of a recurrence of stones. Patients who took calcium supplements had lower levels of the components of kidney stones in their urine. However, they also had a faster rate of kidney stone growth. Vitamin D supplements, however, may help prevent stone formation.

U.S. researchers have found that a diet rich in dried plums might ward off colon cancer by helping the gut retain beneficial bacteria. Earlier research has shown that disruptions to the microbiota spur the onset or recurrence of intestinal inflammation that can increase the risk of colon cancer. Dried plums, however, contain phenolic compounds that serve as antioxidants to neutralize the effect of free radicals that damage DNA. The new experiments in rats found that a dried plum diet increased the proportions of two major phyla of bacteria in the gut, while the control diet lowered the proportions. The tests also showed that rats eating dried plums had fewer aberrant “crypts” in gut wall tissue, a strong cancer indicator.

A U.S. researcher has determined that wine on average contains a lot more arsenic than the U.S. EPA allows in drinking water, but the risk of poisoning is small unless you’re also getting arsenic from other dietary sources, like apple juice, rice or cereal bars. The problem is especially worrisome for pregnant women, children and the elderly, the scientists said. They are more likely to consume large amounts of contaminated rice, organic brown rice syrup, seafood, wine, and apple juice. The study analyzed 65 wines from Washington, New York, California and Oregon. Washington wines had the highest arsenic concentrations, while Oregon's had the lowest. Arsenic leaches into water and soil – and then the food chain – when rocks containing the metalloid are eroded by rain, rivers or wind.

The nutritional science on which the latest version of U.S. Dietary Guidelines is based may be outdated and misleading, according to a journalist writing in a scientific publication. Nina Teicholz argues that the guidelines, based on an expert report by a 14-member advisory committee, do not reflect recent scientific findings. For example, the committee said the association of saturated fats with heart disease is strong. But the panel did not review scientific literature on saturated fats from the past five years that had failed to confirm a link between sat-fats and heart disease. Teicholtz says that the committee’s analyses of nutritional study findings were less than rigorous, and may simply have relied on the outdated conclusions of industry-funded organizations like the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. The article has prompted a congressional review of the expert report.

A study conducted by scientists at weight loss company Medifast found the 4 & 2 & 1 Plan used at Medifast Weight Control Centers was effective for weight loss after 12 weeks. The scientists looked at the records of 310 customers, finding that the average weight loss was 24 pounds. The plan was also effective at preserving lean muscle mass and improving cardiometabolic risk factors. Customers – men, women, and younger and older adults – who stuck with the plan for 24 weeks lost an average of 35 pounds. More than 75 percent of active 12-week customers lost at least five percent body weight and more than 85 percent of 24-week customers lost five percent or more.

Foodies and health food groupies who thrive on the cutting edge of the superfood world have apparently moved beyond acai, quinoa and chia seeds, especially now that those once exotic foods are available at Walmart and Costco. Instead, they have latched on to the newest wave of rare, foreign and super-nutritious beverages: moringa, E3 live blue-green algae, citicoline, freekeh, turkey tail mushroom, sideritis, etc. All promise enhanced wellbeing or super energy. But nutritionists warn that a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, etc., is probably all anyone needs to stay healthy. And no one really knows whether these so-called superfoods are really any good for you at all. Some, eaten with certain medications, may actually be harmful.

Scientists exploring a cave in southern Italy report finding a small stone grinding tool embedded with grains of starch. Botanist Marta Mariotti Lippi said the tool dates back 32,000 years; the starch probably came from a wild species of oats that grows in Europe. She suggests that humans at the time were probably grinding the oats into flour. The discovery is interesting because it adds to the evidence that fad ideas about the “Paleolithic diet” may be erroneous. Other studies have shown, for example, that the cereal grain sorghum formed part of the human diet 105,000 years ago.

Though some governmental agencies – the European Food Safety Authority, for example – have given the seal of approval to fructose as a healthful ingredient, a growing body of evidence suggests that the sugar may someday go the way of trans fats. There has been solid evidence for many years now that trans fatty acids (TFA) adversely affect cardiovascular health. A fructose study published in 2014 found that it does not harm insulin production, but does increase cholesterol and triglycerides after eating. A newer study reported that added sugars, especially fructose, are fueling the obesity epidemic and the rise of type 2 diabetes. Lastly, a June 2015 study reported that fructose stimulates overeating because it does not create a satiety response as effectively as glucose.

Protein is essential for a healthy diet, but the type of protein eaten is just as important as the amount, according to Canadian researchers who say national nutrition guidelines are outdated and should probably be revised to take that fact into account. Eating a moderate amount of high-quality protein at each meal optimizes muscle protein synthesis and protects muscle mass, and should be a key component, along with physical activity, of any weight loss strategy. Policy makers trying to control the obesity epidemic need to stress adequate high-quality protein along with moderate caloric intake to preserve muscle mass without adding fat mass.

The author of a book on America’s obsession with vitamins and other supplements says any benefit derived from popping the pills is probably a placebo effect. Most foods we eat – even donuts, cakes, and cookies, all made with enriched flour – provide all the vitamins we need. The only time supplementary vitamins should be taken is when there is evidence of a deficiency, such as vitamin C to cure or prevent scurvy. The fact is, there is almost no scientific evidence supporting the supplement industry’s health claims for its products. And thanks to the federal government, they don’t have to provide such evidence.

A U.S. study has found that the seeds of the muscadine grape, normally discarded as waste in the production of wine and juice, are rich in a type of vitamin E that seems to help retard fat cell production. Oil from the seed supplies tocotrienol, an unsaturated form of the vitamin, as well as other mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Scientists have known for some time that red palm and rice bran oil are rich in tocotrienol, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol. The researchers said their findings suggest that muscadine grape seed oil might be an even better source of tocotrienol, “Consuming foods made with muscadine grape seed oil" -- e.g., salad dressing -- "could curtail weight gain and reduce obesity,” one of the researchers said.

Eight of 10 Americans say they’ve eaten at least one sandwich in the last seven days, and are more likely to eat a homemade sandwich (83 percent) than a food service sandwich (62 percent). Sandwiches, whether homemade or non-homemade, are perceived as healthier than burgers and other menu items. But that doesn’t mean sandwiches have no cachet. Both the ingredients and the breads used are getting more varied and sophisticated – thanks to culinary restaurant trends – and present opportunities for marketers. Innovative ingredients include smoked pork, pork belly, sopressata, as well as new sauces. Bread options have moved beyond plain white and whole wheat to include French baguettes, Texas toast, ciabatta, and brioche.

A two-year U.S. clinical study finds that regular self-weighing and weight recording – known as the “Caloric Titration Method” or CTM – can be effective in losing weight and keeping it off, especially for men. For the study, 162 participants were told to use whatever dieting method they preferred to lose 10 percent of their body weight, in one percent increments, by one year. Half of the group were required to weigh themselves daily and track their weight. The researchers found that CTM produced “a small but sustainable weight loss in overweight males.” CTM seems to reinforce some behaviors, such as eating less, and strengthens others, such as going for a walk, to maintain body weight.

A “free-from” food company will launch to retailers in August a line of ready-to-use bake mixes that are gluten-free, non-GMO, and free of the top eight food allergens. The mixes from Enjoy Life Foods (Schiller Park, Ill.) are also kosher and halal certified, made with ancient grains (including Ethiopian teff), plant proteins and a probiotic “enhancement.” The baking mixes are available at $8.49 each now at the Enjoy Life online store. Varieties include pancake/waffle, pizza crust, brownie, muffin, and all-purpose flour.

After taking a close look at all of the available evidence from scientific studies, the FDA has told food companies to rid their products of all partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the main source of harmful trans fats in the American diet, within three years. The agency in 2013 made a preliminary ruling that PHOs were not “generally recognized as safe,” then considered all public comments on the proposal. The three-year compliance period will give companies time to reformulate products without PHOs or petition the FDA for special exemptions from the ban. After three years, “no PHOs can be added to human food unless they are otherwise approved by the FDA,” the agency said.

Research in animals conducted in Georgia (U.S.) confirms that vitamin E is crucial to repair of injured muscle, a fact that should cheer body builders as well as sufferers from muscular dystrophy, diabetes-related muscle weakness, and brain trauma from athletics, and military or road injuries. Without vitamin E, the plasma membrane of cells will not heal properly. The plasma membrane keeps a cell from spilling its contents and controls the entry and exit of nutrients, waste, etc. That’s especially important for muscle cells, which are constantly subject to tear. Finding the physiological significance of vitamin E is important, but the researchers cautioned that "the major medical significance here is yet to be uncovered."

U.S. researchers who tested the cognitive flexibility of 40 healthy – but Alzheimer’s at-risk – older adults found that those who ate more omega-3 fatty acids had healthier brains. The area of the brain region that contributes to cognitive flexibility (anterior cingulate cortex) was larger in the omega-3 eating adults and they performed better on cognitive flexibility tests. All participants carried the gene variant APOE e4, a biomarker for a higher risk of developing late onset Alzheimer’s. The researchers cautioned that the findings suggest, but do not prove, that eating fish oils enlarges the anterior cingulate cortex and improves cognitive flexibility in older people.

A U.S. study in mice finds that limiting eating to one large meal a day, compared to eating several small meals, is more likely to lead to insulin resistance in the liver, prediabetes, and weight gain. The liver doesn’t respond to insulin signals telling it to stop producing glucose; the excess blood glucose tends to be stored in the abdomen as fat. That stored visceral fat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The findings suggest that human dieters should not skip meals to save calories because that causes large fluctuations in insulin and glucose. That in turn results in weight gain, rather than weight loss.