It’s no surprise that labels are becoming the “go to” place when people have questions about how food is produced. But new Cornell University research finds that consumers crave more information, especially for the potentially harmful ingredients that aren’t included in the product.
Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict cancer recurrence, than men who ate a typical Western diet, UCLA researchers found.
The reality of existing insurance coverage precludes effective implementation of four newly released cardiovascular guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Academy supports the new guidelines and urges public and private insurance carriers to follow the recommendations so that Americans will have access to health care they deserve.
. In the past, SNAP has been shown to reduce poverty among the poorest Americans and generate economic activity. However, according to a new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, SNAP benefits alone may not be enough to provide its beneficiaries with the long-term food security or dietary quality they need.
Satiety, lean protein, low carb and fat burning are four buzzwords that are commonly associated with weight management. In the November issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about 12 foods and ingredients that are tipping the scales towards better health.
New research has uncovered an underutilized berry that could be the new super fruit, the buffaloberry. A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that buffaloberries contain large amounts of lycopene and a related acidic compound, methyl-lycopenoate, which are important antioxidants and nutrients beneficial for human health.
UCLA researchers report that tiny amounts of a specific type of lipid in the small intestine may play a greater role than previously thought in generating the high cholesterol levels and inflammation that lead to clogged arteries. The team also found they could reduce the negative effects of these lipids in mice by feeding the animals a new genetically engineered tomato being developed at UCLA that is designed to mimic HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The study, in the December issue of the Journal of Lipid Research with an accompanying editorial, focused on a group of lipids found in the small intestine called unsaturated lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs).
Some vegetable oils that claim to be healthy may actually increase the risk of heart disease, and Health Canada should reconsider cholesterol-lowering claims on food labelling, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.130253.
• In patients with hypertensive nephropathy, kidney health was preserved in those consuming extra fruits and vegetables, which are highly alkaline.
• In patients with chronic kidney disease, those with high dietary acid levels experienced accelerated kidney function decline.
• In chronic kidney disease patients with low socioeconomic status, the detrimental effect of high dietary acid levels on progression to kidney failure was greater for blacks than for whites
Highlights
• Consuming at least two soft drinks per day is linked with increased excretion of protein in the urine.
• Moderate fructose intake increases salt reabsorption by the kidneys.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics commends recent efforts by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to lay the foundation for increasing access to healthy, nutritious foods in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and to improve the program’s integrity.
• In patients with chronic kidney disease who lowered their salt intake for two weeks, excess extracellular fluid volume, blood pressure, and protein excretion in the urine all dropped considerably.
• If maintained long-term, the effects could reduce a patient’s risk of progressing to kidney failure by 30%.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics applauds the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts, announced November 7, to reduce partially hydrogenated oils in processed foods. PHOs are the primary dietary source of artificial trans fats, which have been proven to raise low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol, and increase people’s risk of coronary heart disease.
New findings show IV infusions of vitamin C can improve skeletal muscle fatigue in COPD patients, further implicating the role of oxidative stress in the skeletal muscle problems that accompany the disease.
The knowledge and skills required to change poor nutrition and health behavior choices are often unavailable to those living with financial limitations. Competing demands on time and resources may pose obstacles to their achieving better diets. However, two researchers at the University of Minnesota recently completed a study that looked at the effects that three educational sessions might have on knowledge and behaviors of 118 low-income women of ethnically diverse backgrounds.
More people are cooking at home, and more people are finding their recipes online via food blogs. The photos of dishes posted on the blogs, however, may attract potential cooks more than the nutritional value of the recipes. In addition, many food companies sponsor these sites, so the recipes become advertisements for their products. This has the potential to change the healthfulness of the recipes.
National Healthy Eating Day is this Wednesday, November 6. Mount Sinai Heart and Food and Nutrition Services at The Mount Sinai Hospital are teaming up on this special day to raise awareness of the importance of making daily heart-healthy food choices when you are cooking at home, eating-out, or at work.
Iowa State University researchers looked at how prices, parents and peers affect fruit and vegetable consumption among African-American youths. Researchers say understanding these factors can help design more effective policy interventions.
Researchers used a new strategy that allowed them to indirectly measure amounts of multiple nutrients in multiple people at the same time, an advance that should make it possible to rapidly detect nutritional deficiencies of an entire population, apply remediation efforts and test their worth within months instead of years.
Increased vitamin D levels may prevent a wide range of diseases, according to recent studies. However, some previous studies led to a concern that vitamin D supplementation could increase an individual’s risk of developing kidney stones.
Women who watch their weight and closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, vegetable oils, fish and beans may increase their chance of becoming pregnant, according to dietitians at Loyola University Health System (LUHS).
In recent years, studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding whether calcium supplements used to prevent fractures increase the risk of heart attack.
Now, in an assessment of the scientific literature, reported as a perspective piece in the October 17, 2013 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, a UC San Francisco researcher says patients and health care practitioners should focus on getting calcium from the diet, rather than supplements, when possible.
Low-calorie sweeteners (also referred to as alternative sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners, intense sweeteners, or sugar substitutes) are used in foods and beverages instead of sugar (sucrose) to provide sweetness without adding a significant amount of calories.
A survey of stores in a predominantly black, low income area of Philadelphia found that nearly 80 percent received low ratings for the availability of healthy food, finds a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
In the United States more than 77 million adults have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, which can cause heart disease and stroke. In the October issue of Food Technology magazine, Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about six foods that have been shown in studies to have a beneficial effect on lowering blood pressure.
In the United States, children don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Instead, their diets typically include excessive amounts of sugars and solid fats, counter to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes. A team of investigators implemented a two-year intervention study in low-income, rural areas where a disproportionately higher risk of overweight and obesity habits among children persists, leading to increased risk of diabetes and heart disease in adulthood. The children enrolled in the study consumed significantly more fruits and vegetables. The results are published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
A new report from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design identifies unhealthy retail advertising practices, particularly in lower income areas of Philadelphia and within a few blocks of schools.