The researchers have discovered that people with certain forms of the CD36 gene may like high-fat foods more than those who have other forms of this gene.

The results helped explain why some people struggle when placed on a low-fat diet and may one day assist people in selecting diets that are easier for them to follow.

The results also may help food developers create new low-fat foods that taste better.

“Fat is universally palatable to humans,” Kathleen Keller, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, Penn State said.

“Yet we have demonstrated for the first time that people who have particular forms of the CD36 gene tend to like higher fat foods more and may be at greater risk for obesity compared to those who do not have this form of the gene.

“In animals, CD36 is a necessary gene for the ability to both detect and develop preferences for fat. Our study is one of the first to show this relationship in humans,” she said.

 Keller and a team of scientists from Penn State, Columbia University, Cornell University and Rutgers University examined 317 African-American males and females because individuals in this ethnic group are highly vulnerable to obesity and thus are at greatest risk for obesity-related diseases.

The team gave the participants Italian salad dressings prepared with varying amounts of canola oil, which is rich in long-chain fatty acids.

The participants were then asked to rate their perceptions of the dressings’ oiliness, fat content and creaminess on a scale anchored on the ends with “extremely low” and “extremely high.”

The team also gave participants questionnaires aimed at understanding their food preferences.

Participants rated how much they liked each food on a scale anchored with “dislike extremely” and “like extremely.”

Foods included on the questionnaire were associated with poor dietary intake and health outcomes, such as half-and-half, sour cream, mayonnaise, bacon, fried chicken, hot dogs, French fries, cheese, chips, cake, cookies and doughnuts.

The researchers collected saliva samples from the participants to determine which forms of CD36 they had. From the saliva samples, they extracted DNA fragments and examined differences in the CD36 gene contained within the fragments.

They found that participants who had the “AA” form of the gene, present in 21 percent of the population rated the salad dressings as creamier than individuals who had other forms of the gene.

These individuals reported that the salad dressings were creamier regardless of how much fat was actually in them.

The researchers also found that “AA” individuals liked salad dressings, half-and-half, olive oil and other cooking oils more than those who had other forms of the gene.

“It is possible that the CD36 gene is associated with fat intake and therefore obesity through a mechanism of oral fat perception and preference,” Keller said.

“In other words, our results suggest that people with certain forms of the CD36 gene may find fat creamier and more enjoyable than others.

“This may increase their risk for obesity and other health problems,” she added. Newstrack India

Researchers with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences measured antioxidant content in a Florida-produced blueberry wine and compared it to published reports of antioxidant content in white and red wines made from grapes. Antioxidants are compounds that may offer cells protection from damaging molecules called free radicals.

The researchers found the Florida wine, produced from southern highbush blueberries, had more antioxidants than all of the reported white wine values and all but 20 percent of the reported values for red wines, which are considered high in antioxidants.

Wade Yang, a food science and human nutrition assistant professor with IFAS, led the research.

“For people seeking the potential health benefits of a glass of wine, blueberry wine is a comparable, and, in many instances, better alternative to grape wines,” Yang said.

Blueberry production in Florida was valued at more than $70 million in 2009 and is unique because the state’s warm climate allows it to provide some of the first fresh blueberries on U.S. store shelves in the spring.

Wine production offers blueberry producers a market for extra berries they might not be able to sell due to slight imperfections or late ripening, said Jeff Williamson, an IFAS professor in horticultural sciences and fruit crop specialist.

“Growers are always looking for value-added products and ways to utilize all of their crop rather than just the part that might in this case, ripen at the right time and be of the right standards for fresh fruit,” Williamson said.

Florida’s blueberry wine industry is relatively small, Williamson said.

Yang’s team tested the antioxidant activity of the blueberry wine using a method known as oxygen radical absorbance capacity.

This was the first study that looked at antioxidants in wine from southern highbush blueberries, a variety commonly grown in Florida. Previous studies have examined the antioxidant content of wine from northern varieties, and found the values comparable to southern blueberry wine.

Dark fruit, such as blueberries, often indicates the presence of antioxidants. Many of these antioxidants are transferred from the juice, fruit and skins of the blueberries when they are fermented into wine. PhysOrg

Mridula Chopra and colleagues at the University of Portsmouth, through laboratory studies tested the effect of the nutrient lycopene on the simple mechanism through which cancer cells hijack a body’s healthy blood supply to grow and spread. The research found that lycopene , which is what gives tomatoes their red colour, intercepts cancer’s ability to make the connections it needs to attach to a healthy blood supply.

The researchers, from the university’s School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, are now calling for tests to check if the same reaction occurs in the human body, the Daily Telegraph reported.

“This simple chemical reaction was shown to occur at lycopene concentrations that can easily be achieved by eating processed tomatoes ,” Chopra said.

Lycopene is present in all red fruits and vegetables, but its concentrations are highest in tomatoes and becomes more biologically active when it comes from processed tomatoes with a small amount of cooking oil added. The Times of India

Those mothers-to-be who tucked into oily fish like tuna, sardines and salmon produced infants who scored better in various tests of skill and intelligence, it found.

As part of a £5 million European Commission study into diet, Spanish researchers examined 2,000 women at the 20th week of pregnancy and again after birth.

They questioned them on their diets and took blood samples to test for levels of omega-3 and omega-6, the healthy fatty acids found in oily fish in particular.

The infant children were subsequently tested with verbal intelligence quizzes and on their social and fine motor skills.

The offspring of women who had consumed the most oily fish during pregnancy did the best in the tests, said the University of Granada study.

Omega-3, in particular, contributes to the healthy development of the brain and eyes of a foetus, the researchers told the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

It contains the acid DHA which is a major component of brain cell membranes.

The report added: ‘The amount of DHA transmitted to the foetus through the placenta might be crucial for foetal development.’

The study is part of a bigger project into the effects of diet on newborn babies that will continue until 2013.

It follows a study last year that found eating fish during pregnancy could cut a woman’s odds of developing post-natal depression.

Post-natal depression affects up to 13 per cent of new mothers – and lasts more than a year in severe cases, even with counselling and medication.

However, too much oily fish in pregnancy can be bad for the baby’s development, so experts say it is important that mothers-to-be strike a balance when trying to boost their levels of omega-3.

Women who had taken a regular omega-3 pill scored better on a questionnaire designed to spot symptoms of post-natal depression than those given a placebo.

For example, they were less likely to say they suffered from anxiety or a loss of self-worth.

Lead researcher Dr Michelle Price Judge from the University of Connecticut added while some women may prefer the thought of supplements, eating fish is the more nutritious option. By Claire Bates, The Daily Mail

Proponents of this type of diet say that food proteins called lectins are digested differently, based on your blood type. If you eat food that’s not compatible with your blood type, you may experience many health complications. Hence, follow a diet that’s tailored to your blood type, which will help you lose weight, improve chronic health conditions and prevent certain diseases. For instance, this diet suggests if you are blood type A, you should have a vegetarian diet with fresh, organic foods and do yoga to help avoid the conditions you’re more susceptible to.

The blood group diet originated from American naturopath, Dr Peter D’Adamo, author of Eat Right for Your Type. According to him, a chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. His nutrition plan is based on the premise that our blood type reflects our internal chemistry. Instead of counting calories and fat grams, this diet provides a list of foods to be avoided or included.

Ekta Tandon, Delhi-based nutritionist says, “Your blood type diet is the restoration of your natural genetic rhythm. It works because you are able to follow a clear, logical, scientifically researched plan based on your cellular profile.” She explains, “Each food group is should eat high proteins; Type A should avoid heavy proteins and have carbohydrates; Type B people should drink more milk and avoid fruits like corns, lentils and peanuts. Type AB blood group can have a combination of diet chart of both Type A and Type B.

Naini Setalvad, Mumbai-based nutritionist says, “This diet plan doesn’t count calories and fat and is not as restricted as other fad diets such as Atkins and juice diets.”

Dr Dilip Nadkarni, Mumbai-based orthopedic surgeon, says, “The blood group diet theory needs more scientific divided into three categories: Highly beneficial (food that acts like medicine), foods allowed (foods that do no harm to the blood type) and foods not allowed (foods that act like a poison).”

D’Adamo, in his website says, “People with blood type A have a different set of characteristics from people who are Type O – they should eat different foods.” The blood group diet chart suggests that Type O people study to be accepted universally. D’Adamo prescribes exercises to go hand in hand with his diet, which is better than most diet books that don’t emphasise this aspect. He advises different exercises for different blood groups – O groupers to run, B groupers to hike and golfing for blood group A.”

But avoid getting into the deficiency trap, cautions Dr Nadkarni. Moderation is the key, excess of everything is bad. Consult a professional before following the plan. By Norbert Rego, The Times of India

Researchers at the University of Western Australia gave black leaf tea, such as Earl Grey or English Breakfast to volunteers with normal to high blood pressure.

They were given drinks containing 429 milligrams of the plant chemical polyphenols—or the equivalent of eight and a half cups of tea a day.

A second group were given a tea-flavoured placebo.

After six months, the blood pressure of the tea-drinking group had fallen by between two and three mmHg, the measurement of pressure used in medicine.

A blood pressure fluctuating with the heartbeat between 112 and 63 mmHg is considered healthy, while a reading fluctuating between 140 and 90 is deemed high.

If the experiment was emulated by the general population, the number of people with high blood pressure would be cut by 10 percent and the risk of heart disease would fall by between seven and 10 percent.

“Our study has demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge that long-term regular consumption of black tea can result in significantly lower blood pressures in individuals with normal to high-normal range blood pressures,” the team, led by Jonathan Hodgson, wrote in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Adding milk to tea also does not affect the body’s ability to absorb polyphenols, earlier studies have suggested.

Green tea is believed to have many health benefits as it is high in antioxidants. It is said to help in weight loss, prevent glaucoma and reduce risk of cancer. Khaleej Times

A study published in the British Medical Journal has found no association between the frequency of fried food consumption — when olive or sunflower oil is used — and the incidence of serious heart disease and premature death.

The Spanish study says it is a myth that regularly eating fried food can lead to cardiac complications, provided fresh olive oil or sunflower oil is used. Well, fried food is part of many traditional Indian delicacies; and the use of sunflower oil for cooking too is quite common.

The study says what really matters is the type of oil used and whether or not it was used before. Food fried in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death, but the same is not true of solid or reused oils.

Fried food that is part of modern, American-style takeaways is different as it is cooked in reused oils, rich in transfats. Such foodstuff also tends to contain much more salt, known to increase blood pressure and heart disease risk.

Jyothi Prasad, chief dietician at Manipal Hospital, says: “Olive oil contains mono-saturated fat and sunflower oil has poly-saturated fat—and both are not harmful to the heart. Thus fresh food fried with olive or sunflower oil doesn’t have any negative effect on cardiac health.”

However, it is advisable to have fried food at home rather than outside, as you can never be sure of the oil quality and if the oil was reused with a high content of transfat, Jyothi cautioned. Also, buying packed fried food from a reliable brand that claims ‘zero-transfat’ is safe, she added.

But beware. As it is said, too much of anything is bad, even if it is food fried in olive oil, says Sheela Krishnaswamy, diet consultant and director, Board of International Confederation of Dietetic Associations. “The Spanish use olive oil as it suits the traditional Mediterranean diet. Moreover, not having cardiac complications is not just related to having fried food, but about having a Mediterranean diet, which is healthy. Even the traditional Indian diet is healthy. But we have shifted to more of an American diet, along with adopting a sedentary lifestyle and stress that is aggravating cardiac complications among Indians,” she says.

Moreover, eating a large quantity of fried food, irrespective of the type of oil it is fried in, is not good for cardiac health, says Sheela. “Also, excessive fried food intake leads to weight gain, which itself is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiac complications,” she says.

About the study

While eating lots of fried food can increase some heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, a link between fried food and heart disease was not been fully investigated. So the study authors, led by Pilar Guallar-Castillón professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, surveyed the cooking methods of 40,757 adults aged 29 to 69 years over an 11-year period. None of them had heart disease when the study began, the journal bmj.com reported.

Trained interviewers asked participants about their diet and cooking methods. Fried food was defined as food for which frying was the only cooking method used. Questions were also asked about whether food was fried, battered, crumbed or sautéed.

The participants’ diet was divided into ranges of fried food consumption, the first quarter related to the lowest amount of fried food consumed and the fourth indicated the highest amount.

During the follow-up there were 606 events linked to heart disease and 1,134 deaths. The authors conclude “In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death.” DNA India

week, the findings reveal no increased risk of heart disease or premature death when food is fried in “healthy” oils.

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain studied 40,757 adults regarding their diet in an 11-year study. The participants were surveyed about their diets and food preparation, with findings showing no link between fried foods in the diet and heart disease.

The research was carried on the Mediterranean diet, which has long been established as a heart-healthy diet, as it is chock full of fresh fruits, healthy oils, vegetables, and fish, as well as the occasional glass of red wine.

Health experts already know that fat-laden foods can raise blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as lead to weight gain. Experts warn  that regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. So, the best solution for a healthy heart is a well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables and only a small amount of high fat foods. Hindustan Times

A glass of juice in the morning is believed to be the healthy way to start a day, but Australian scientists have claimed that some fruit juices contain so much sugar that they actually increase the risk of certain cancers, rather than preventing them.

They said, in fact, by the time the drink has been processed and packaged, many of the ingredients in fruit that protect against tumours have been lost, the Daily Mail reported.

The researchers wanted to establish how effective different fruits, vegetables and juices were at preventing the development of bowel cancer.

They examined the diets of 2,200 adults, who filled in a questionnaire detailing their daily eating habits. The team then tracked the participants for two years to see how many of them developed the disease.

Unsurprisingly they found that eating apples, sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli on a daily basis all reduced the likelihood.

However, those who consumed lots of fruit juice had a higher risk.

The research found that those drinking more than three glasses a day were more likely to develop rectal cancer, a form of bowel cancer.

Scientists believe the high sugar content in juice may trigger certain tumours.

The Perth team also said that many things found in fruit which help protect against bowel cancer – including fibre, vitamin C and chemicals known as antioxidants – are lost during the juice’s processing.The Times of India

This once again puts the focus on what health specialists in many countries have been trying to do: restrict certain kinds of junk food ads. In Canada, recent surveys have shown support for an outright ban on ads of products with high sugar, high fat or high salt content. A bit drastic, perhaps, but with child obesity becoming a growing problem, the day may not be far off when burger packets will carry warnings saying “Junk food can be injurious to your health”. Europe has imposed heavy taxes on such products and have even stopped their sale in schools.

Packaged and processed junk food is relatively new in India, but we are catching up fast. Colas, with their extremely high sugar content, are now drunk even by very young children, and the popularity of burgers, chips and the like is growing. An educational campaign that can offset some of the glamour of junk food ads can be one step towards making people aware of what exactly they are consuming and what the effects can be. Deccan Chronicle