The Perspective

As world food prices rise, we must change our wasteful habits and clear out overstuffed fridges.

Cheap food is something that we’ve all come to take for granted in Britain. But the world around us is changing at an alarming pace: within a decade, this country may not be a member of the G8; keeping the lights on will be a real challenge; and food that’s as “cheap as chips” will be a thing of the past. [Read more...]

In a new study, researchers found that drinking soda — diet or sugar-sweetened — can boost your risk of stroke, especially if you’re a woman. Conversely, drinking either decaffeinated or regular coffee decreased stroke risk.

While numerous studies have linked soda consumption with weight

gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and Harvard University in the US report that their study is the first to examine soda’s affect on stroke risk. [Read more...]

Scientists have explained why eating ice cream too quickly can cause a painful headache – commonly known as brain freeze.

They hope to use the discovery to develop new treatments for migraine.

The instant headache brought on by ice cold food and drinks is the bane of the summer with ice-cream lovers often seen clutching their foreheads waiting for the gripping pain to ease.

Scientists have noticed that migraine sufferers are more prone to ‘brain freeze’ and wondered if the phenomenon could be turned to their advantage. [Read more...]

People who drink low-fat milk and eat low-fat curd and cheese have a lowered stroke risk compared to those who consume full-fat dairy foods, says a new study.

Researchers who surveyed 74,961 adults aged 45 to 83 found that those who ate low-fat dairy foods had a 12 percent lower risk of stroke and a 13 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke (when an artery to the brain is blocked) than those who ate high-fat dairy foods.

Participants were free of heart disease, stroke and cancer at the start of the study. All completed a 96-item food and beverage questionnaire to determine dietary habits. [Read more...]

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and Harvard University have found that greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a higher risk of stroke. Conversely, consumption of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee was associated with a lower risk.

The study – recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – is the first to examine soda’s effect on stroke risk. Previous research has linked sugar-sweetened beverage consumption with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout and coronary artery disease. [Read more...]