In advanced economies, households generally cook less than half of their meals leading to an increased concern among nutrition policy makers that fewer meals are being cooked at home.

Reasons for this are varied and include lack of skills and confidence, little access to basic food commodities, cooking facilities and the availability of commercial alternatives. The food security of some vulnerable groups, like the aged, can be compromised as a result, although programs like Meals-on-Wheels can alleviate the risk.

In the study a team of Taiwanese and Australian researchers looked at the cooking practices of a group of free-living elderly Taiwanese people aged 65 and over.

The researchers found that nearly half (43 per cent) of the study population never cooked; 17 per cent cooked 1-2 times a week; 9 per cent cooked 3-5 times a week and 31 per cent cooked up to 5 times a week.

During the 10 year study, 695 of the participants died and an analysis of the cooking habits of the studies participants, revealed that those who cooked more were more likely to still be alive (only 59 per cent of the frequent cooks died). The possibility of other factors, besides cooking, was also extensively investigated, but the aforementioned link still remained.

Those found to be cooking the most (and living the longest) were unmarried women who lived and ate alone, had not been highly educated, were non-drinkers and non-smokers, got around by public transport, walking and cycling, and shopped more than once a week. Along with cooking more frequently, these women also reported enjoying a better, more nutritious diet than others in the study, with diets high in fibre, vitamin C and low in cholesterol.

Women who cooked for a spouse or other family members also lived longer. Men were more likely never to cook or to cook infrequently. They were also more likely to die at a younger age.

This gender difference may have something to do with men’s inability to cook to a similar health advantage as women with regard to food choice aptitude or extent of cooking skill. In a forthcoming accompanying Editorial (Erlich, Wahlqvist and Yngve, Public Health Nutrition 2012 ) the authors note, “One reason why women may benefit most from cooking later in life is that they are cooking for someone else, as they have probably always done: that is, they are cooking with greater purpose than simply preparing meals for themselves”.

Cooking has achieved prominence in the media but has been subject to little scientific enquiry. As the study’s lead author, Prof Mark Wahlqvist, who works in international health and nutrition, observed, “it has become clear that cooking is a healthy behaviour. It deserves a place in life-long education, public health policy, urban planning and household economics. The pathways to health that food provides are not limited to its nutrients or components, but extend to each step in the food chain, from its production, to purchase, preparation and eating, especially with others”. PhysOrg

This is a salad lover’s delight! Thinly cut strips of purple cabbage with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or Greek olive oil can create a fun, healthy dish. Purple cabbage is also pickled and added to stir-fries!

Health benefit: Cabbage is a great store of vitamin C and vitamin K. The rich deep colour of this vegetable is due to a high concentration of anthocyanin polyphenols (strong dietary antioxidants, possessing anti-inflammatory properties), making it have even more phytonutrients than a green cabbage. A few studies also show that anthocyanins may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. It is rich in anti-oxidants which makes skin supple and clear.

How to store: Keep the purple cabbage in a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Here is a quick fix recipe:

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

Ingredients:

Purple cabbage, thinly sliced: About 8 cups

Butter: 2 tbsp

Sugar: 3 tbsp

Balsamic vinegar: 1/4 cup

Sultanas and pine nuts: A handful

Method:

Take a large saucepan and melt the butter in it. Now, add the cabbage and saute this for a few minutes. Sprinkle the sugar and add the vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Take off the heat, season, add the sultanas and nuts. Serve. By Ismat Tahseen, The Times of India

The results of a two-year dietary study led by Hans Guldbrand, general practitioner, and Fredrik Nystrom, professor of internal medicine at the Linkoping University, Sweden, show that this kind of diet could have a better effect on blood sugar levels and blood lipids.

Diabetes millitus type-2 is a lifelong disease in which there are high-levels of blood sugar (glucose). Diabetes is caused by a problem in the way your body makes or uses insulin. Insulin is needed to move glucose into cells, where it is stored and later used for energy.

In type-2 diabetes, your fat, liver, and muscle cells do not respond correctly to insulin. Consequently, blood sugar does not get into these cells to be stored for energy. Increased fat also makes it harder for your body to use insulin the correct way.

The study is based on 61 patients who were randomised into two groups, where they followed either a low-carbohydrate (high fat) diet or a low-fat diet, the journal Diabetologia reports.

In both groups, the participants lost approximately four kg on an average. Besides, a clear improvement in the glycaemic (blood sugar) control was seen in the low-carbohydrate group after six months, according to a Linkoping statement.

Despite the increased fat intake with a larger portion of saturated fatty acids, the HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol content increased on the high-fat diet.

In the high-fat diet, 50 percent of the energy came from fat, 20 percent from carbohydrates, and 30 percent from protein. For the low-fat group, the distribution was 30 percent from fat, 55-60 percent from carbohydrates, and 10-15 percent from protein.

The participants were recruited from two primary health care centres and met for four group meetings during the first year of the study. All 61 participated in the study for the follow-up.

“In contrast to most other studies of this type, we lost no patients at all, which vouches for the good quality of our data,” Guldbrand says. Khaleej Times

This could be because eating very quickly encourages weight gain, which can trigger the illness.

Scientists in Lithuania presented their finding at the International Congress of Endocrinology and European Congress of Endocrinology in Florence, Italy, the Daily Mail reported.

They looked at 702 people, including 234 who had just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

They all filled in a detailed questionnaire about their lifestyles, which included sections on diets, exercise and whether they smoked.

Overweight women miss out on jobs because of ‘fat discrimination’ne question asked them if they ate faster, more slowly or at the same speed as others.

They were also measured and weighed to calculate their body mass index, which determines whether they are obese.

The researchers found that those who admitted they ate more quickly than most other people were two-and-a-half times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

They claimed that this trend existed even once they had accounted for other causes such as obesity, smoking, diet and a family history of the illness.

“The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing globally and becoming a world pandemic. It appears to involve interaction between susceptible genetic backgrounds and environmental factors,” said lead researcher Dr Lina Radzeviciene from Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.

“It’s important to identify modifiable risk factors that may help people reduce their chances of developing the disease,” she noted.

The scientists did not explain why eating fast appeared to be linked to type 2 diabetes.

But obesity has long been recognised as one of the main causes of the illnesses.

Previous studies have found that people who eat quickly also eat more, and consequently are more likely to be overweight.

Experts think this is because their digestive system doesn’t have a chance to send a signal to the brain that it is full.

But David Speigelhalter, a professor in the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University, warned that the study was too small to be meaningful.

“This is one of those many small studies that raise an interesting question but don’t prove causation. It is a huge and unjustified jump to say that eating slower reduces your risk of getting diabetes,” he stated. Newstrack India

You’ll search in vain for the northern Indian fare that’s familiar to most Americans. Instead, you’ll find dishes like avial (vegetables in coconut sauce) and dhahi vada (fried lentil “donuts” dipped in yogurt), and entire categories devoted to dosa (rice flour crêpes) and uthappam (savory lentil and rice flour pancakes). Even if you’re a fan of the cuisine, chances are you’ll discover a few items on Sai Krishna Bhavan’s menu you haven’t come across before.

Don’t let any of that stop you from embarking on a rewarding gastronomic adventure that could well have you returning again and again for further exploration. If the menu’s accurate but brief descriptions aren’t a sufficient map to chart your course, rest assured that owner Rajendra Yarlagadda is a most able and affable tour guide.

Born in Andhra Pradesh, Yarlagadda has worked in several southern Indian restaurants on the East Coast, most recently for 10 years at Udupi Café in Cary. He set out on his own to open Sai Krishna Bhavan in November. Yarlagadda will cheerfully help you tailor your order to your palate and your sense of adventure.

He might steer you toward the assorted appetizer, platter, which – except for the fiery chile pakora – offers a gentle introduction to the cuisine. The platter even includes a large vegetable pakora that should make any devotee of northern Indian cuisine feel right at home. You also get a lightly breaded “cutlet” of minced vegetables; a batter-fried lentil dumpling called bonda, with mildly spiced filling of mashed potatoes and peas; and a vada. Served with sambar, the spicy lentil soup that accompanies many dishes, and a trio of chutneys (including the coconut chutney that’s a hallmark of the cuisine), it’s ample for three or four to share.

An Indian take on the spring roll, whose mixed vegetable filling is punctuated with onion, is another way to ease your way into the meal.

Follow that with uthappam – the one with coconut baked into the top of the cake until the shreds turn a nice toasty brown. If you’re feeling bolder, uthappam with diced onion and hot chiles ought to hit the spot. Either way, be sure to dip pieces into the coconut chutney that’s served alongside – or the ginger chutney that’s obligingly provided if you ask.

The dosa dish

You’ll also want to try at least one of the 15 variations on dosa, the signature dish of southern India. Always an impressive sight, the crêpe is so large that, even when one is folded around a filling, its edges hang several inches off the rim of the plate. The dosa is very thin, though, and the filling little more than a bulge in the middle. A couple of people shouldn’t have trouble polishing off at least one.

But which filling? Mysore masala dosa, with mashed potato and onion on a whisper-thin smear of spicy chutney, is a classic. Deservedly so, but I’m partial to the butter dosa: no filling at all, just acres of buttery crêpe with a lacy, delicately crisp border.

In lieu of a filling, I’d happily round out my meal with kadai bhindi curry, a colorful medley of okra, diced red and green bell peppers and onion in a gently spiced curry showered with chopped cilantro. Maybe an order of gobi Manchurian, a fiery Indian-Chinese dish featuring crisp, chile-reddened nuggets (if you order it “dry” rather than “with gravy”) of cauliflower. Or the Hyderabadi deep-fried eggplant classic, guth vankay.

Sai Krishna Bhavan’s dining rooms are modestly but attractively furnished in an understated contemporary style whose muted shades of coral and ivory create a relaxed and quietly inviting mood. In the room on the left, a lunch buffet is offered every day but Monday.

The restaurant’s name translates to something like “house of Krishna,” according to its owner. That’s a bold name for a first restaurant, in essence proclaiming it a worthy dwelling for one of Hinduism’s greatest avatars. I’d say that’s not far off the mark. By Greg Cox, The News & Observer

They say Cherries grown in sun-rich Central Otago are a natural source of melatonin at levels 30 times higher than their northern hemisphere counterparts.

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally present in the human body and aids sleep.

The findings come from research commissioned by Fruision Ltd, a joint venture between Hamilton-based Quantec Ltd, a company specialising in developing health remedies from natural products, and Alexandra-based fruitgrower Summerfrui, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Previous studies published in the United States have shown northern hemisphere cherries to have levels of melatonin at two to 15 nanograms per gram.

The latest study, undertaken by an independent laboratory in Australia, has shown Central Otago cherries have 500 nanograms per gram.

When the cherries had been dried, the melatonin levels increased to 3100 nanograms per gram.

Fruision senior scientist Dr Judy Bragger said Kiwi plants are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation than those growing at a similar latitude in Europe of North America, and this caused them to produce more secondary metabolites – organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal plant growth.

“It is these secondary metabolites that the cherries produce that have such great human health promoting properties when eaten,” Dr Bragger stated.

Moanui Laboratories in Hamilton were already backing the science and are the first New Zealand company to distribute a sleep aid derived from cherries in a capsule form. The Siasat Daily

According to researchers, embarrassment about the types of food they are eating, as well as the amount they consume, may be the reason for their secret habits.

“The odd snack here and there isn’t a bad thing,” the Daily Express quoted Cathy Kapica, adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Tufts University in Massachusetts, and an adviser to the study, as saying.

“In fact snacks can be an important part of a healthy eating style.

“Choosing snack foods that are nutritious and taste good may help alleviate the sense of guilt, and the need for secrecy around snacking.

“Switching to healthy snacks, or cutting down, would be much easier than trying to keep it secret.

“If you are snacking in secret, it probably means you are eating something you think you shouldn’t be eating,” she added.

The study of 2,000 Britons also revealed 40 per cent of women hide snacks away from their partner – to stop them eating them.

And the back of a drawer or cupboard is the top hiding place. Newstrack India

Pork scratchings

(pork rind or crackle)

Heavy and hard, we are talking fatty pig skin deep fried and then doused in salt. Also, if you are lucky you might even get one sporting a few hairs; pig hair is usually removed by quickly burning the skin before it is cut into pieces and cooked in the hot fat. Plus they are not great for your teeth either; we couldn’t get the stats on how many dental injuries have been inflicted by eating these suckers but we are guessing it’s pretty high.

Fried desserts

Fried desserts feature high up on the list of worst foods to eat as essentially you are dipping something in batter that is already high in sugar and fat, and then deep frying it. And don’t be fooled by pineapple and banana fritters either, they are no better because they are fruit, the layer of batter and the fact they are swimming in sugary syrup make them no go dishes too.

Cheesy fries

Fries could feature as a bad food on their own, but, as you know we are all about moderation here at realbuzz.com and seriously cutting these from your life totally would be a hard move. But taking a plate fried potato and layering it in cheese, well, that takes them up a notch in the bad food stakes. Cheese typically contains over 10 times as much saturated fat as fish and white meat and coupled with deep fried carbs, a serving of cheesy chips are a big bad no no.

Fizzy drinks

Pop and soda — yeah they’re bad, mainly because they pack massive amounts of calories, even in small quantities, so you are adding to your daily calorie quota and getting little nutritional value in return. Studies have also linked fizzy drink consumption to osteoporosis, tooth decay and heart disease. And diet drinks are not recommended either, granted they are lower in calories but as they contribute to dental erosion (the bubbles in the drink are acidic) they are a no go as well.

Coloured alcopops

Cutting alcohol totally from your diet is a bit like the chip situation, not entirely practical and could lead to a generally joyless existence, but there are boozy drinks that are far worse than the others and alcopops are one of them. Alcopops are again big calorie culprits as they are packed with sugar and calorific alcohol. Plus the fact that they are full of colours and flavorings all contribute to making them a pretty toxic tipple. Little rule of thumb, the brighter the color of the alcopop, potentially the worse it is for you. Instead opt for clear spirits with soda, tonic or fruit juice and steer clear of the technicolor stuff.

Liquid meals

Okay, they aren’t inherently bad for you, but liquid meals or meal-replacement drinks do keep you from eating proper food. You need to make sure you eat eating whole, natural foods to ensure you gain all your nutrients. Meal replacements maybe okay for people who are too ill to eat, but don’t let them replace the real foods in your diet.

Processed meats

These are also sometimes referred to as ‘mystery meats’ because it’s ambiguous as to what some of them actually contain. But you can be assured that if it comes from a can and is kind of unrecognizable — it’s not going to be great for your body. Try to steer clear of sausages and salamis too, these food stuffs are generally all the unwanted bits churned up with fat and salt, we are talking heads, knees and toes (plus a few other less-desirable bits).

Chicken nuggets

First off, chicken nuggets that are not made from filets are the real bad guys. Again it’s similar to the sausages situation, all the leftover carcass bits mixed up with sawdust-type stuff to bulk out the meat so manufacturers can crank out more portions. But it’s when these little nuggets are deep fried that really boosts their ‘worst-food’ status and it’s all to do with the size. Smaller fried items, i.e. nuggets absorb more fat that larger pieces of fried goods, so a portion of nuggets will pack way more fat that a single larger fried piece. So if you want fried chicken — go for a big breast.

Doughnuts

If there is one food that epitomizes the 21st century junk food it’s the doughnut. Coated, filled, glazed, sugared, jam crammed or plain old ring they are not great for your body. And it’s not only the refined flour, refined sugar and then the frying in the refined oil that makes them bad for you. Doughnuts will upset blood-sugar balance, and give a quick high followed by a crash and burn low, then you guessed it, you’re hungry again and reaching for another one — that’s why they generally come in boxes of 10.

Canned soups

Now, soups don’t seem to be one of the bad boys and in comparison to some of the above, and they probably can sit quite comfy in the middle of the bad-food scale, but it’s their salt-packing stealth that gets them into this list. Soups mainly sport a healthy identity; wholesome, warming and good for you. The reality is many canned varieties are super-high in salt, so if you must have soup, avoid the canned ones or make your own. Yahoo Daily News

Deaths due to heart attacks were way ahead of deaths due to traffic accidents. The other killers were stress and high blood pressure, according to the annual report released by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary of Health Policies Affairs at the Ministry of Health and Chair of Higher National Committee for Diabetes, said: “What really worries us is the less physical activity among adolescents.”

A school survey showed that children between 13 to 15 years of age spend more than three hours every day on TV and computer games.

Inactivity

This inactivity is expected to turn a large number of residents obese by the year 2015.

The report warns the obesity rates among women will reach 44.6 percent by the year 2015.

“The high obesity rate among children and adolescents is dangerous and this goes back to less physical activity, fast food consumption and high consumption of energy drinks and sugars,” Fikri said in the annual report.

The health ministry is also worried that more young adults are smoking and that tobacco consumption was growing despite taking stringent steps.

A school survey showed increasing rates of smoking among school boys which went up to 17 per cent in 2010 as against 14.9 per cent five years ago. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and also adversely affects non-smokers in homes such as children and women.

The report highlights the vital role of preventive measures in surmounting the health challenges that pose a danger to society in general, the health policy chief said.

The good news is that infant mortality is down and polio has been eradicated and that the UAE is malaria-free, according to the report.

But to offset the good news the report notes that about 20 per cent of the population will turn diabetic by the year 2030. By Mahmood Saberi, Gulf News