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As per a new study soda, chips, chowmein and other junk foods commonly found in school canteens are not the cause of weight gain among children-at least for middle school students.
The study is based on data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999, which follows a nationally representative sample of students from the fall of kindergarten through the spring of eighth grade (the 1998-1999 through 2006-2007 schools years). [Read more...]
Protein is once again in the news as an important player in weight management.
When you’re trying to lose weight, reducing the amount of fat on your body is very important. The pounds on the scale certainly tell a story, but its where those excess pounds come from that matters.
There are lots of theories that look at proteins vs fats vs carbohydrates and which are most likely to contribute to weight issues, but a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that it’s extra calories that contribute to an increase in body fat — where those calories come from may not make that much difference. [Read more...]
Our taste buds can recognize fat and some people may even have a preference for it due to variation in genes that can make certain persons more or less receptive to the taste of fat in foods.
These findings were made in a study by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Investigators found that people with a particular variant of the CD36 gene are far more sensitive to the presence of fat than others.
The researchers studied 21 people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, which is considered to be obese. Some participants had a genetic variant that led to the production of more CD36 protein. Others made much less. And some were in between. [Read more...]
Keeping pounds off long-term is difficult for even the most successful dieter, and scientists may now be on the path to determining why.
A study published recently in The Journal of Clinical Investigation shows that high-fat foods cause damage to the hypothalamus – an area in the brain responsible for hunger, thirst and the body’s natural rhythms and cycles – in rodents.
“These are really important papers that begin to push the idea out that we’re not in control as much as we think we are,” says Dr. Steven R. Smith, co-director for the Sanford-Burnham Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, who wasn’t involved with the study. [Read more...]
The holidays are over, January has arrived, and many of us enter the New Year determined to live our lives a little healthier than last.
If you’re a baby boomer, you may be noticing a few more aches and pains this year compared to last, or perhaps a little progression of some unwelcome medical problem like high blood pressure or diabetes.
We often hear about the health benefits of eating more fruits and veggies, getting a little more exercise, or getting your weight down, but did you know that adding more spices and herbs to your food can reduce inflammation and also reduce your risk of chronic disease?
Most cultures have used spices and herbs in their traditional cuisines for thousands of years; we often think of these ingredients as flavor-enhancers, but nature in her wisdom has also provided these plants to us for their powerful health benefits. [Read more...]
Natural foods, caffeine-saturated energy products and senior nutrition are predicted to dominate nutrition trends in 2012, according to a report that polled 450 senior executives in the global food, beverage and ingredients industry.
In New Nutrition Business’s “10 Key Trends in Food Nutrition and Health 2012” report, the notion of “Naturality” topped the list and includes the free-from industry, such as gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free foods.
Where consumers can expect to see this trend proliferate is in beverage and snack foods, reported online trade site NutraIngredients.com, just as it’s helped catapult sales of Greek yogurt in the US, coconut water, almonds and pistachios in recent years: all are credible, all-natural, guilt-free snack options. [Read more...]
That shiny blue color flaunting all of its metallic glory on your painted nails might add a flash of style to your fingers, but it’s wreaking havoc on the environment — and your health.
You’re no eco-dummy. You don’t need to do a lick of research to know that a product that comes in every hue of the rainbow — and then some — is anything but natural. What makes that glossy nail polish so eye-catching-ly shiny and able to stick to your nails for days? A slew of chemicals, of course. We know you’re pretty eco-savvy, but do you know just how much bad stuff that one teeny nail polish bottle holds? [Read more...]