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 FAT FIGHTIN' PHYTOCHEMICALS
Berries, Blood Oranges,
Red Grapes Contain Anti-Obesity Compound
Japanese
researchers may have identified an antioxidant found in certain
fruits and vegetables that could fight fat with double biological
barrels.
Spanish olives, strawberries, blackberries,
blueberries, raspberries, red grapes, blood oranges, purple corn and
Açaí berries contain the phytochemical C3G that was found to
increase production of both adoponectin and leptin in animal trials
at Doshisha University.
Adoponectin is a protein that
enhances fat burning. Leptin, on the other hand, is a hormone that
suppresses appetite and triggers thermogenesis -- the conversion of
calories to body heat. In fact, the word "leptin" derives from the
Greek "leptos," meaning thin. A second study found that mice on a
high-fat diet gained less weight when C3G was added to their food
than a control group.
The data suggest that certain
anthocyanins, long recognized for their free-radical scavenging
prowess, could also have therapeutic potential in the prevention of
obesity and diabetes. More research is merited to confirm the same
benefits in humans.
NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER BEATS BOOZE ON BENEFITS
With Half
the Calories and Lower Risk
New research suggests several advantages to alcohol-free beer. Softer
suds have the same cardiovascular benefits as the hard stuff --
without courting the risk of abuse or addiction, according to a
German study recently published in the Journal of Alcoholism:
Clinical and Experimental Research.
While excessive
alcohol consumption actually increases the risk of thrombosis, or
blood vessel clotting, so-called "fake" beer caused a significant
decrease in clot creation. Best of all for those who prefer
six-pack-abs to beer bellies, non-alcoholic brewskies have half the
calories of alcoholic ales.
Until now, many researchers have
credited ethanol, the intoxicating agent in alcoholic beverages, as
the ingredient responsible for benefits such as higher HDL (good)
cholesterol, lower blood pressure and decreased stroke risk. But new
findings suggests other compounds -- polyphenols, B vitamins,
resveratrol, and non-alcoholic byproducts of fermentation -- might
play a larger role than previously believed.
Though more
research is needed to determine the precise mechanisms involved,
there's evidence that certain health benefits of beer might derive
from the phytonutrients found in hops and barley -- not the alcohol.
According to Julie Walsh, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic
Association, B vitamins are another benefit from beer not dependent
on alcoholic content. B vitamins, including folic acid, may lower
blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which when elevated
increase the risk of heart disease and bone fractures.
Keep
in mind, however, that excessive alcohol intake actually prevents
your body from absorbing folic acid in the first place --
another argument in favor of opting for alcohol-free. In the end,
the most important health advantage to alcohol-free beverages might
be as basic as a reduction of "drinking and driving"-related
fatalities.
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 BOOST YOUR BRAIN DAY
Stay Lean, Eat Green, Avoid
Memory Loss
This year's "Boost Your Brain Day" (Oct.
18) comes on the heels of several groundbreaking studies presented
at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and
Related Disorders held in Philadelphia this past
summer.
Harvard Medical School researchers found that
middle-aged women who ate the most leafy greens and/or cruciferous
veggies boosted their odds of maintaining mental sharpness in later
years. Specifically, those who ate eight or more servings of
vegetables, like spinach and broccoli, scored higher on cognitive
tests than subjects who consumed just three servings a
week.
Obesity doubles the risk of developing dementia,
according to a 21-year longitudinal study involving 1,500 people
presented by Swedish researchers. The risk level was six times
higher for those with obesity-related ailments such as
hypertension and high cholesterol. Inflammation and impeded blood
flow to the brain might be among the factors that leave the obese
more vulnerable to developing Alzheimer's.
Experts fear that
today's obesity crisis could exacerbate tomorrow's Alzheimer's
epidemic. Current estimates project that today's 4.5 million
Alzheimer's cases could rise to 16 million by mid-century. But
even these projections may be too modest as they fail to
incorporate the seemingly inexorable march of rising obesity
rates.
Both studies, however, point to a common prevention
strategy. The same vegetables found to preserve brain power in the
Harvard study are high in fiber and low in calories, making them
smart choices for anyone trying to keep both free radicals and
excess pounds at bay. So protect yourself from such cerebral
saboteurs by filling up on fruits and vegetables, which provide
maximum antioxidant bang for your calorie buck.
Want to learn
more? Check out these related items from past issues of the
DNN:
Curry to Curb Alzheimer's Risk
Blueberries to Keep Gray Matter in Pink
Dumb Habits Dull Thinking
And remind your
loved ones to safeguard their cerebellum with one of these adorable
e-cards!
BANANAS, ORANGES LOWER LEUKEMIA RISK IN
KIDS
Pre-Pregnancy Diet Also Plays Key Role
In
a study comparing the diets of children with leukemia to a
cancer-free control group, researchers from the University of
California, Berkeley, found evidence to suggest that certain fruits
may protect against the disease. As Dr. Marilyn Kwan observed: "We
found that regular consumption of oranges and/or bananas during
the first two years of life was associated with a reduced risk of
childhood leukemia."
The high nutrient content of both
dietary staples are credited for the protective benefit --
specifically, the rich potassium content in bananas and the citrus
fruit's vitamin C (which may prevent the kind of DNA damage that
encourages cancer growth).
A separate study, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences, (NIEHS), found that the higher the intake of fruits, vegetables and protein in
the 12 month-period before conception, the lower a woman's chances
of giving birth to a child with leukemia.
"This is the
first time researchers have conducted a systematic survey of a
woman's diet and linked it to the risk of childhood leukemia,"
announced Dr. Kenneth Olden, director of the NIEHS.
About
2,200 children are diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in the
United Stated each year, making it the most common cancer in
children and adolescents. Advances in treatment have greatly
increased survival rates, but research into prevention through
proper diet comprises a new frontier with promising leads.
SILLY RABBIT, WHOLE GRAINS ARE FOR KIDS!
General
Mills Makes Wholesome Cereal Change
In a shift that
former FDA Commissioner David Kessler said "could signal the most
comprehensive improvement in the nation's food supply since the
government began mandatory fortification of grains in the 1940s," General Mills announced plans to convert all its
cereals to whole grains.
While General Mills was among
the pioneers of whole grains, with cereals such as Cheerios,
Wheaties and Total, perennial children's favorites such as Trix,
Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms are currently made from refined grains.
General Mills VP of Marketing, John Haugen, says these products will
be switched to whole grains over the course of the next three
months.
With the average American consuming 160 bowls of
cereal a year, such a wholesale shift in the primary ingredient of a
dietary staple could have a tremendously positive health impact. In
contrast to refined grains, which put energy and insulin levels on a
roller coaster ride, the high fiber content of complex carbs help
keep blood sugar on an even keel. Those who consume at least three
whole grain servings a day in one Tufts study were less likely to be
afflicted by pre-diabetes, a metabolic syndrome that includes
abdominal obesity, high blood lipids (fats), insulin resistance and
high blood pressure.
The General Mills move makes the #2
cereal maker a potential ally in the fight against obesity, as
recent research recommends whole grains as a weapon against weight
gain. A Harvard study of 74,000 women found those who ate more than
two daily servings of whole grains were almost 50% less likely to be
overweight than their refined-grain eating peers.
Some
critics still aren't satisfied, however. "This is about marketing,"
says Marion Nestle, New York University professor, "It's not really
about nutrition."
It's true that the sugar content of kids'
cereals won't be affected by the whole grain conversion. But
shouldn't we be applauding steps in the right direction,
particularly those as significant as this one, rather than focusing
on what falls short of the ideal? After all, as proponents for
better nutrition, we ought to favor using carrots -- as well as
sticks.
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 ATKINS FUNDS TEACHERS UNION
Should Unions Take
Dollars from Diets that Damage Health?
The National
Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest teacher's union,
has said "yes" to major moulah made on diets that say "no" to many
fruits and vegetables.
When over half of kids go without
fruit on any given day, and childhood obesity has made this
generation the first with a shorter life expectancy than their
parents, what kind of message does it send when the NEA itself is
being bankrolled by low-carb cash earned at the expense of
consumers' health?
As Greg Toppo put it so well in his USA
Today account of the deal: "The folks who brought back three-egg omelets and
triple cheeseburgers want to teach your kids a thing or two about
health, nutrition and exercise."
Right. What kids should
be learning is that a diet low in saturated/trans fats and rich in
fruits and vegetables is the foundation for preventing disease and
maintaining a healthy weight.
But the NEA won't be influenced
in the slightest by accepting such blood-cholesterol-money -- or so
say those on the union payroll. Jerry Newberry, who directs the
NEA's Health Information Network, reassures us that the Atkins folks
just want to support the NEA with "the latest research and
information available on controlled-carbohydrate
nutrition."
Really? Like the research just published in
The Lancet regarding the battery of negative side-effects -- headaches, muscle fatigue,
foul breath, constipation, etc. -- suffered by Atkins Dieters?
What about the recent MIT research that suggests that low-carb dieting can
cause serotonin levels to plummet? Or the Mayo Clinic survey linking a marked increase in
saturated fat intake over the past five years with the Atkins
craze? I don't think so.
If the Atkins folks thought that
using educators to carry their low-carb message would be as easy as,
well, taking candy from children, then they were in for a rude
surprise. The Partnership for Essential Nutrition -- a coalition of
consumer, nutrition and public health groups -- has launched a letter-writing campaign to demand the immediate
cancellation of the NEA-Atkins deal. The Partnership warned that
"there are very real dangers to children if they were to adopt a
low-carb diet because the brain requires 130 grams of glucose a day
for normal functioning, a quantity of carbohydrates that even the
maintenance level of the Atkins diet does not deliver."
Sad
to say, the NEA gets a big fat "F" when it comes to taking a
responsible stand on children's nutritional needs, though we'll give
'em a bright red "A" for Atkins when it comes to irresponsibly
taking money made on diets that disregard such needs. But maybe the
unions aren't so much irresponsible as indifferent. As Albert
Shanker, the cantankerous yet candid former President of the
American Federation of Teachers, once said: "I'll start representing
kids when kids start paying union dues." Which raises the question
once again: if ketosis-cash is paying union dues, just whose
interests is the NEA representing?
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Apple-Chard Quiche
Serves 6
Pairing
cheese with apples becomes a gastronomic pleasure, and adding ruby
chard simply embellishes the combination and amplifies the texture
of this homey quiche.
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted
butter
1 large Vidalia or other onion, thinly sliced
1 cup (4
oz.) shredded ruby Swiss chard
1 cup (about 2 oz.) thinly sliced
mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2
cup chopped apple
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground
nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese
1/2 cup
skim milk
1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, unbaked
1. Preheat
oven to 375F.
2. Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium
heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and sauté onions until caramelized,
about 15 minutes.
3. Add Swiss chard, mushrooms, salt and pepper.
Increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms
and chard are soft, about 7 minutes.
4. Combine apples, flour and
nutmeg in mixing bowl, and toss to coat apples. Combine eggs, cheese
and milk in separate bowl, and beat until ingredients are well
blended. Fold in apple mixture.
5. Spoon chard mixture into pie
crust. Pour egg-cheese-apple mixture over top.
6. Bake 35 to 45
minutes, or until cheese mixture is set and top is browned.
7.
Cool slightly before slicing, and serve.
Per serving:
300
calories
11 g protein
19 g total fat (9 g sat. fat)
23 g
carbohydrates
105 mg chol
200 mg sodium
< 1 g fiber
6
g sugars
Recipe by Alexandra Greeley (October 2003), photo by
Renee Comet.
Copyright Vegetarian Times, LLC.
Reprinted with
permission.
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Oat 'n Avocado Mask
Another fab facial mixed
from all natural ingredients by the lovely Dr. Susan Lark. As we
mentioned in the previous Dole Nutrition News, Dr. Lark publishes an
e-letter packed with health and beauty news you
can use. Here's Dr. Lark's recipe and her explanation of its
benefits.
"Women have special concerns when it comes to their
faces -- fine lines, wrinkles, acne, age spots, and dryness, just to
name a few. That's why I love this facial recipe so much.
"It
contains avocado, a fruit high in nutrients such as iron, potassium,
magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E. For centuries, avocados have
been used as beauty aids. They are rich in oils that rejuvenate the
skin, reduce eye puffiness, and leave skin soft, smooth, and
nourished."
Ingredients:
1/2 cup non-instant oatmeal
1
cup mashed avocado
1-2 Tbs. honey
Directions:
Blend
ingredients until desired consistency. Apply mixture to skin and let
dry for about 15 minutes. Rinse off.
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