FOOD FACTS JANUARY 08 NEWS FLASHES
Its bad news for dietary supplements: A new study shows that vitamin C and vitamin E supplements don't protect men against cancer or heart disease. Of course, both vitamins still play a role in good nutrition: Get 60-90 milligrams of C daily by eating vitamin-C rich foods like red peppers, kiwi fruit, and citrus. For your daily vitamin E, try sunflower seeds and almonds.
Federal advisory board has finally issued criteria for labeling farmed fish as organic, a big and long-awaited step. But critics say the new standards allow the fish too much inorganic feed and aren't strict enough regarding disposition of their waste. At stake: consumers' confidence in the "organic" label.
Did you know that black-licorice Twizzlers contain lots of sodium? That's one of the surprising tidbits that turned up when Consumer Reports evaluated the salt content of 37 nationally available snack and restaurant foods. The report found that many sweet-tasting foods have high sodium content -- sometimes more than salty-tasting foods such as peanuts.
Coca-Cola will be the first to market with drinks made with a new zero-calorie sweetener called Stevia. Rival PepsiCo Inc., though, said it is holding off until the FDA officially approves the herb's use.
DID YOU KNOW:
Peanuts aren't actually nuts: They're legumes. But like walnuts and almonds, they contain heart-healthy menstruated fats. They're also great sources of antioxidants, vitamin E, and folic acid. Try to go easy on the salted varieties, though, as too much sodium may contribute to high blood pressure.
Beets are nutritional powerhouses, packing plenty of fiber and folate plus chemicals that fight cancer (particularly colon cancer). They promote heart health, reduce inflammation and more.
November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association identified a 7 percent lower risk of heart failure among those who added just one serving per day of whole grain to their diets; those who ate an extra daily serving of high-fat dairy foods saw an increased risk of 8 percent, while those who ate an added serving of egg each day upped their risk by 23 percent. Other food groups, including fruits and vegetables, fish, and red meat, did not appear to directly affect risk of heart failure.
Combining folic acid and Vitamins B6 and B12 doesn't seem to protect women against cancer. So says a study in the Nov. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that found no difference in cancer incidence between women were given the three supplements for more than 7 years and those who weren't. The finding contradicts the standing belief that the supplements can help ward off cancer. B vitamins still contribute to good health in other ways, though: B6 helps your body break down protein and keep red blood cells and the immune and nervous systems healthy; B12 plays a big role in growth and development, among other things, and B9 -- folic acid or folate -- helps cells make and maintain DNA.
Exposure to light reduces milk's riboflavin and Vitamin A content. That's why it's usually packaged in opaque plastic or paper cartons.
Experts say the rate of new cases of diabetes has almost doubled in the past decade. Nearly 90 percent of those cases were Type 2 diabetes, which is strongly linked to obesity.
Gobbling your food is bad for your diet, and eating until your belly feels full is not so hot, either. But together they pack a triple whammy. A study in the online British Medical Journal shows that that combination of eating habits triples a person's risk of being overweight.
Soymilk generally has a fraction of the calcium that you find in milk -- 6 percent of the Daily Value per cup versus 30 percent for skim. Even fortified soymilk has less calcium than skim milk, and the body may not as easily absorb the calcium it contains. Eating lots of leafy greens and broccoli provide good calcium sources. Why not add some sardines or salmon (both with the bones in), almonds, and green beans? And make sure to get at least the recommended 1000 International Units of Vitamin D3 a day. It works with calcium to make your bones strong.
Obesity and overweight are linked to an increased risk of several kinds of cancer. But a survey in the October issue of the Journal Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that many women aren't aware of that link. Overweight women are four times more likely to develop endometrial cancer, a malignancy of the uterine lining, than slimmer women. Obese women are six times as likely to get endometrial cancer, yet only 42 percent of 1,545 women surveyed knew of that risk. Overweight and obesity are also tied to increased risk of breast and colon cancer. So slim down ladies.
Injuries can sideline anyone and throw you a curve when you're trying to stay active. Anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries are one of the most common knee injuries, particularly among girls and women. But a surprisingly simple set of exercises is being tested to see if they can help prevent this painful injury. Plyometrics and other exercises that could make the difference between staying healthy and active--or winding up in the ER.
Visit www.drneedlees.com for more blogging on current controversial medical issues. Your comments are always appreciated.
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