Capico International Update

U.S. worker spends $1,000 a year on coffee

2012-01-27T08:17:00.000-05:00

Coffee plays a significant role in the routines of Americans during their workdays.

A new survey has concluded that the average U.S. worker spends over $1,000 a year on coffee.

According to the latest Workonomix survey, conducted by Accounting Principals, people are spending a yearly average of $1,092 on coffee, which translates to approximately $20 bucks a week.

In order to aggregate information, Accounting Principals surveyed 1,000 employed

U.S.

workers, age 18 and over, partly to determine how much individuals spend on work-related expenses and also to explore people's financial attitudes from the past year and looking forward to the new year.

The survey was conducted via telephone by Braun Research on behalf of Accounting Principals and representatives called the 1,000 individuals between Dec. 22 and Dec. 27, 2011. Accounting Principals has listed a margin of error of +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level.

Results also found the American workforce frequently purchases coffee during work hours because their company does not offer good coffee. The survey unearthed 22 percent of workers surveyed "wished their company would invest in better coffee in the office."

Other findings include younger workers (18-34) are more apt to buy coffee during the workday than those aged 45 and up. The amount spent by the two age groups was $24.74 vs. $14.15, respectively. Another demographic explored in the survey was gender. The survey illuminated men tend to spend more on foods and beverages than women do during the workday. In terms of coffee, men spend, on average, $25.70, whereas women spend about $15.00 in comparison.

Cooking in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death

2012-01-26T08:13:00.002-05:00

Researchers in Spain have some good news for people who enjoy eating fried food: Cooking in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death.

Because heart disease risk factors -- such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity -- have been linked to eating fried foods, the study authors decided to investigate the association.

For the study, the researchers examined the cooking habits and health of nearly 41,000 adults, aged 29 to 69, who did not have heart disease at the start of the 11-year study. The participants were split into four groups depending on how much fried food they consumed.

The study authors pointed out that because their research was conducted in Spain, where olive and sunflower oil are used for cooking, the findings may not apply in other countries where other types of oil are more commonly used. For example, when food is fried in solid and re-used oils (as in the Western diet), it absorbs the fat of the oils, which increases the calories of the food.

There were 606 heart disease-related events and 1,134 deaths during the study follow-up period, according to the report published in the Jan. 24 online edition of the BMJ.

"In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death," according to the research team, led by Pilar Guallar-Castillon from Autonomous University of Madrid.

In an accompanying editorial, Michael Leitzmann, from the University of Regensburg in Germany, wrote that the findings challenge the belief that "frying food is generally bad for the heart."

However, he added that this "does not mean that frequent meals of fish and chips will have no health consequences." Specific aspects of frying food, such as the type of oil used, are important, Leitzmann noted.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration outlines how to eat for a healthy heart.

Images of Food Stimulate Appetite

2012-01-25T08:24:00.000-05:00

A new study published in the journal Obesity confirms that seeing delicious foods stimulates the appetite. The findings suggest the hormone ghrelin in the blood increases as a result of visual stimulation through images of food.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry investigated the molecular processes for the control of food consumption by examining the specific physiological reaction of the test subjects to images showing either delicious food or non-edible objects. The measured concentrations of different hormones in the blood, such as grehlin, leptin and insulin that play a role in the regulation of food consumption. The researchers observed that the concentration of grehlin in the blood increases specifically in response to visual stimulation with food images.

Ghrelin controls both eating behavior and the physical processes involved in food metabolism. The results showed in addition to the physiological mechanisms for maintaining the body’s energy status, environmental factors also have a specific influence on food consumption. They concluded, the presence of heavy food advertisements in Western cultures may contribute to weight gain.

“The findings of our study demonstrate, for the first time, that the release of ghrelin into the blood for the regulation of food consumption is also controlled by external factors. Our brain thereby processes these visual stimuli, and the physical processes that control our perception of appetite are triggered involuntarily. This mechanism could prompt us to eat a piece of cake just two hours after breakfast," the researchers said.

Sources:

· Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry: Pictures of food create feelings of hunger

Europeans are outpacing their American counterparts when it comes to use of technology for shopping

2012-01-24T08:17:00.000-05:00

A new breed of 'Xtreme shoppers' has been identified, amongst whom the European ones are outpacing their American counterparts when it comes to use of technology for shopping.

Over nine out of ten European Xtreme shoppers (95 per cent) like to research products online, compared to just over six out of ten of the American Xtreme shoppers (66 per cent). This is despite a higher percentage of the US shoppers agreeing that shopping online is more efficient (90 per cent and 80 per cent respectively).

These are the findings of a recent study by GfK into the Future of Shopper Marketing, which was carried out across the France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain, the UK and the USA.

Alison Chaltas at GfK explains, "Xtreme shoppers are a new segment of consumers defined by their specific shopping attitudes and behaviours across all demographic groups. They are present across all seven of the countries in this study, accounting for over two out of five of the European consumers, and just under that in the US. More importantly, they appear to be a rapidly expanding segment that is largely made up of 25-44 year olds in full time employment - a prime target group for many retailers."

Born out of the combination of a belt-tightening economy and readily available technology, Xtreme shoppers show increasing levels of value-oriented shopping behaviour. The European ones are currently leading the way in use of the internet for researching and buying products, with three-quarters saying they are using the internet more than before to research products (75 per cent), compared to just over two-thirds of US Xtremes (68 per cent).

Direct buying over the web is also increasing amongst this segment - with the European contingent leading the way here too, with seven out of ten using the internet more than before to shop for products (70 per cent). In Poland and the UK, in particular, three quarters or more Xtremes are increasing their use of the internet to purchase products, while the US tails the chart alongside Spain at 62 per cent - but well ahead of Germany at 52 per cent.

Chaltas states, "There is clear indication that the trends we are seeing are set to rise, with the Xtreme shopper segment increasingly adopting their mobile phones and tablets to help them shop. This is especially strong in Russia and Spain, where a third of shoppers are using their mobiles more than ever to shop.

"Of course, the down side to all this internet shopping is that competition is extreme. Over three quarters of European Xtreme shoppers and two thirds of US ones say they are less loyal to any one retailer because they need to shop around for value. Retailers therefore need to find a way to reward loyal customers that will resonate with their current needs - a statement that nearly nine out of ten of all shoppers surveyed agreed with."

Want your kids to do better in school? Try exercise

2012-01-23T08:18:00.001-05:00

Children who get more exercise also tend to do better in school, whether the exercise comes as recess, physical education classes or getting exercise on the way to school, according to an international study.

The findings, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, come as U.S. schools in general cut physical activity time in favor of more academic test preparation.

Amika Singh, who worked on the study, said the findings meant that schools should prioritize both academics and exercise and that families could have the same attitude at home.

"Maybe it's an activity break, stand up every half an hour in class and do something," said Singh, from VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam.

"It might mean going to school by bike ... Any kind of physical activity you can think of. It doesn't mean only the physical education standard class."

Singh and her colleagues reviewed 14 studies that compared kids' physical activity with their grades or scores on math, language and general thinking and memory tests.

Those included two types of reports, such as 10 so-called "observational studies" in which researchers asked parents, teachers or students themselves how active they were, then followed them for a few months to a few years to track their academic performance.

In the four other studies, one group of kids was given extra time for physical education classes and other health and fitness exercises, and their test scores were later compared against a group of kids who didn't get extra exercise.

When researchers asked students how much time they spent exercising, they found that those with higher rates of physical activity did better in the classroom.

Three of the four studies involving an exercise intervention found that students given more exercise time scored higher on measures of academic performance.

In one report from the United States, second and third graders who got an extra 90 minutes of physical activity per week did better on a test of spelling, reading and math, along with gaining less weight over the next three years.

That may be because children are better behaved and can concentrate better when they get enough exercise, or because physical activity improves blood flow to the brain and boosts mood, the researchers wrote.

"There's obviously the long-term links between physical activity and health," said Sandy Slater, who has studied recess and physical education at the University of Illinois at Chicago but wasn't involved in the latest study.

"But this is another reason to try to continue to keep some dedicated amount of time for physical education or recess or some other types of physical activity in the school day."

Recent research has suggested that many U.S. children are not getting the recommended amount of physical education and recess endorsed by the American Heart Association, which includes two and a half hours of physical education a week and 20 minutes of recess every day.

Consumers Focused on Labels and Ingredients

2012-01-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

The haves and have-nots—that's what's driving health and eco consumer purchasing this year—gluten free, non-GMO, and no antibiotics. According to a recent MamboTrack™ survey byMambo Sprouts Marketing, consumers are as concerned about what's not in their products as what is.

This label and ingredient focus was a highlight of the recent MamboTrack™ study. Mambo Sprouts surveyed the buying habits of 1,000 health and natural product consumers to get an outlook on market trends for the coming year.

Health and natural consumers are paying more attention to what goes into the products they purchase. Most already buy organic foods (99%), non-GMO products (93%), antibiotic free (ABF) and hormone free meat and poultry (85%), and gluten free foods (69%). More than half plan to increase purchasing of organic foods (64%), non-GMO (56%), ABF and hormone free products (52%), and 38% plan to increase gluten free purchases.

Among those consumers who seek out non-GMO foods (66%), a large majority (85%) want food products to be specifically certified and labeled as non-GMO. Perhaps more importantly, seven in ten (70%) expect that products labeled "USDA Organic" are non-GMO. This compares to just 41% of consumers who expect "natural" products to be non-GMO. To that end, two in three (67%) wish their favorite retail stores provided more information about non-GMO such as signage, special sections and advertising features.

Notably, almost seven in ten (68%) cited "ingredient list" as a key brand purchase factor for 2012. Among the other purchase drivers, health and nutrition benefits (69%), organic ingredients (51%), price (51%), and coupons (47%) were frequently ranked as "very important."

And while consumers expect to increase organic purchasing across all product categories, Karen Herther, Director of MamboTrack Research, says health conscious consumers remain torn over their organic preferences and price. "Price is still very much a top-of-mind factor among consumers---driving where people shop and how marketers position and promote their products."

While prices (69%) were among the factors most important to consumers in deciding where to shop in 2012, they also ranked selection of healthy/organic products (68% vs. 56%), safe food preparation and storage (62% vs. 55%) and environmentally friendly practices (31% vs. 25%) higher than in 2011.

Walnuts Contain Highest Antioxidant Levels Among Nuts

2012-01-21T07:47:00.002-05:00

New research published in the journal of Food and Function reveals walnuts have the highest content, quality and potency of antioxidants among other nuts.

Researchers at the University of Scranton analyzed free and total (after basic hydrolysis) polyphenols in nine types of raw and roasted nuts and two types of peanut butter (54 commercial samples) after methanol extraction using catechin as standard. Walnuts had the highest free and total polyphenols in both the combined raw and roasted samples. Total polyphenols in the nuts were significantly higher than free polyphenols. Roasting had little effect on either free or total polyphenols in nuts. Raw and roasted walnuts had the highest total polyphenols.

“In addition to providing fiber, high-quality protein, and an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), our research shows that an ounce of walnuts has more antioxidants than the daily sum of what the average person gets from fruits and vegetables," said lead researcher Joseph Vinson.

Sources:

University of Scranton: Research Study Ranks Antioxidant Value of Nuts: Walnuts Top List

The world's 250 largest retailers recorded sales growth in excess of 5% in fiscal year 2010

2012-01-20T07:59:00.002-05:00

The world's 250 largest retailers recorded sales growth in excess of 5 percent in fiscal year 2010 (encompassing fiscal years ended through June 2011), according to the 2012 Global Powers of Retailing report from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), in conjunction with STORES Media. The figures mark a substantial improvement on FY09, when the group recorded anaemic growth of just 1.2 percent.

The report also found that profitability improved, with net profit increasing to 3.8 percent in 2010, up from 3.1 percent in 2009. While this performance has been impressive, retailers will have been concerned by the deterioration in the global economy over the latter half of 2011.

Dr. Ira Kalish, Director of Consumer Business for Deloitte Research, part of Deloitte Services LP in the United States, said: "The global economy is decelerating, with growth in 2012 likely to be slower than in 2011 in many of the world's leading markets. The Eurozone crisis continues to drain investor and consumer confidence, while growth in the United States next year is unlikely to significantly reduce unemployment.

"However, retailers may find some silver linings in this otherwise cloudy environment. One positive effect of slower global growth will be the continued dampening of commodity prices. For retailers, this means some improvement on the cost side of the ledger while retail price inflation in some economies presents an opportunity for improved profit margins, even in the context of slow top-line growth."

A magnesium-rich diet may lower stroke risk

2012-01-19T07:39:00.000-05:00

People who eat lots of magnesium-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts and beans have fewer strokes, according to an international analysis covering some 250,000 people.

But the authors of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, stopped short of recommending people take a daily magnesium supplement because their analysis focused on magnesium in food -- and it may be another aspect of the food that is responsible for their finding.

"Dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with risk of stroke, specifically ischemic stroke," wrote lead author Susanna Larsson, a professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

The results suggest that people eat a healthy diet with "magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains," she added.

Larsson and her colleagues combed through research databases spanning the last 45 years to find studies that tracked how much magnesium people took and how many of them had a stroke over time.

In seven studies published in the past 14 years, about 250,000 people in the United States, Europe and Asia were followed for an average of 11.5 years. About 6,500 of them, or three percent, had a stroke in the time they were followed.

For every extra 100 milligrams of magnesium a person ate per day, their risk of an ischemic stroke -- the most common kind, typically caused by a blood clot -- fell by nine percent.

The median magnesium intake for U.S. citizens included in the analysis was 242 milligrams a day. The United States recommends that men and women over age 31 eat 420 and 320 milligrams of magnesium daily, respectively.

Most of the studies allowed the researchers to rule out other factors, such as family history.

But Larsson told Reuters Health in an email that she could not say whether other aspects of what the people ate partially or entirely explained the finding.

More in-depth studies are needed before researchers can say that the magnesium was what actually reduced the stroke risk, she added.

Other experts said the results were consistent with dietary recommendations.

"It's a diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and grains. Those are things that have low sodium, high potassium and high magnesium," said Larry Goldstein, director of the stroke center at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Omega-3 fatty acids may prevent and treat nerve damage

2012-01-18T07:55:00.000-05:00

The new study, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that omega-3 fatty acids could play a significant role in speeding recovery from nerve injury.

The study focused on peripheral nerve cells. Peripheral nerves are the nerves which transmit signals between the brain and spinal cord, and the rest of the body.

These nerves have the ability to regenerate but, despite advances in surgical techniques, patients usually only have good recovery when their injury is minor.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for the body's normal growth and development and have been widely researched for their health benefits. Because the body cannot manufacture omega-3 fatty acids, they have to be consumed in foods such as oily fish.

In the new study, researchers first looked at isolated mouse nerve cells. They simulated the type of damage caused by accident or injury, by either stretching the cells or starving them of oxygen. Both types of damage killed a significant number of nerve cells but enrichment with omega-3 fatty acids in cells gave them significant protection and decreased cell death.

Next the researchers studied the sciatic nerves of mice. They found that a high level of omega-3 fatty acids helped mice to recover from sciatic nerve injury more quickly and more fully, and that their muscles were less likely to waste following nerve damage.

The research was carried out by a group led by Adina Michael-Titus, Professor of Neuroscience at Barts and The London Medical School and lead of the Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration group in the Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Queen Mary, University of London.

She explained: "Our previous research has shown that these fatty acids could have beneficial effects in a number of neurological conditions. This new study suggests that they could also have a role in treating peripheral nerve injuries.

"More work is needed but our research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids can protect damaged nerve cells, which is a critical first step in a successful neurological recovery."

Choosing Poultry Over Beef Cuts Stroke Risk by 13%

2012-01-17T07:53:00.000-05:00

Men and women who eat more than two servings of red meat daily increase their risk of stroke by 28% and 19%, respectively, compared to individuals who consume less than one service a day, according to a new study in the journal Stroke. The findings also reveal people who eat chicken and turkey reduce their risk of stroke by 13%.

Researchers at the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic investigated the association between dietary protein sources and stroke risk. They followed 84,010 women aged 30 to 55 years at baseline and 43,150 men aged 40 to 75 years at baseline without diagnosed cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Diet was assessed repeatedly by a standardized and validated questionnaire. They examined the association between protein sources and incidence of stroke using a proportional hazard model adjusted for stroke risk factors.

During 26 and 22 years of follow-up in women and men, respectively, they documented 2,633 and 1,397 strokes, respectively. Higher intake of red meat was associated with an elevated risk of stroke, whereas a higher intake of poultry was associated with a lower risk. There were no significant associations with exchanging legumes or eggs for red meat.

Natural factors put pressure on coffee market

2012-01-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

This year coffee producers will have higher spirits due to rains in Brazil. According to predictions of Conab, production volume will vary between 49 mln. and 52.3 mln. bags, in comparison to 43.5 mln. bags last year.

With the coming of winter, due to low temperatures in Northern hemisphere, coffee market has experienced a fundamental change, which can be observed at the chart dated December 19, 2011. Floods in Columbia put even more pressure on coffee prices, as transportation and gathering is getting harder.

According to the Department of Derivatives Trading, this year bullish trends will prevail until there is new information from Brazil:

35% of Americans Resolve to Lose Weight in 2012

2012-01-15T07:57:00.000-05:00

Approximately 35% of Americans made a New Year's resolution to lose weight in the last five years, according to a results of a recent Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll.

The survey, which asked respondents their opinions and experiences with New Year's resolutions focused on weight loss and smoking, found the 52% of those who pledge weight loss were categorized as obese; 57% of those who made resolutions said they were successful at losing their weight.

Respondents who made a resolution to lose weight said most often that their goal was between 10 and 29 pounds (48%). The second most-popular weight-loss goal was 30 to 49 pounds (21%).

Heading into 2012, 51% of all respondents indicated that they will make a resolution to exercise more in the upcoming New Year. Moreover, 35% said they will make a pledge to lose weight.

“As the country re-evaluates ways to reduce runaway healthcare spending, it is time for all Americans to be resolved to take better care of themselves and others. Data demonstrates that the majority of medical costs can be traced back to poor lifestyle issues such as obesity and tobacco use," said Raymond Fabius, M.D., chief medical officer at the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. "While we know it often takes several attempts to lose weight and quit smoking, it is encouraging that many survey participants are taking strides to improve their health in 2012. Let's celebrate and support those who have resolutions to lose weight, stop smoking, eat better and exercise. If they can meet these New Year goals they will be healthier and wealthier for it as well as helping to solve America's health care crisis."

The survey asked respondents their opinions about New Year’s resolutions that they have made, with a focus on smoking and weight loss. To establish a baseline, respondents were asked their height and weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) and if they smoked regularly in the last five years.

NEWS ON DIABETES AND COFFEE

2012-01-14T07:58:00.000-05:00

According to a report published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (Dec 28 2011), a group of scientists headed up by Drs. Ling Zheng and Kun Huang believe that coffee's inhibitory effect on type 2 diabetes is due to two substances in the brew -- caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. A bit of background:

So far the news about coffee and diabetes has come from correlating the results of a number of large-scale population-based studies. Researchers in a couple of different parts of the world have used the data collected in these studies to determine if there was a pattern between coffee consumption and later development of diabetes 2. The one most people are familiar with is based on the Nurses' Health Study, which started in 1975. Thousands of nurses have been filling out questionnaires about their daily habits, including how much coffee they drink for 35 years. Researchers found that nurses who reported drinking 4 or more cups of coffee a day had a 50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and the more coffee they reported drinking, the lower their risk of diabetes went. They also found that it didn't matter if the nurses were drinking decaf coffee.

That data was backed up by a number of other studies, including one that compared a large cohort of Finnish twins. That data was particularly interesting because it found that in twins -- genetically identical and with similar early childhood backgrounds but with different coffee-drinking habits -- those who drank more coffee (more than 7 cups a day in this study) were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

All of the studies concluded that coffee has a definite inhibitory effect on the development of type 2 diabetes and suggested that further research be done to determine which compounds in coffee might be responsible.

That's the starting ground for the Chinese study recently released. The researchers focused on recent research that linked human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), also called amylin, with type 2 diabetes. Amylin is secreted by the pancreas at the same time as insulin and works with insulin to help control glucose levels in the blood. It's been known for a while that pateints with type 2 diabetes show a larger concentration of amylin residues in the pancreas than those who don't have diabetes. The researchers decided to see which, if any, compounds in coffee might affect the concentration of amylin. They tested the inhibitory effects of caffeine, caffiec acid and chlorogenic acid on the aggregation of hiAPP and found that all three substances inhibit the development of toxic levels of hiAPP -- but caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid had a much greater effect than caffeine.

Those findings may also explain why some studies have found that filter coffee doesn't have quite the same effect as coffee brewed in other ways -- filter coffee typically has less acids than French press coffee or espresso. Robusta, which is often mixed into espresso blends to give them an "edge", also has a higher content of chlorogenic and caffeic acid than arabica beans.

Of course, this means that if these findings are confirmed, some big pharmaceutical company will be working on synthesizing caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid and putting them into a pill for people to take. But wouldn't it be kinda cool for your doctor to tell you "Drink 3 espressos and call me in the morning?"

Red wine researcher Dr. Dipak K. Das published fake data

2012-01-13T08:19:00.000-05:00

Are studies tying red wine to health benefits nothing more than wishful thinking? Some red wine studies may soon be called into question following a report that a top researcher at the University of Connecticut falsified data on more than 100 occasions.

UConn officials conducted an internal review into the work of Dr. Dipak K. Das, director of the cardiovascular research center at the university, after the university received an anonymous tip. Das had been known in recent years for his research on the benefits of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine. Resveratrol is thought to work because it activates proteins called sirtuins that have been shown in studies to have protective benefits.

The officials found 145 cases of fabricated or false data and notified 11 journals - including the Journal of Cellular & Molecular Medicine and Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry - of its review, the university said in a written statement.

"We have a responsibility to correct the scientific record and inform peer researchers across the country," Philip Austin, interim vice president for health affairs, said in the statement.

As a result of UConn's three-year investigation that culminated in a 60,000 page report on the allegations, UConn has declined $890,000 in research grants and cut off external funding to the lab.

It's unclear at this time which studies contained falsified data, so wine aficionados can hold out hope that red wine might benefit a person's health.

The Connecticut Mirror reports that much of the research discrepancies centered on "western blot" figures, which illustrate specific proteins from tissue samples. The review showed these images may have been manipulated to combine data from other experiments, which were passed off as coming from a single experiment.

"Many figures had more manipulations but, for expediency, the review board only noted the most obvious," in flagging 145 cases of misconduct according, to the paper.

According to the research bibliography site PubMed, Das has served as a lead author or co-author on more than 150 articles, including a Jan. 2012 study titled, "Health benefits of wine and alcohol from neuroprotection to heart health," published in Frontiers in Bioscience.

Das' other areas of research besides resveratrol include medicines derived from plants and the molecular structure of plants and herbs and their effect on heart disease, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier reservatrol studies have suggested the compound might be "exercise in a bottle" in its ability to stave off the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, while other research has said the compound might reduce risk for skin cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, some studies have showed resveratrol lowers levels of "bad" cholesterol and protects the lining of heart blood vessels.

In 2009, 60 Minutes' Morley Safer profiled potential benefits of resveratrol.

Some resveratrol researchers were not concerned by the fraud allegations and still believe the compound can improve longevity.

"I don't expect this news to have a big impact on what we work on," Dr. David Sinclair, a resveratrol researcher at the Harvard Medical School, told CBS News in an email. Sinclair had been featured in the 2009 60 Minutes report. Sinclair said his research focuses on sirtuins and aging, while a lot of the published research papers in question focused on heart health.

"There is a comprehensive body of literature in mouse and rats indicating that resveratrol is effective in preventing numerous diseases in those animals, including type II diabetes, neurodegeneration, fatty liver, and inflammation, Sinclair said. "These results would not be in question, even if some of his work is retracted."

Black Tea Reduces Diabetes, CVD Risk

2012-01-12T08:04:00.002-05:00

Drinking at least three cups of black tea daily may lower an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to new research published in the bulletin Nutrition Communications.

Researchers from the United Kingdom reviewed 40 epidemiological studies to evaluate evidence linking black tea consumption with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes; the mechanisms by which black tea may have a protective effect; and the potential role of tea drinking in relation to public health.

Their findings suggest a significant association between regular black tea consumption and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease at about three or more cups per day. For diabetes risk, the data are restricted to a few large cohort studies that suggested a beneficial association at one to four cups daily.

The researchers noted while some studies suggest that drinking black tea may reduce the risk of stroke, likely mechanisms remain unclear, highlighting the need for more human intervention studies.

Private Label Sector Continues to Thrive

2012-01-11T07:39:00.000-05:00

Over the past 20 years, private-label food products have grown steadily in sales and often directly compete for market share with national brands, which results in lower prices and increased product choices for consumers, according to a new report released by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS).

The report, “The Relationship Between National Brand and Private Label Food Products: Prices, Promotions, Recessions, and Recoveries", analyzes the relationship between private label and national brand product prices and in-store promotions for two major U.S. grocery store chains during the 2007-2009 recession and the year following the recession (2010).

The report found retailers promote private-label products strategically in response to national brand pricing promotions to protect private-label market share during national brand promotions. However, the extent of the retailer response varies widely across supermarket departments and is also affected by both the density of food stores and the market share of supercenters within a market area. The findings hold true regardless of the state of the economy, although the magnitude of the interaction between national brands and private labels differs in times of recession and recovery.

Other key findings include:

On average, private labels are priced about 23% lower than name brands, both with and without promotions. This gap is smaller than that found in previous analyses using older data, suggesting the items may have become more comparable in price and quality over time.
Name brand/private-label promotional interaction was strongest among processed, storable products, but much weaker for produce, fresh meat and seafood.
In general, as market concentration increased within an area, the intensity of within-store name brand/private-label promotional interaction also increased.
Name brand/private-label promotional interaction lessened, however, as the market share of supercenters increased, which may be due to supermarkets focusing on everyday low prices generally, rather than on promotions, when competing with supercenters.
Promotional activity for name brands changed very little during the recession, while private-label promotional activity increased.

Coffee roasters are experiencing a lull in arabica bean supply

2012-01-10T08:01:00.002-05:00

There is a lull in supplies of arabica beans, the most widely consumed variety of coffee, after rain damaged output in Colombia and Central America. Meanwhile, Brazil's harvest, expected to be large, is months away. Prices still are at historically high levels, even though they have come down considerably from the near-14-year settlement high of $3.0490 a pound hit by the front-month futures contract in May.

Last year's surge in arabica prices prompted some roasters to substitute robusta beans in certain blends. Robusta is an easier-to-grow variety that is less expensive because its taste is considered to be more bitter than that of arabica.

But now coffee roasters appear to be near the limit of how much robusta they can add before consumers turn up their noses. With arabica supplies tight, the competition for beans could drive arabica futures higher.

Arabica for March delivery rose 1% to settle at $2.2175 a pound Friday on the ICE Futures U.S. exchange.

"Arabica futures still have to deal with a tight supply situation for the short term, and the possibility of less-than-expected arabica coffee production over the coming year," Price Futures Group Vice President Jack Scoville said in a note.

Rachel Hamburger, chief executive of one of Israel's largest coffee roasters, Portofino Coffee Ltd., said it is common practice for roasters dealing with less high-end coffee to add more robusta to blends at times when arabica prices are high, although she said Portofino wouldn't do that because it caters to a gourmet market.

"Because the arabica-robusta [price] disparity is so wide, it naturally makes sense to use as much robusta as possible," said an executive who works with major U.S. coffee brands. Robusta "is like a coffee filler," he added.

Since hitting a one-year low in mid-December, the price gap between arabica and robusta has widened by 14%, to $1.4446 a pound, due to the continued scarcity of arabica supply coupled with a strong harvest of robusta from Vietnam, the variety's top grower. The trend is seen continuing until the bulk of

Brazil

's arabica beans is harvested in mid-2012.

José Sette, head of operations at the London-based International Coffee Organization, said roasters are now close to the ceiling in terms of how much additional robusta can be used in coffee blends.

"Too much robusta can impact the quality and taste of coffee," Mr. Sette said. "There are, of course, consequences to altering coffee mixes."

One of those consequences is losing market share.

Companies can turn off customers if they add more robusta to their blends, said Christian Wolthers, president of Wolthers America, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based coffee brokerage that sells coffee from Brazil, Colombia and Central America to major roasters.

"There is only so much magic you can do in terms of blending," he said.

One alternative is to create a new product with more robusta, he said. "They can choose to present another product to their customers and market that—but the difference is dramatic," he added.

The other option is to simply pay up for the beans, a cost that could be passed on to consumers at the grocery store.

"If they want to stay with the clients they have and the flavor profile they've had historically, they'll have to raise prices," Mr. Wolthers said.

Red wine prevents breast cancer?

2012-01-09T08:02:00.002-05:00

This was an interesting study although I am not an advocate of the curing through alcohol, red wine does contain resveratrol.

In a study suggesting that red wine might be the next big thing in breast cancer prevention, a study has found that women who drank just under two servings of red wine daily experienced hormonal changes that mimic the effects of a drug used to prevent malignant breast tumors from coming back.

The study, published Friday in the Journal of Women's Health, found that consuming the same amount of white wine did not have the same effect in premenopausal women participating in the study.

Women intent on warding off breast cancer have been warned about alcohol consumption: as recently as November, a study found that women who consumed as few as three servings of alcohol a week increased their risk of developing the disease, which strikes one in eight American women at some point in life.

White wine and other alcoholic beverages are believed to promote the conversion of androgens--"male hormones" such as testosterone, which circulate in all women's blood--into estrogen. And the greater a woman's lifetime exposure to estrogen--whether her own or estrogen that comes from medication or environmental sources--the higher her risk of developing breast cancer.

But red wine acts differently, the present study found. Instead of promoting the conversion of androgens to estrogen in a woman's body, red wine appears to block that process. In that sense, it acts more like a class of drug called aromatase inhibitors, which are prescribed to most women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to prevent recurrences.

It's not the alcohol in red wine that appears to conjure such magic. It's the phytochemicals, which also are found in grapes, grape juice and grape seed extract. Resveratrol, one of the phytochemicals found plentifully in red wine, has been linked to a host of disease-preventing processes.

Researchers led by a team from Cedars-Sinai's Heart Institute and Medical Center found that study participants who drank eight ounces of red wine daily (the equivalent of almost two servings at five ounces per serving) showed a significantly different mix of seven sex hormones than those who drank the same amount of white wine. Among the red wine drinkers, estrogen levels were lower and androgen levels were higher.

The current study was small--36 women, with an average age of 36, participated. Each drank eight ounces nightly of Cabernet Sauvignon wine for most of a single menstrual cycle, then drank no alcohol for a little over a week and then drank eight ounces of Chardonnay nightly for roughly the next 21 days.

The authors asserted this was the first rigorous study to find that red wine is a "nutritional aromatase inhibitor in healthy premenopausal women." Another study has found that women who drank more red wine showed less breast density on mammograms--an emerging marker for breast cancer risk-- than those who drank other forms of alcohol.

Single-cup coffee machines driving market these days

2012-01-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

Have we forgotten how to make real coffee!!

If you got one of those single-cup coffee machines for Christmas this year, you are right in style.

Between K-Cups and bean prices, retail coffee sales jumped 17 percent, to $7 billion in 2011, according to Packaged Facts, a market research firm.

There are four reasons why we are paying higher prices for coffee these days: rising prices for “green” (raw) coffee beans that have been passed along the entire distribution chain; the "premiumization" of coffee; the nation's still-growing thirst for specialty coffee beverages; and the phenomenal growth of single-serve coffee packet formats.

There was a bit of good news for consumers, even though we didn’t realize it. The Food Institute “estimates that wholesale coffee prices rose 18 percent for the first nine months of 2011, while retail prices only increased 13.5 percent because retailers did not pass along all of these higher costs to consumers,” according to Packaged Facts.

High voltage “regular” coffee makes up nearly 60 percent of the market. The single-cup style of coffee, which was hardly a blip on the market five years ago, now makes up 7.5 percent of retail coffee sales.

“Single-serve portion packs typically cost 65 cents to a dollar, making them considerably more expensive than brewing the same brand of coffee from loose grounds, but still less than buying a comparable beverage in a coffeehouse,” the research company said.

A September survey by Packaged Facts found 21 percent of households that make coffee – other than instant – at home own an electric single-cup coffeemaker (such as pods, K-Cups, or T-Discs), and 18 percent use it regularly.

This single-serve market in the U.S. is dominated by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters with its Keurig K-Cup brewing system. But others have taken note. Last year Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks launched single-cup coffee formats.

Lupin Flour Boost Nutritional Value of Muffins

2012-01-07T08:13:00.002-05:00

A substantial improvement in nutritional value of muffins can be achieved by replacing wheat flour with lupin flour up to 30% level without any significant loss in physical measurements, textural quality and sensory values, according to a new study published in the journal Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods.

Researchers at Curtin University of Technology investigated methods to improve the nutritional value of muffins by incorporating protein- and dietary fiber-rich lupin flour. Muffins were prepared by replacing wheat flour with lupin flour at 10% to 50% levels. Sensory evaluation revealed an improvement in color with up to 30% lupin flour substitution with no significant change in taste, flavor, texture and overall acceptability. Storage period caused substantial changes in the texture of muffins. With moisture content remained unchanged, there was an increase in hardness and a decrease in springiness of all samples including the control.

A previous study published in International Journal of Obesity also found individuals who consume lupin-enriched foods may significantly reduce their risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Starbucks to Raise Prices. WHY!!

2012-01-06T08:11:00.000-05:00

Starbucks Corp. is raising brewed-coffee prices in some regions to offset its higher costs.

The Seattle chain said Tuesday it is raising prices an average of about 1% in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions, including such cities as Boston, New York, Washington, Atlanta, Dallas and Albuquerque, N.M.

Starbucks didn't give details on all the areas where prices will increase but said most southern states are included. Prices won't rise in California and Florida.

Starbucks has raised prices in its cafes annually since the recession began, though the company said its increases have been "far less" than those of its rivals.

Starbucks will face higher commodity costs than some of its competitors in the coming months. The chain made contracts to buy coffee for the fiscal year that began in October because prices were rising and Starbucks wanted to eliminate the volatility of buying on the spot market. But the market for coffee soon fell, and Starbucks was stuck paying more than it would have otherwise.

Over the past couple of years, Starbucks has topped the industry in sales and been able to manage commodity inflation, "not with pricing, but with a more efficient cost structure and strong traffic growth," Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said in November when the company reported earnings.

Because the chain's high-end consumer base is less sensitive to prices than that of some rivals, Starbucks has said it didn't think increases would affect customer purchases, even in a struggling economy. Some chains, especially fast-food restaurants that focus on low prices, risk losing customers when prices rise.

Starbucks shares rose 43% last year. The stock fell 73 cents, or 1.6%, to $45.29 in 4 p.m. composite trading Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The latest change, which was reported earlier by Reuters news service, raises the cost of a "tall," or 12-ounce, coffee in some New York City stores by 10 cents to $1.85. Not all sizes will see price increases.

Starbucks isn't raising prices for packaged coffee sold at its cafes or at grocery stores. That's where Starbucks faces the greater pressure on profit margins, largely because coffee represents a bigger portion of the cost of its packaged goods than of brewed coffee.

"Our retail stores have more levers in the rest of the [profit-and-loss statement] to pull to help overcome that coffee cost," Mr. Alstead said in November. "It's a very healthy margin business, even with coffee costs where they are."

Starbucks last year raised prices of packaged coffee 17% at its cafes and 12% at grocery stores.

New China Food Scandal Involves Milk, Cooking Oil

2012-01-05T07:57:00.000-05:00

Why do we keep using China food products when it is not controlled and is a disaster in the waiting! We buy these products from China, is it worth it???

Another food safety scandal has rocked China this week after high doses of a carcinogenic mildew were found in dairy products from the popular Mengniu Dairy Group. An initial investigation revealed the contamination was caused by mildewed feed given to cows in the dairy's plant in southwest Sichuan province, reported the state-run Xinhua news agency.

On Dec. 24 the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine (AQSIQ) discovered high levels of aflatoxin in milk products from a Mengniu factory in Sichuan Province. The toxin also was found in milk from a smaller company—the Changfu Dairy Industry Group—in Fujian Province. Aflatoxin is produced by a fungus that commonly grows on crops such as grains and peanuts. High levels of the toxin may lead to cancer in some animals.

According to a company statement, the relevant batch of products had not been released to the market at the time of the inspection, and the company immediately sealed and destroyed all such products without delay. None of such contaminated products were released to the market. At present, all products on shelf in the markets within and outside the PRC, including the Hong Kong market, have passed the relevant standards. The company said it will reinforce its quality control procedures by closely monitoring products quality over each production process from raw milk collection to final products delivery to ensure product quality and food safety.

The dairy incident caused a ripple effect as Chinese authorities issued a recall of cooking oil products made by three companies in Guangdong province—Fusheng Oil, Manyi Peanut Oil, Mabao Oil—that contain excessive levels of aflatoxin.

In November, China penalized 113 people, including 17 government employees, over a March 2011 chemical-tainted pork scandal that once again brought to light the country’s struggle with food safety issues. The scandal came just a few years after the 2008 melamine scandal that sickened thousands, killed at least six children and nearly destroyed

China

’s dairy industry.

STOP BUYING CHINA PRODUCTS

The energy drink market will be shifting its focus away from younger demographics to senior citizens in 2012

2012-01-04T08:16:00.000-05:00

The energy drink market will experience a significant change in 2012, with beverage makers shifting their focus away from younger demographics to senior citizens, and consumers seeking out natural sources of liquid energy over sugar-loaded, canned beverages, predicts a consumer research institute.

Traditionally marketed towards younger consumers, the energy drink market will slowly wake up to the fact that it has been neglecting an even bigger consumer market in the over-60, retired crowd and become increasingly popular among seniors, predicts The Values Institute at DGWB in California.

Take for instance 5-Hour Energy’s partnership with actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his role as Cliff Clavin in the 1980s sitcom Cheers, the report points out.

At the beginning of 2011, the company which produces pocket-sized energy drinks enlisted Ratzenberger to hawk the product as a restorative pick-me-up for a senior citizen crowd keen to maintain an active lifestyle.

Unlike energy drinks, energy shots come in portable 2-ounce or 50 ml bottles that deliver a powerful shot of caffeine in a few sips. Brands like 5-Hour, Rockstar, 6 Hour Power and NOS Power contain as much caffeine as their larger counterparts like Red Bull, Monster and Lucozade, only in concentrated formulas and less calories.

Common ingredients include stimulants like caffeine and herbs like guarana, ginseng or gingko biloba.

Meanwhile, the energy drink market also has the potential to swing the other way, says the same report, with more and more consumers seeking out energy boosts the all-natural way through foods and ingredients like green tea extract, vitamins, whole grains and fresh fruit.

Juice bars like Jamba Juice and Booster Juice, for instance, sell natural, fruit-based energy shots and are enjoying rising popularity, while Starbucks recently announced plans to move from java to juice after acquiring juicery Evolution Fresh, based in California.

More consumers will also adopt the “Flexitarian” lifestyle in 2012, the report says, as they voluntarily reduce their meat intake for health reasons. The rising popularity of Meatless Mondays, an initiative developed in association with John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, is offered as a prime example of the rise of the part-time vegetarian.

Success Tips for New Years Resolutions

2012-01-03T08:20:00.002-05:00

If you`re hoping to see a smaller number on the bathroom scale in the new year, well, you`re definitely not alone. Eating better and exercising more are two resolutions that top a lot of people`s lists.

The best goals for the new year are smart goals -- ones you`ll achieve. How do you establish a smart goal? Well, there`s an acronym for you to keep in mind on your road to success.

"To make a smart goal, your goal needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. An example goal would be to lose 20 pounds in 8 months by exercising three times a week," said Medcenter One dietitian Amanda Ihmels.

The best way to fail if you`re trying to make a change, is by keeping it a secret. Accountability is key if you plan to improve your lifestyle.

"That`s why things like Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous and joining a boot camp or even just getting an exercise buddy really helps, because you have that person to be accountable to and it just makes it a lot more fun, a lot more supportive environment," explained Melanie Carvell, director of Medcenter One Women`s Health.

And technology has given us other great resources like smartphone apps.

Ihmels said, "It allows people to input what they`re eating throughout the day and also input their physical activity so you can see how long you need to exercise for that bottle of pop you`re going to drink."

It`s important to let go of the `All or Nothing` mindset. If you want to make a real change, you`ll need a positive, forgiving attitude to get you there.

"Allow for times when we`re maybe not going to eat the best or we`re going to fall off the fitness wagon because life is going to throw a wrench into it. Forgive yourself. Hope back on track if you fall off."

Achieving small goals and seeing results keeps gym-goers enthused, and makes them more likely to stick with their routine. If you don`t exercise at all now, don`t set yourself up for failure by committing to 7 days a week.

Coffee Market Braces for Record Espresso-Bean Jolt: Commodities

2012-01-02T08:07:00.000-05:00

Record robusta harvests in Vietnam and Brazil and potentially the biggest jump in Indonesian output in 16 years are boosting supplies of the coffee used in instant drinks and espressos as slowing economic growth threatens demand.

Production may climb for a fourth year, gaining 2.3 percent to 55.98 million bags (3.36 million metric tons) in 2011-2012, Rabobank International predicts. More supply will create the biggest glut in at least four years, according to Macquarie Group Ltd. Prices that already fell 9.9 percent this year will drop another 7.4 percent to $1,750 a ton by June 30, the lowest level since October 2010, the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of 13 traders showed.

Robusta surged 62 percent in London trading in 2010 as record demand created the first shortages in at least three years, according to Macquarie. Supply is now expanding amid mounting concern that Europe’s debt crisis will derail the global economy. Coffee sales fell for the first time in seven years in 2009 as nations contended with recessions, according to Euromonitor International Ltd., a London-based research group.

“We have record world production and I’m not optimistic on demand,” said Judith Ganes-Chase, a former Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst who is now the president of Katonah, New York-based J. Ganes Consulting LLC. “We’ll probably need to say goodbye to the bull market for a while.”

Annual Decline

Robusta is on track for its first annual decline since 2009 on NYSE Liffe in London and last traded at $1,890. Arabica fell 9.6 percent to $2.174 a pound this year on ICE Futures U.S. in New York. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI gauge of 24 raw materials fell 1.7 percent as the MSCI All-Country World Index of equities dropped 12 percent. Treasuries returned 9.7 percent, a Bank of America Corp. index shows.

Vietnam

, the biggest robusta grower, will reap 21.25 million bags this season, 9 percent more than a year earlier, according to a Bloomberg survey of 10 traders, growers and exporters. Each bag weighs 60 kilograms (132 pounds). The Indonesian crop may expand 33 percent to 8.3 million bags in the harvest from April, the biggest gain since 1996-1997, a separate survey of eight traders, roasters and exporters showed.

Farmers in Brazil, the second-largest grower after Vietnam, may gather 15 million bags or more from the harvest in 2012, according to Guilherme Braga, the head of the Cecafe Brazil Coffee Exporters Council. The nation produced 14.5 million bags from the last crop, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.

Debt Crisis Widens

Global robusta output will exceed demand by 2.5 million bags this season, compared with a 700,000-bag shortage last year, Macquarie estimates.

Expanding robusta harvests contrast with an anticipated shortage in the arabica variety favored by Seattle-based Starbucks Corp., after the heaviest rains in two decades damaged Central American plantations. Arabica demand will exceed supply by 7 million bags this season, equal to a year of Japanese consumption, according to Volcafe, a unit of ED&F Man Holdings Ltd. That spurred 13 traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg last month to predict a 24 percent jump in prices by March.

The euro region is probably already in recession, Larry Kantor, the head of research at Barclays Capital in New York, told Tom Keene on Bloomberg Television’s “Surveillance Midday” on Dec. 9. European Union nations consumed 40.74 million bags of coffee last year, accounting for 56 percent of demand from importing members of the International Coffee Organization, data from the London-based group show.

Retail Sales

Global retail coffee sales fell 1.8 percent in 2009 amid the worst recession since World War II, according to Euromonitor International. Sales will increase 5.6 percent to $61.5 billion this year, the research group estimates. Nestle SA, based in Vevey, Switzerland, had the biggest market share last year at 22 percent, the data show.

Arabica now costs $1.32 a pound more than robusta, compared with an average of 86 cents over the past four years, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That may encourage roasters to use more robusta in instant drinks to curb costs, said Keith Flury, an analyst at Rabobank in London.

Consumer confidence in the U.S., the biggest coffee- drinking nation, held at a level typically reached during past recessions in the week ended Dec. 4, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index showed Dec. 8. Consumer confidence in Brazil, the second-largest coffee market, strengthened for three consecutive months, the National Industry Confederation estimates. Its gauge is still 5 percent lower than a year ago.

‘One Cup’

“In an environment where the economy is weak, people might forego that one cup of coffee a day,” said Abah Ofon, an analyst at Standard Chartered Plc in

Singapore

whose second- quarter robusta forecast was within $1 of the actual price.

Hedge funds and other money managers are betting on further declines in robusta. They held a net-short position of 6,263 contracts in the week ended Dec. 6, and have been bearish since the end of October, data from NYSE Liffe show. Speculators in arabica had a net-long position of 14,157 futures and options in the week ended Dec. 6, and have been bullish since August, data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission show.

Lower robusta prices may help contain costs for Nestle, the maker of Nescafe and Nespresso, which told investors Oct. 20 that its raw-material costs would jump as much as 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.2 billion) this year.

Million Bags

Production of robusta is likely to keep expanding. Output in Vietnam could reach 28.3 million bags by 2020, Jonathan Clark, the general director of Dakman Coffee Exporters, told a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 9. The Buon Ma Thuot, Vietnam-based company is a venture between ED&F Man and state- owned Simexco Daklak.

Brazil

’s harvest may advance about 50 percent in the next decade, said Braga of the Cecafe Brazil Coffee Exporters Council.

“On the robusta side, it’s very likely that we will see record production in Vietnam and this may weigh on prices,” said Lysu Paez, the Paris-based analyst at Natixis SA who correctly forecast a surge in robusta prices at the start of August, when they jumped 12 percent. “Fundamentals of arabica are going to be pretty tight on the supply side.”

2012-01-01T08:11:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all may peace come in 2012

High Red Meat Consumption Linked to Kidney Cancer

2011-12-31T08:29:00.000-05:00

Individuals who consume approximately 4 ounces of red meat a day are 19% more likely to be diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer—renal cell carcinoma (RCC)—compared to people who eat less than 1 ounce a day, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a large

U.S.

cohort, researchers from the National Cancer Institute investigated intake of meat and meat-related compounds in relation to risk of RCC, as well as clear cell and papillary RCC histologic subtypes. Researchers examined data from a study of nearly 500,000 U.S. adults age 50 and older who were surveyed on their dietary habits, including meat consumption. Over a 9-year follow-up, 1,814 cases of RCC (498 clear cell and 115 papillary adenocarcinomas) were reported.

They found middle-aged adults who ate the most red meat were 19% more likely to be diagnosed with kidney cancer than those who ate the least. A higher intake of chemicals found in grilled or barbecued meat also was linked to increased risk of the disease.

Vitamin E Repairs Torn Cell Membranes

2011-12-30T08:04:00.002-05:00

Eating, exercise and other everyday activities can cause cell membranes to tear, exposing cells to potentially harmful outside forces. Researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University report that vitamin E can help repair tears in plasma membrane, thereby maintaining the membrane's protective effect.

According to the researchers, vitamin E aids repair in several ways. As an antioxidant, it helps eliminate destructive byproducts from the body’s use of oxygen that impede repair. And, because it’s lipid-soluble, vitamin E can insert itself into the membrane to prevent free radicals from attacking. It also can help keep phospholipids, a major membrane component, compliant so they can better repair after a tear.

Researchers mimicked the membrane tears that occur with exercise by using hydrogen peroxide to produce free radicals. They found that tears in skeletal muscle cells would not heal unless pretreated with vitamin E.

The research also showed that vitamin E treatment in an animal model of diabetes restored some membrane repair ability. Also, an analogue of the most biologically active form of vitamin E significantly reversed membrane repair deficits caused by high glucose and increased cell survival after tearing cells in culture.

The study was published in Nature Communications.

Fats in Olive Oil, Fish Ease Pancreatitis

2011-12-29T08:05:00.002-05:00

Researchers at the University of Granada have shown fatty acids and compounds found in virgin olive oil can help relieve symptoms of pancreatitis.

Oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol, found in high concentration in virgin olive oil, as well as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish are common ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. The researchers found that these compounds affect the cellular mechanisms involved in the development of acute pancreatitis, a disease of oxidative-inflammatory etiology.

Via an in vitro experimental model, the researchers were able to evaluate how the type of fat ingested affects the membrane fatty acid composition and the ability of cells to respond to local inflammation in the pancreas.

María Belén López Millán, author of the study, notes "there is increasing evidence that there are oxidative-inflammatory processes involved in the origin of chronic diseases and that diet plays an important role in such processes. The antioxidant (phenolic compounds) and antiinflammatory (omega-3 fatty acids) effects of diet components (nutrients and bioactive compounds) prevent/mitigate the pathological incidence of oxidative-inflammatory processes."

Coffee has big cancer-fighting benefits. A recap of this years findings.

2011-12-28T08:16:00.002-05:00

As far as we can tell, all of America would grind to halt without coffee. We average about 3.4 cups per coffee drinker a day. Great news! Because in the war against cancer, coffee — lots of it — has become one of the most beneficial weapons you never suspected. In 2011, coffee was linked to lower rates of:

1. Endometrial cancer. Big coffee drinkers are 25 percent less likely to develop it than women who don’t finish a cup. Dose: at least four cups a day

2. Prostate cancer. It detests coffee. The newest data shows that even decaf repels even the most lethal type. Dose: one to six cups daily

3. The most common skin cancer. If basal cell carcinoma gets a toehold, coffee acts to shut it down. Dose: more than three cups a da

4. Breast cancer. Heavy coffee drinkers run a 20 to 50 percent lower risk of some breast cancers after menopause, versus women who sip less than a cup. Dose: at least five cups a day

That’s not all. In 2011, coffee was confirmed to ward off Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as type 2 diabetes.

What if you don’t like coffee, or it doesn’t like you? Fortunately, caffeine is one of coffee’s key protective compounds, and there are plenty of other places to get it, including caffeinated water plus green and black tea. Drinking them can give you instant smarts to deal with tough tasks, like switching cell-phone services.

FDA agrees to determine safety of BPA

2011-12-27T08:19:00.000-05:00

The Food and Drug Administration must come up with a decision by March 31 on whether to ban a chemical that’s widely used in plastics and the metal linings of food containers, according to a court settlement reached Wednesday between the agency and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The NRDC filed a petition in 2008 asking the agency to ban bisphenol A, or BPA, citing a growing body of research that suggests exposure to the chemical might pose serious health risks. When the FDA failed to respond within the time frame required by law, the NRDC sued the agency.

The settlement forces the FDA to take a position on a chemical that’s been used for more than four decades to manufacture everything from the cans for liquid infant formula to the coating on grocery store receipts. The agreement, approved by U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones in New York, said the FDA must issue a final decision, not a “tentative response.”

For years, the government has maintained that low doses of BPA are safe. In January, however, the FDA shifted positions and acknowledged that advances in science have raised “some concern” about the chemical’s health risks. The government is now investing $30 million to conduct research on the topic.

But FDA officials haven’t said much about the subject in the past two years or responded to NRDC’s petition despite reams of alarming data about the health risks posed by BPA, particularly to infants and children, said Sarah Janssen, a senior scientist at NRDC.

“There have been no updates,” Janssen said. “FDA has not been very public or transparent on what they’re doing on BPA. . . . We welcome more science, but there comes a point when you have enough information to make a decision, and in this case, we think that point passed years ago.”

In its petition, NRDC cited research that links BPA to reproductive problems, certain cancers and behavioral issues in children. In October, a government-funded study published in the journal Pediatrics suggested that BPA exposure in the womb could lead to behavioral problems in girls, including anxiety and depression.

The American Chemistry Council, which represents the chemical industry, dismissed Wednesday’s settlement as a “non-event.” The group maintains that BPA is safe and complains that various state actions to restrict BPA use have confused people over the health risks. For instance, consumer fears prompted manufacturers of baby bottles and sippy cups to stop using the chemical in these products several years ago.

“The consensus of government regulatory bodies around the world, including the U.S. FDA and the European Food Safety Authority, is that BPA is safe for use in food-contact materials,” said Steven G. Hentges, one of the council’s senior directors.

Scott Faber, a vice president at the Grocery Manufacturers Association, said he expects the FDA’s recent research on this topic to support the industry’s position. “Every other regulatory authority around the globe has concluded that BPA is safe for use in food containers, and we expect FDA will reconfirm this finding.”

FDA officials declined to comment on which way the agency is leaning, except to say that they will make a decision based on the information presented in the petition. But that decision might not be the end-all on the health risks posed by BPA.

“It’s important to note that enduring safety is a continuous process,” said Doug Karas, an FDA spokesman. “New studies are being done all the time. They will continue to be considered and add to the body of knowledge for decisions on BPA”

Meanwhile, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) is pressing ahead with legislation he authored that would rid BPA from all food and beverage containers.

Giving babies salty food may create a lifelong preference

2011-12-26T07:45:00.000-05:00

Diets including crackers, cereals and other high-sodium solid foods are linked to a greater fondness for salt, a study finds.

Feeding young babies solid foods such as crackers, cereals and bread, which tend to be high in salt, may set them up for a lifelong preference for salt, researchers reported Tuesday.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that efforts to reduce salt intake among Americans should begin early in life.

It is even possible, the authors said, that infancy contains a "sensitivity window" in which exposure to certain foods and tastes programs the brain to desire them in the future.

Americans' fondness for salt, a source of dismay for health experts, is well known. A 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine concluded that the average intake of 3,436 milligrams a day for Americans over age 2 is more than double what is recommended, and that new government standards are needed to reduce the salt content in processed and restaurant food.

But little is known about the biology behind our love affair with salt. Researchers don't even know what receptors are involved in tasting it. And though babies are born with a clear preference for sweet foods and an absolute distaste for bitter foods, they appear indifferent to salt in the first few months of life, said Leslie Stein, the lead author of the study and a senior research associate at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

"When you give 2-month-old babies salt water, they have no facial expression," Stein said. "This could mean that the baby doesn't detect the salt or just doesn't give a hoot about it."

To get at the issue, Stein and her colleagues first gave 61 healthy 2-month-old infants a mild solution of salt water: Based on facial expressions and how much they drank, the authors concluded the infants indeed were indifferent to the taste.

When the babies were 6 months old, they were brought back to the Monell clinic by their parents. They were presented with three bottles containing water, a mild salt solution or a slightly saltier solution. Researchers recorded how much fluid they drank from each bottle during a one-minute period — an indication of how much they preferred each solution.

Parents were also asked what, if any, baby food and table foods the children received. Table food is considered regular food that other members of the family might eat.

Almost half of the infants — 26 — had been exposed to starchy foods such as crackers, soft bread or cereal, which are often high in salt. During the bottle test, those babies consumed 55% more salt compared with babies who had not yet been exposed to these kinds of foods.

The scientists also reexamined 26 of the children at preschool age and surveyed their mothers about the children's salt preferences, such as whether they licked salt from foods, ate plain table salt or added salt to food before eating it. Children who had been exposed early to the starchy, salt-rich foods clearly had a greater liking for salt, they found.

"It's absolutely possible that exposure early on in life could change the way the salt taste signal is transmitted to the brain," said Dr. James F. Battey Jr., director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, which funded the study. "The brain is very plastic at that time of life."

The study doesn't prove this, however — it merely shows a correlation between early exposure and a taste for salt later on, Battey added. But if it turns out to be true, "then parents have a way of reducing the risk," he said.

Research on infant feeding practices has shown that babies will learn to like a food if exposed to it at least 10 times. But that doesn't mean they prefer a food, Stein said; they just learn to tolerate it.

And, Stein said, studies have also shown that babies are learning about the flavors in Mom's diet even before birth, in the uterus, as well as afterward through the taste of their mother's breast milk.

"This very early exposure helps them learn to like those flavors as well," Stein said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mothers breast-feed exclusively for the first six months and continue to breast-feed even after introducing solid foods. Doctors usually recommend introducing solid foods to babies about 6 months of age, but there are few rules over which foods to introduce first and which to offer later.

A 1990 Dutch study showed persistently higher blood pressure for children whose early sodium consumption was highest, said Dr. Stephen R. Daniels, chief of pediatrics at Children's Hospital Colorado, who was not involved in the new study.

"We don't have as much science as we want or need about the best way to introduce babies to solid food," Daniels said. "There's a tremendous opportunity to think of the period during which a baby is being introduced to solid foods as a time to get babies and toddlers on the road to the most healthful diet."

Peace

2011-12-25T08:10:00.000-05:00

May there be Peace on Earth

Controversy over ‘inhaled caffeine’ grows as as Sen. Schumer calls for FDA probe

2011-12-24T08:16:00.000-05:00

Breathable caffeine dispensed from canisters that fit in jean pockets and are allowed in carry-on luggage is a ‘club drug’ that may be dangerous to teenagers, a New York senator said.

Democrat Charles Schumer wrote Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg today asking her to review the safety and legality of the AeroShot Pure Energy caffeine inhaler, a yellow and gray canister of caffeine powder and B vitamins resembling a tube of lipstick. The inhaler is set to hit store shelves in New York and Boston next month

AeroShot will be sold over the counter with no age restrictions and is touted for its convenience and zero calories. If taken with alcohol, the mixture may have effects similar to caffeinated alcohol drinks tied to hospitalizations in the past, Schumer said. Doctors say it may carry neurological and cardiovascular risks.

“The product is nothing more than a club drug designed to give users the ability to drink until they drop,” Schumer said.

Doug Karas, a spokesman for the FDA, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Last year, at Schumer’s urging, the FDA stopped sales of caffeinated alcoholic beverages after they were linked to hospitalizations and deaths.

The inhaler is sold online by Cambridge, Massachusetts- based Breathable Foods Inc. and The Lab Store, in Paris. AeroShot advertising in Europe focuses on drinking and partying, Schumer said in a statement, adding that he’s concerned it could be a health hazard to teens.

Inhalable Foods

The inhaler was created by David Edwards, a professor at Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, who also invented Le Whif, a calorie-free inhalable chocolate.

AeroShot delivers 100 milligrams of caffeine, the same amount in a large cup of coffee. The caffeine is absorbed in the mouth and digestive tract, not through the lungs, according to a fact sheet from Breathable Foods. AeroShot is priced at $2.99 and is not intended for anyone younger than 12, according to the product’s website.

“It is a safe product that delivers caffeine and a mix of B vitamins to the mouth, and it does not contain the mystery chemicals found in other energy products like taurine or glucuronic acid,” said Tom Hadfield, chief executive officer of Breathable Foods, in an e-mail.

The company’s claims are unsubstantiated, Schumer said, noting the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the non- medical use of caffeine by children and adolescents. The Elk Grove Village, Illinois-based doctor’s group wrote AeroShot’s manufacturer yesterday about concerns over caffeine’s effect on developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems and the potential for the product to exacerbate asthma.

Survey Reveals Retailers’ Plans to Introduce In-Store Mobile Apps in 2012

2011-12-23T08:34:00.000-05:00

The leading provider of in-store mobile commerce solutions for retailers, restaurants and brands, today released new data highlighting retailers’ growing interest in in-store mobile shopping applications. AisleBuyer commissioned Retail TouchPoints to administer a survey of retail executives on current and future mobile deployment plans.

The survey, which was conducted in December 2011, reveals that while only 14 percent of respondents currently have a mobile application for in-store use, 50 percent of those who do not are planning to introduce a shopping app in 2012. Among this group of retailers that plan to build apps for in-store use:

54 percent plan to include promotions functionality as part of the app
24 percent plan to add mobile self-checkout via smartphones
46 percent of retailers have plans to add a tablet-based mobile store associate app for retail employees in the next 12 months

“Retailers clearly view mobile as the key to enhancing the in-store experience. From mobile self-checkout to equipping store associates with tablets, the survey data validates the major shift we are seeing in the use of mobile in stores,” said Andrew Paradise, AisleBuyer’s CEO. “Mobile apps provide retailers with a wealth of previously unavailable information on in-store shopper behavior that will ultimately improve revenue, profitability and customer loyalty.”

Seasons Greetings

2011-12-22T18:12:00.000-05:00

Season Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a peaceful Hanukkah

From Capico international

When consumers have a good customer service experience, 47% are likely to tell a company representative

2011-12-22T08:37:00.000-05:00

When consumers have a positive customer service experience, they are more likely than ever before to share their opinions than in previous years, especially via social media, online review sites, and with the company itself.

A recent Spherion Staffing Services survey shows that when consumers have a good customer service experience, 47 percent are likely to tell a company representative; 17 percent will express their opinions via social media; and 15 percent will write a review. The same survey from 2010 showed that only 40 percent of consumers were likely to share a great experience with a company representative—proving that consumers are becoming more vocal with companies they interact with. If consumers have a poor experience, 36 percent are willing to write a complaint directly to the company, and one in four will express their opinions on social media. Nineteen percent, the same statistic as last year, will choose to write a review online.

In addition, about one in 10 people are even willing to reach out to the media about their experiences. If they're unhappy, nine percent will contact the media to report it, up one percent from last year. Those who have great experiences are less likely to make news, with five percent calling for media attention, also up one percent from last year.

"Because of the extreme connectivity that the growth of social media has spurred between consumers and companies, people are more willing than ever to speak up about the way they feel about a particular brand," says Sandy Mazur,

Spherion's senior vice president of the franchise and licensee division. "So many companies have cut corners in this economy when it comes to customer service, but the impact of those decisions is greater than ever as people decide to speak up about who treats them well… and who doesn't."

Most consumers also feel that companies could stand to improve their customer service skills. When asked what percentage of their experiences was good over the last several months, 41 percent of people had good experiences less than 60 percent of the time. Only 26 percent had positive experiences 80 percent of the time or more, a statistic that fell from 32 percent last year.

"People expect more pleasant, personalized interactions with companies, and they want to feel positive about the way they are treated. They're more careful than ever about where they spend their money, which means that in a competitive market, customer service is more important than ever," says Mazur.

Consumers are also remaining loyal to the businesses that treat them well. Ninety-seven percent said a great experience makes them more likely to buy more of a product or repeat a service, similar to last year's 98.6 percent. However, once their trust is lost, it's hard to earn back. Twenty-two percent want a simple apology, 10 percent want a complete refund, and eight percent would want incentives or coupons. Forty-six percent, however, said that it would take all three, which means earning repeat business after a bad experience is costly and time consuming. Fifteen percent said absolutely nothing would amend their bad experience.

Consumers who have had poor experiences also tend to talk with friends about it, and their friends listen. Half (49 percent) of consumers are "very unlikely" to do with business with a company based on a bad recommendation from someone they trust. If someone has a great recommendation, though, 61 percent are equally as likely to choose that company in the future.

"Taking emphasis off customer service may seem like a good idea for the bottom line when budgets get tight, but in the long run, it's infinitely more expensive to get people to trust you again," says Mazur. "There is also always the possibility that nothing you do will bring customers back, which makes customer service one of the most important investments a company can make."

Communication was the most important service quality, with 85 percent rating it as important. Courteous and well-mannered treatment was a close second at 84 percent, followed by the ability to resolve issues quickly at 83 percent.

About 77% of consumers still need to buy holiday gifts this week

2011-12-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

A new survey conducted this past weekend by Visa Inc. shows that 77% of consumers still need to buy holiday gifts this week. These last-minute shoppers will spend an average of $278 in the final days leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah.

Procrastination is running rampant this year, with 13% of consumers planning to purchase all of their gifts in this final week. The survey data also shows that 8% of shoppers will purchase three quarters of their gifts this week, while 16% will purchase half of the gifts on their list this week. And 51% of consumers will be purchasing a quarter of their gifts this week.

"With this many Americans still desperate to buy gifts, we are officially in the red zone for 'panic shopping'," said Jason Alderman, Visa's Senior Director of Global Financial Education. "When shoppers panic, they throw money at the problem and often overspend to get a gift – any gift – in time for the holidays."

Whether it's a procrastinator or a savvy consumer who is just holding out for potential last minute bargains, there is less than a week to go in the holiday shopping season. To that end, Visa offers consumers some tips to help ensure that holiday cheer doesn't turn into a holiday hangover.

1. Even if you just have a week, it is imperative to make a realistic budget and stick with it. Spend no more than 1.5 percent of annual income on holiday expenses. For a family earning $50,000 a year, that means spending no more than $750 on all aspects of the holidays.

2. Have a 'micro budget' – a specific spending limit – for each person on your gift list.

3. Join together with family members to help those who may be less fortunate and make your gifts to each other a group contribution to a charity.

4. Consider giving an experience that can be redeemed after Christmas, like a home cooked gourmet meal.

5. Visa's Practical Money Skills for Life offers a free online holiday budgeting calculator. Click here to access the calculator.

Coffee makes for a special holiday gift

2011-12-20T08:26:00.002-05:00

For some people, enjoying coffee is almost a religious experience. They crave everything about the coffee experience — from the sound of a grinder to the aroma that fills the air when their favorite beverage is brewed.

But just how much are we willing to pay to satisfy our caffeinated desires?

With the arrival of the holiday season, many Abilene residents are hunting for gifts that will be treasured, useful and affordable.

Coffee is a practical and popular gift that can be personalized for any occasion and budget, said Carmen Guerra of Mezamiz Coffee House.

"People like to buy gifts that others can really get use out of and enjoy. Coffee fits that bill," Guerra said. "Many people will come in for a pound of coffee that can be added to a gift basket with collectibles and other personal gifts."

"We can put something together for any budget," Guerra said.

In regard to cost, there are many ways to enjoy coffee based on the limits of a person's budget. Factors such as quality, convenience and personal taste have to be considered when trying to get the most buzz for your buck.

In recent years, Keurig brand coffee machines have been all the rage when it comes to making coffee at home, but they are not the most cost-effective option available, financial experts say.

According to the home economics blog Mrs. Moneysaver,the average person who consumes two cups of coffee per day will spend more than $380 per year using a Keurig machine. That cost is low compared with buying two cups of coffee per day at Starbucks (more than $1,000 per year) or at McDonald's (more than $850 per year).

Using a standard coffee maker, however, will only set you back just over $100 during the same period.

Being frugal and following a few simple steps can make the convenience factor of Keurig more affordable.

The key to saving money on Keurig's proprietary K-Cups is by stockpiling when you find a great deal.

When shopping online, look for coupon codes to save money. If you are looking to buy local, keep an eye out for coupons and buy in bulk at places like Sam's Club and Walmart.

During the holidays, H-E-B and United Supermarkets often offer special variety packs that will save you money and allow you to sample a variety of coffee flavors.

Another popular trend this year for coffee fans is ready-to-brew coffee. This "just add water or milk" option was introduced by Starbucks as an alternative to standard instant coffee with its Via line, but you do have other options.

Via averages about $1 per cup, while Nescafe's Clasico line currently is being offered at Walmart for less than $2 per box of eight packets, which is enough to make eight cups of coffee.

Adding a box or two of ready-to-brew in a gift basket along with a mug and/or other small gifts will score you some bonus points with your favorite coffee fan.

If you're buying for a coffee aficionado like local real estate broker Randy Dodd, who proudly proclaims "Coffee is my drug of choice," a bit of research will go a long way. Talk to friends and scour websites such as Yelp for reviews on local coffee shops.

Gift cards and certificates will help local businesses boost their bottom line while making someone a nice gift, said Jerry Hendrix of Monk's Coffee Shop.

"Send someone in for something special like our Royal Breve," Hendrix said. "We combine steamed half-and-half with honey and espresso. This would not be easy for someone to make at home."

No matter how you buy it, coffee makes the holiday season a bit warmer. For many, the gift of coffee and conversation is always welcome.

Study Reveals Western-Asian Flavor Differences

2011-12-19T06:42:00.000-05:00

North American and Western European cuisines exhibit a statistically significant tendency toward recipes whose ingredients share flavor compounds, while East Asian and Southern European cuisines avoid recipes whose ingredients share flavor compounds, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Researchers at Indiana University looked at key ingredients of 56,498 online recipes and analyzed those ingredients for shared flavor compounds.

Some food scientists and chefs have developed a food pairing hypothesis that states that ingredients sharing flavor compounds are more likely to taste good together than ingredients that do not. Some application of this can be found at contemporary restaurants that successfully pair white chocolate and caviar, ingredients that both contain trimethylamine and other flavor compounds, or chocolate and blue cheese, which share at least 73 flavor compounds.

By creating a flavor network that captures the flavor compounds shared by culinary ingredients, the research team could reformulate the food pairing hypothesis into a hypothesis on the graph-topological properties of recipes in the flavor network. Statistical tests then can be used to unveil the connectedness, or the lack thereof, of ingredients and flavor compounds.

In this case, they took 381 ingredients from the group of recipes, along with an associated 1,021 flavor compounds that contributed flavor to those ingredients, and created a flavor network where ingredients are connected if they share at least one flavor compound.

“What we showed was that the recipes in North American cuisine tend to share more flavor compounds than expected. The most authentic ingredient pairs and triplets in North American cuisine also tend to share multiple flavor compounds, while compound-sharing links are rare among the most authentic combinations in East Asian cuisine," they said.

Their analysis also referenced that the number of actual recipes in use, on the order of about 106, was tiny when compared to the large number of potential recipes (over 1,015).

“e identified frequently used ingredients that contributed positively to the food pairing effect in North American cuisine, like milk, butter, cocoa, vanilla, cream and eggs," they said. “These played a disproportionate role, as 13 key ingredients that contributed to a shared compound effect were found in 74.4 percent of North American recipes."

Ingredients in East Asian cuisine—beef, ginger, pork, cayenne, chicken and onion—were the top contributors to an overall negative shared compound effect on food pairing.

Eating Lean Beef Lowers LDL Cholesterol

2011-12-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

Consuming a diet including lean beef every day is as effective in lowering total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol as the heart-healthy Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers at Penn State University conducted The BOLD clinical study, which evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Study participants experienced a 10% decrease in LDL cholesterol compared to baseline in two different beef diets containing 4 ounces (BOLD) and 5.4 ounces (BOLD-PLUS) of lean beef daily with both diets providing less than 7% of calories from saturated fat. After five weeks, there were significant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol.

“The BOLD study provides new research that health professionals can use to update their dietary recommendations with scientific findings showcasing how lean beef can maintain and even improve heart health," said Brian Healey, cow-calf producer from Davis, Okla. and vice-chair of the checkoff’s Joint Human Nutrition Research Committee. And research shows that when people include food they enjoy, like lean beef, they are more likely to stick to their heart-healthy diet longer."

Brown Algae Promotes Satiety, Weight Loss

2011-12-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

New research conducted at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE), University of Copenhagen, has found dietary fiber from brown algae boosts satiety and promotes weight loss and weight maintenance.

The researchers demonstrated that healthy subjects who took alginates and were allowed to eat as much as they wanted felt less hungry and ate less than the subjects not drinking fiber drinks with alginates.

The 12-week study included 96 overweight men and women. Forty-eight subjects drank a specially designed drink with alginates three times daily before each main course as a supplement to an energy-reduced diet; the other 48 subjects drank a placebo drink without alginates. The 80 subjects who completed the study achieved a far larger weight loss with alginate treatment than those drinking a similar drink without alginates.

On average, the subjects in the seaweed fiber drink group lost 1.7 kg more of body fat than those in the placebo group. The researchers said a probable explanation of the weight loss is that the alginates form a gel in the stomach that strengthens the gastrointestinal satiety signals to the brain because the gel takes up space in the stomach.

Retail sales of coffee reached $7.3 billion in 2011

2011-12-16T08:17:00.000-05:00

Retail sales of coffee reached $7.3 billion in 2011, an increase of nearly 17% over 2010, according to "Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee in the U.S.," a just-released report from market research firm Packaged Facts.

Because coffee is a mature market, dollar sales growth is driven by consumers paying higher prices for coffee products. Four main factors are behind higher prices: rising prices for "green" (raw) coffee beans that have been passed along the entire distribution chain; the "premiumization" of coffee; the nation's still-growing thirst for specialty coffee beverages; and the phenomenal growth of single-serve coffee packet formats.

The Food Institute (Saddle River, NJ, www.foodinstitute.com), estimates that wholesale coffee prices rose 18% for the first nine months of 2011, while retail prices increased 13.5% because retailers did not pass along all of these higher costs to consumers.

Regular (caffeinated) ground coffee, the largest coffee category at retail, accounts for almost 60% of dollar sales of coffee through mass-market channels. "Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee in the U.S." reports that single-cup coffee formats, a category scarcely worth tracking five years ago, now claims 7.5% of retail coffee sales, with its surge coming largely at the expense of regular instant coffee. Single-serve portion packs typically cost 65¢ to $1.00, making them considerably more expensive than brewing the same brand of coffee from loose grounds, but still less than buying a comparable beverage in a coffeehouse.

According to David Sprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts, a September 2011 survey conducted for the report found that 21% of households that make coffee (other than instant) at home own an electric single-cup coffeemaker (based on formats such as pods, K-Cups, or T-Discs), and 18% use it regularly.

Although the single-cup market in the U.S. is dominated by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters with its proprietary Keurig K-Cup brewing system, growth in the category has attracted a growing range of participants. In the past year, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks have launched single-cup coffee formats, making Peet's the only major coffee brand that does not yet have a single-cup presentation.

With the continued premiumization of coffee over the past decade, many new packaged coffee products introduced over the past five years have been positioned as "upscale," which was the top package tag for new coffee products introduced from 2006 through 2010, according to data from Product Launch Analytics, a Datamonitor service.

During 2011, however, private-label coffee introductions came to the fore, with new coffee lines or extended offerings pouring in from retailers as diverse as A&P, Dollar General, Trader Joe's, and Wegmans, in keeping with the surging importance of store brands across packaged food and beverage categories.

15 Minutes of Exercise Cuts Snacking in Half

2011-12-15T08:41:00.002-05:00

Individuals who want to cut back on their chocolate consumption at work should try getting up from their desk and taking a 15-minute walk, according to a new study published in the journal Appetite. The findings suggest a short burst of physical activity will keep a person’s mind off snacking and cut chocolate consumption in half.

Researchers at the University of Exeter followed 78 regular chocolate-eaters were invited to enter a simulated work environment, after two days abstinence from chocolate snacking. Two groups were asked to take a brisk 15-minute walk on a treadmill and were then given work to complete at a desk. One group was given an easy, low-stress task, while the other was asked to complete a more demanding job. The other two groups were asked to have a rest before completing the same tasks as the first two groups. Half were given an easier and the remainder a more challenging task. Chocolate was available in a bowl on the desk for all participants as they carried out their work.

Those who had exercised before working consumed on average half the amount of chocolate as the others—around 15 grams or the equivalent of a “fun-sized" candy bar , compared with 28 grams.

They found the difficulty of the task made no difference to the amount of chocolate they ate, which suggests that stress did not contribute to their cravings for sweet snacks.

“We know that snacking on high-calorie foods, like chocolate, at work can become a mindless habit and can lead to weight gain over time. We often feel that these snacks give us an energy boost, or help us deal with the stress of our jobs, including boredom," the researchers said. “People often find it difficult to cut down on their daily treats, but this study shows that by taking a short walk, they are able to regulate their intake by half."

Sources:

· University of Exeter: Short walk cuts chocolate consumption in half

Arsenic? Experts say real apple juice danger lies in calories

2011-12-14T08:16:00.000-05:00

Everybody's talking apple juice these days, now that a new study found high levels of arsenic in some popular juice brands.

But health experts are warning juice drinkers that apple juice can pose a different set of dangerous problems - because its loaded in calories.

Despite the FDA considering new limits on arsenic, nutrition experts say apple juice's real danger is to waistlines and children's teeth.

Apple juice has few natural nutrients and is loaded in calories - in some cases, more than soda.

"It's like sugar water," said Judith Stern, a nutrition professor at the University of California, Davis. "I won't let my 3-year-old grandson drink apple juice."

Experts also say giving lots of apple juice trains them to like very sweet things and contributes to the obesity problem.

Though some apple juices are fortified with vitamins, nutritionists don't think that counters the caloric intake.

"If it wasn't healthy in the first place, adding vitamins doesn't make it into a health food," said Karen Ansel, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says, "Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit for infants younger than 6 months" and no benefits over whole fruit for older kids.

Children under 12 consume nearly 30 percent of all juice and juice drinks, according to the academy. Nationwide, apple juice is second only to orange in popularity. Americans gulp 267 ounces of apple juice on average each year, according to the Food Institute's Almanac of Juice Products and the trade group Juice Products Association. Lots more is consumed as an ingredient other food and drinks.

So what exactly is in apple juice?

Carbohydrates - mostly sugars - in a much higher concentration than in milk. Juice also contains a small amount of protein and minerals and lacks the fiber in whole fruit, the academy notes.

Drinking juice delivers a lot of calories quickly, so you might not realize how much you've consumed. That's why experts suggest if you're craving apple juice, why not grab an apple?

"Whole fruits are much better for you," said Dr. Frank Greer, a University of Wisconsin, Madison, professor and former head of the pediatrics academy's nutrition committee.

Are you or your family juice drinkers? Here are some tips from nutrition experts:

Choose a juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D-3
Give children only pasteurized juice, the only type safe from germs.
Don't give juice to kids younger than 6 months, and never put it in bottles or sippy cups that allow babies and children to consume it throughout the day. That can cause tooth decay. For the same reason, don't give infants juice before bed.
Limit juice to 4 to 6 ounces per day for children ages 1 to 6, and 8 to 12 ounces for those ages 7 to 18.
Encourage kids to eat fruit.
Don't be swayed by healthy-sounding claims on juice labels. "No sugar added" doesn't mean it isn't full of naturally occurring sugar. And "cholesterol-free" is silly - only animal products contain cholesterol.

Ample Growth Opportunities for Restaurants Serving Breakfast and coffee is the prime leader

2011-12-13T06:34:00.000-05:00

While breakfast sales have grown steadily for restaurants, retailers and suppliers over the past few years, consumer data shows that the market is not yet saturated and there are still plenty of opportunities within this category. Technomic estimates the breakfast segment accounts for 12 percent of the total restaurant industry, generating around $42 billion in annual sales. Breakfast patronage is up at foodservice locations, particularly fast-food restaurants, where 46 percent of consumers now occasionally purchase weekday breakfasts compared to just 33 percent in 2009. Coffee has helped to develop this program.

"Breakfast is a very dynamic segment in which consumers are looking for healthier options and place a premium on convenience," says Technomic EVP Darren Tristano. "Our busy lives and weekly routines drive the need for fast, convenient options in the morning. When consumers don't have convenient options, they're increasingly bringing breakfast from home to eat elsewhere."

To Interesting findings include:

Consumers generally place greater importance on convenience and speed of service than price for breakfast occasions, indicating that consumers are willing to pay more for a morning meal that saves time and fits their daily routine. About 75 percent of consumers surveyed agree that a convenient location is important when purchasing a breakfast item from a restaurant or other foodservice location during with week as long as the coffee is of high quality.
Coffee is playing an increasingly important role in consumers' breakfast purchasing decision: 33 percent of consumers who drink coffee at breakfast indicate they are loyal to a coffee brand or restaurant that serves their preferred coffee, up from just 25 percent of consumers who said the same in 2009.
Consumers say full-service restaurants excel at providing kids' options, and signal opportunities for full-service restaurant operators to boost breakfast sales through portable breakfast options.
Over the past two years, limited-service restaurants have added more than 230 new breakfast items, illustrating that breakfast remains a growth category for limited-service operators.
Health is a top trend to watch. Beyond lowfat/nonfat ingredients, whole grains and multigrain items are a way to signal health. Oatmeal is booming and will continue to be prevalent on breakfast menus.

Nasty germs lurking in raw cookie dough, scientist warns

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you’re one of the many who often sneak bites of cookie batter while forming little mounds of the sticky, sweet stuff for baking, government scientists have a message for you. Stop it now!

A new report shows there may be some nasty germs lurking in ready-to-bake cookie dough.

“What our report shows is that you shouldn’t eat cookie dough raw, no matter where it comes from,” said the report’s lead author Dr. Karen Neil, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “It’s supposed to be baked.”

Neil and her colleagues concluded that raw, ready-to-bake cookie dough was what caused 77 people in 30 states to become ill, 35 of whom became so sick that they needed to be hospitalized.

After learning about the outbreak, the researchers were able to track down the culprit by comparing the eating habits of 36 healthy volunteers to 36 people sickened by a deadly strain of E coli bacteria in 2009. Raw cookie dough consumption was the thing all 36 had in common.

When the researchers visited manufacturing plants where the cookie batter was being made their suspicions were confirmed: they found E coli in the samples they collected at the plants, according to the report which was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Despite an exhaustive investigation, Neil and her colleagues still aren’t able to say which of the ingredients, or what part of the manufacturing process, led to the contamination of the cookie dough. It’s possible, Neil said, that flour might have been the problem

.Flour, she explained, doesn’t go through the kind of special processing to kill off pathogens that ingredients like pasteurized eggs, molasses, sugar, baking soda, and margarine do.

Neil’s investigation ultimately led to the recall of 3.6 million packages of cookie dough. The manufacturer of the dough isn’t named in the report.

If you’re a fan of raw cookie dough and are wondering why it is that you can eat cookie dough ice cream, Neil explained that the preparation process for the dough in ice cream is different from the product that is sold as “ready-to-bake.”

“The cookie dough in ice cream was meant to be consumed raw,” she said. “It’s formulated as a ready-to-eat product. The cookie dough that is labeled “ready-to-bake” in the refrigerator section of the grocery store – or even the dough that you make at home – should be cooked before you eat it.”

Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cod and salmon, may significantly lower a young woman's risk of developing heart disease

2011-12-11T13:27:00.000-05:00

Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cod and salmon, may significantly lower a young woman's risk of developing heart disease, Danish researchers report.

The researchers found that women of childbearing age who never ate fish had 50 percent more cardiovascular problems than women who ate fish often, and a 90 percent higher risk than women who ate fish weekly.

"We found that even women who ate fish only a couple of times a month benefited," said lead researcher Marin Strom, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Fetal Programming at the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen.

"Women who eat fish should find the results encouraging, but it is important to emphasize that to obtain the greatest benefit from fish and fish oils, women should follow the dietary recommendations to eat fish as a main meal at least twice a week," she said.

However, the report, published in the Dec. 5 online edition of Hypertension, doesn't show a cause-and-effect relationship between eating fish and lowering cardiovascular risk, merely an association.

Strom's team collected data on some 49,000 pregnant women between 1996 and 2008. They asked how much and what fish they ate, hoping to determine if eating certain types of fish helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The women, aged 15 to 49 at the study's start, were also asked about lifestyle and family medical history.

Over eight years of follow-up, 577 cardiovascular events -- including hypertension, stroke and heart disease -- were recorded. Five women died of cardiovascular disease.

Overall, more women who ate little or no fish were hospitalized for cardiovascular disease than those who ate fish, the researchers found.

When the researchers evaluated a subset of woman on three different occasions, the risk for cardiovascular disease was three times higher for women who never ate fish than for women who ate fish that was high in omega-3 at least once a week, they added.

Fish oil has long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which appear to be the protective factor against heart and vascular disease, Strom explained.

"The best sources to obtain the long chained omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, and Greenland halibut," Strom said.

The fish the women reported eating most often were cod, plaice, salmon, herring, and mackerel. Women who took fish oil supplements were excluded from the study.

Although fried fish may be less healthy, it probably doesn't eliminate the fatty acids, Strom said.

According to Strom, similar studies in the past focused on men, not women. "To our knowledge this is the first study of this size that focuses exclusively on women of childbearing age," she said.

Both sexes share many of the same risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but certain ones, such as inflammation, triglyceride and cholesterol, might be more important in women, she noted.

"This study substantiates a cardioprotective effect of fish intake and underlines the importance of promoting fish intake by dietary recommendations," Strom said. The positive effect noted with even modest fish consumption is encouraging for people who aren't big fish eaters, she added.

The authors acknowledge some limitations to the study, including that the data were self-reported.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the findings are consistent with other studies in older women and in men.

"This study provides further supporting data that omega-3 fatty acids in the diet or as supplements are cardioprotective," Fonarow said.

Rice Contributes to Arsenic Exposure

2011-12-09T08:01:00.000-05:00

In a study of a small group of pregnant women in New Hampshire, researchers from Dartmouth College found elevated urinary arsenic concentrations in those who had eaten rice in the two days prior to urine collection.

Of the 229 women who took part in the study, 73 had eaten rice in the two days prior. Upon testing, the urine of the rice eaters showed a median of 5.27 micrograms per liter; the 156 non-rice eaters showed 3.38 micrograms per liter. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers note that the women who had eaten rice consumed an average of 28.3 grams per day, which is equal to a 1/2 cup of cooked rice or 1 cup of rice cereal. Rice is susceptible to arsenic contamination due to its ability to extract arsenic from the environment into the rice plant.

Arsenic levels in the water of all subjects' homes were also tested, in order to separate the potential for exposure to arsenic from drinking water. The researchers say the women consumed a median of 0.27 μg of arsenic per day through home tap water.

The researchers conclude: "The large and statistically significant association we observed between rice consumption and urinary arsenic, in addition to earlier reports of elevated arsenic concentrations in rice, highlights the need to regulate arsenic in food. There are no statutory limits for the arsenic content of food sold in the United States and European Union, in stark contrast to

China

, where the maximum safe level of inorganic arsenic in rice is 0.15 μg/g (36). Setting such limits would protect consumers from unknowingly purchasing rice or rice products with high levels of arsenic. In addition, limits would encourage cultivation of rice strains that do not incorporate as much arsenic and reduce the use of arsenic-contaminated land for agriculture. Given the potentially adverse health consequences of arsenic at low levels of exposure, it is imperative that the health impact of arsenic exposure through rice consumption be characterized."

Why we're still lapping up the lattes

2011-12-08T08:18:00.002-05:00

Faced with a medium-term financial forecast that is the economic equivalent of nuclear winter, it's not surprising we're buying less stuff. Consumer spending is down, and most retail outlets are feeling the corresponding pinch. One commodity, however, is bucking the trend: coffee.

We're still drinking plenty of coffee – enough of it that Starbucks is planning to open 300 new outlets, creating up to 5,000 new jobs. What is it about coffee that makes us want more of it when times are hard?

It's strange to think that decent coffee, not so long ago a rarity in Britain, is something we now regard as an entitlement. I know I do, and I certainly don't feel the same way about, say, cavolo nero. I can get by on kale until the sun comes up again in 2016.

Coffee, of course, makes us feel better in a way that posh cabbage doesn't. It may be an expensive hot drink, but it's also the poor man's antidepressant. As licit mood-altering substances go, coffee is the only one that most consistently maintains a near equal balance of news stories proclaiming its dangers and touting its benefits: it's almost exactly as bad for you as it is good for you. And while it may be harmless, it's also reliably addictive. As the economic outlook gets gloomier, one would expect to find the British public on the hunt for ever stronger coffee. Apparently not.

Research from Glasgow University has found that the level of caffeine in shop-bought coffee varies widely, with some outlets selling espresso containing six times the caffeine found in others. One Glasgow shop was selling espresso shots with 322mg of caffeine in it, which sounds like something you'd drink on a dare. Guess whose coffee came bottom, with just 51mg per serving? That's right: Starbucks.

Where’s The Beef? Filet No. 1 Shoplifted Item

2011-12-07T08:14:00.000-05:00

Everyone loves a good steak, but did you know the coveted filet mignon is the No. 1 most shoplifted item during the holidays? Yes, you read that correct—the Grinches are sinking their carnivorous teeth into retailers pockets.

According to Adweek, one in 11 people will waltz into a store and five-finger pocket something this season. Adweek estimates retailers will lose $119 billion to shoplifters in 2011; however, the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention puts that number much lower at $13 billion, or $35 million a day.

The Top 10 most shoplifted of items during the holidays include:

Choice cuts of meat like filet mignon.
Expensive liquors, particularly Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Electric tools.
Gadgets, especially Apple products.
Gillette Mach 4 razor blades.
Axe brand deodorant and body washes.
Polo, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger apparel.
Let's Rock Elmo toys.
Expensive perfumes and colognes, particularly Chanel No. 5.
Nike athletic shoes.

Egg and chicken consumption may sharpen memory

2011-12-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

A new long-term US study announced last week found that eggs and chicken may sharpen your memory.

Senior researcher Rhoda Au and her team from Boston University School of Medicine performed the long-term health study on 1,400 adults, spanning 10 years. Those participants who ate diets packed with plenty of choline performed better in memory tests and were less likely to acquire brain changes associated with dementia than those who consumed less choline in their diets.

Other foods high in choline include legumes (such as soy and kidney beans), saltwater fish, liver and milk, according to Australian news website ninemsn.

However, Au noted that "no one nutrient is a magic bullet against demetia," according to The Huffington Post UK.

Other ways to boost your brain power? Some studies have shown that eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help slow the typical cognitive decline that comes with age. In addition, according to a 2010 study, tea drinkers did better on tests of memory and information processing than non-tea drinkers did.

Social media users were highly positive about U.S. coffee chains in the last 12 months

2011-12-05T08:37:00.000-05:00

Social media users were highly positive about US coffee chains on social media in the last 12 months, with Starbucks leading the pack, according to a new social media analytics report from Amplicate.

The report found that 88% of all opinions on social media about major coffee chains such as Dunkin Donuts and Cosi, were positive. No major coffee chain performed poorly on social media but Dunkin Donuts was the least loved over the 12 months, with 23% of comments on the coffee and donut chain expressing a negative opinion. Social media users criticized the chain's iced coffee and expressed some dissatisfaction with its bagels.

Starbucks, on the other hand, was the most loved coffee chain on social media. 89% of opinions expressed enthusiasm for the Seattle-based coffee giant. Social media users were most positive about the chain's sweet specialty coffees, loudly extolling its Pumpkin Spice Latte and its Caramel Mocha.

Amplicate's new report 'Public Opinion on US Coffee Chains on Social Media' reveals that fans of coffee chains were not only more vocal than major coffee chains' detractors but their opinions reverberated farther through cyberspace. The average fan of coffee chains had 573 friends or followers on social media, whereas the average detractor had only 402 friends or followers.

Gap Between Healthiest and Least Healthy Is Growing

2011-12-04T07:59:00.000-05:00

The gap between the healthiest people and the least healthy in the United States has grown among those born in recent decades, and will likely continue to grow in the coming generations, a new study suggests.

The researchers found the disparity in healthiness generally declined for each generation from the start of the 20th Century through the baby boomers, who were born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s, but the gap subsequently has grown again in later generations and is now approaching what it was in the early 1900s.

"The dramatic rising health disparities for cohorts born after 1980," said Hui Zheng, lead author of the study and assistant professor of sociology at Ohio State University, surprised the researchers.

Wolfgang Puck says Starbucks sucks

2011-12-03T08:29:00.000-05:00

Should we believe Wolfgang or is he trying to promote his drinks. I do not drink Starbucks as I personally do not like there taste, but a lot of consumers do. It is very subjective, like pizza.

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is expanding his culinary empire again, lending his name to a new line of bottled iced coffee drinks. And he's taking some serious shots at his new rival Starbucks in the process.

"Like when I fly on United Airlines they say, 'We proudly serve Starbucks coffee.' I said they should say, 'We are embarrassed to serve Starbucks coffee,'" Puck told Houston's Culture Map while on a trip to the city where his new sweetened coffee drinks are being made.

Puck claims to be a purist. "To me, coffee is a way of life...We have coffee all the time. To me, coffee is one of the most important things in life," Puck told CultureMap.

Of course, some true coffee snobs would hold their nose at Puck's bottled drinks, which include flavors such as Cafe Au Lait, Double Blend Mocha, and Vanilla Fusion.

Even though Starbucks also makes bottled coffee drinks, Puck says they don't even compare.

"Starbucks, what they make, if you open a bottle and smell it, what did they do to the coffee?" They created a taste in the memory for people, which is interesting, so that people really think it's good coffee," Puck said.

"But it's terrible!"

Mid-Morning Snacks Hinder Women’s Weight Loss

2011-12-02T08:31:00.000-05:00

Women dieters who eat a snack between breakfast and lunch lose an average of 4% less weight compared to women who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a new study that will be published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The findings suggest mid-morning snacking might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center conducted a study that involved 123 overweight-to-obese postmenopausal Seattle-area women ages 50 to 75 who were randomly assigned to either a diet-alone intervention (goal: 1,200 to 2,000 calories a day, depending on starting weight, and fewer than 30% of daily calories from fat), or diet plus exercise (same calorie and fat restrictions plus 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day, five days a week).

While the women received nutrition counseling they were not given any specific instructions or recommendations about snacking behavior. At the end of the study the women were asked to record the time, type and frequency of meals consumed on a normal day. Percent of calories from fat, fiber and fruit and vegetable intake also were estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire.

Over the course of the year-long study, the researchers found mid-morning snackers lost an average of 7% of their total body weight, while those who ate a healthy breakfast but did not snack before lunch lost more than 11% of their body weight. Women who reported eating more than two snacks a day also had higher fiber intake than those who snacked less frequently, and afternoon snackers ate more fruits and vegetables compared to women who didn’t snack between lunch and dinner.

While snacking too close to a main meal may be detrimental to weight loss, waiting too long between meals also may sabotage dieting efforts, the researchers said.

“Snacking could be part of a dieter’s toolkit if they’re eating in response to true hunger. Individuals should determine if they experience long intervals—such as more than five hours—between meals. Our study suggests that snacking may actually help with weight loss if not done too close to another meal, particularly if the snacks are healthy foods that can help you feel full without adding too many calories," the researchers said.

They noted nationwide surveys indicate 97% of U.S. adults report snacking; however, they advised steering clear of foods less conducive to weight loss and incorporate nutrient-dense foods that are no more than 200 calories per serving. The best snacks for a weight-loss program are proteins such as low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea.

Sources:

· Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: Mid-Morning Snacking May Sabotage Weight-Loss Efforts

People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health

2011-12-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk," said Cyrus Raji, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and cognitive skills. According to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease. In MCI, memory loss is present but to a lesser extent than in Alzheimer's disease. People with MCI often go on to develop Alzheimer's disease.

For the study, 260 cognitively normal individuals were selected from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Information on fish consumption was gathered using the National Cancer Institute Food Frequency Questionnaire. There were 163 patients who consumed fish on a weekly basis, and the majority ate fish one to four times per week. Each patient underwent 3-D volumetric MRI of the brain. Voxel-based morphometry, a brain mapping technique that measures gray matter volume, was used to model the relationship between weekly fish consumption at baseline and brain structure 10 years later. The data were then analyzed to determine if gray matter volume preservation associated with fish consumption reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease. The study controlled for age, gender, education, race, obesity, physical activity, and the presence or absence of apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4), a gene that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Gray matter volume is crucial to brain health. When it remains higher, brain health is being maintained. Decreases in gray matter volume indicate that brain cells are shrinking.

The findings showed that consumption of baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis was positively associated with gray matter volumes in several areas of the brain. Greater hippocampal, posterior cingulate and orbital frontal cortex volumes in relation to fish consumption reduced the risk for five-year decline to MCI or Alzheimer's by almost five-fold.

"Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons in the brain's gray matter by making them larger and healthier," Dr. Raji said. "This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain's resistance to Alzheimer's disease and lowers risk for the disorder."

The results also demonstrated increased levels of cognition in people who ate baked or broiled fish.

"Working memory, which allows people to focus on tasks and commit information to short-term memory, is one of the most important cognitive domains," Dr. Raji said. "Working memory is destroyed by Alzheimer's disease. We found higher levels of working memory in people who ate baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis, even when accounting for other factors, such as education, age, gender and physical activity."

Eating fried fish, on the other hand, was not shown to increase brain volume or protect against cognitive decline.

Soy Sauce Effectively Reduces Salt in Foods

2011-11-30T08:37:00.002-05:00

Food scientists at the National University of Singapore have discovered a method to reduce salt in foods without compromising the taste intensity and pleasantness of the food by replacing salt with naturally-brewed soy sauce, according to a new study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies.

The research team explored the use of soy sauce to reduce salt intake in daily food preparation by replacing all or some added salt with naturally brewed soy sauce without change in consumer acceptance. They investigated three types of foods: salad dressing, tomato soup and stir-fried pork. A two-alternative forced choice test between a salt standard and a variety of soy sauce samples was used to establish the exchange rate, giving the amount of soy sauce needed to replace added salt with the same taste intensity.

In a separate session, consumers were asked to evaluate the pleasantness and several sensory attributes of another five varieties of the food samples based on the proportion of salt and soy sauce added. Results showed that it is possible to reduce added salt by 33% to 50% in the foods studied when soy sauce is used to replace added salt during food preparation. Percentage of salt reduction achievable may be higher in a population with prior exposure to soy sauce in their diet. The method can be used by food industries to produce reduced salt products or by consumers at home.

Exercise Increases Satiety, Improves Diet

2011-11-29T08:46:00.000-05:00

Consuming a healthy diet and getting ample amounts of exercise increases satiety and helps suppress the brain’s drive to overeat, according to a study published in the journal Obesity Review. Understanding the interaction between exercise and a healthy diet could improve preventative and therapeutic measures against obesity by strengthening current approaches and treatments.

Researchers from Harvard University investigated the neurocognitive groundwork of eating behavior and the impact of physical activity on cognition and the brain. Data from epidemiological studies suggest tendencies toward a healthy diet and the right amount of physical exercise often come hand in hand, and an increase in physical activity is usually linked to a parallel improvement in diet quality.

They found exercise increases sensitivity to physiological signs of fullness. This not only means that appetite can be controlled better, but it also modifies hedonic responses to food stimuli. They noted “physical exercise seems to encourage a healthy diet. In fact, when exercise is added to a weight-loss diet, treatment of obesity is more successful and the diet is adhered to in the long run."

The researchers support the concept that “regular exercise improves output in tests that measure the state of the brain's executive functions and increases the amount of grey matter and prefrontal connections."

The researchers concluded “in time, exercise produces a potentiating effect of executive functions including the ability for inhibitory control, which can help us to resist the many temptations that we are faced with everyday in a society where food, especially hyper-caloric food, is more and more omnipresent."

Sources:

· EurekAlert: Exercise helps us to eat a healthy diet

Whole Grain’s Nutritional Advantages

2011-11-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

The refining of grains strips out a sizable portion of their nutrition, so whole grains have the advantage, especially when it comes to vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. According to FDA and the American Association of Cereal Chemists International, St. Paul, MN, whole grains are defined as “intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grain whose principal components, the starchy endosperm, germ and bran, are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain." Whole grains can undergo processing and reconstitution and still be considered whole grains if they contain the same proportion of bran, germ and endosperm as the original grain before processing.

Nutrient content

Insoluble, poorly fermentable carbohydrates make up the majority of the outer bran layer of a whole grain, whereas the inner germ contains soluble fibers, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, oils and other phytonutrients. During refining, the outer bran layer and inner germ layer are partially or fully removed and, therefore, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients are lost. Even though refined grains are enriched with thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron to restore levels back to those in the original whole grains, vitamin E, trace minerals, unsaturated fat and phytochemicals are not replaced. Therefore, “whole grains have 2.5 to 5.0 times more nutrients than refined grains," notes Cynthia Harriman, director of food and nutrition strategies, Oldways/The Whole Grains Council, Boston.

Whole grains include commonly consumed grains such as whole wheat, wild rice, brown rice, whole oats and oatmeal, whole-grain cornmeal, and popcorn, as well as whole rye, whole-grain barley, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, sorghum, amaranth, emmer, farro, grano (lightly pearled wheat), spelt and wheat berries.

Unique whole-grain nutrients

In addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals, whole grains contain a number of other beneficial nutrients. Whole grains are a source of antioxidants, including lignans, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and ß-cryptoxanthin. The germ fraction of whole grains also contains vitamin E in the form of tocopherols and tocotrienols (Critical Reviews in Food Science, 2010; 50:193-208). And, the fat in whole grains comes primarily from oleic acid and the essential omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid. Whole grains also are a source of resistant starch, which affects colonic bacteria and may increase satiety, prebiotic oligosaccharides and lignans (PLoS One, 2010; 5:e15,046; Nutrition Research, 2009; 29:100-105; Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2011; 51:178-194). And finally, whole grains are a source of plant sterols and stanols, compounds that inhibit the body’s absorption of cholesterol (Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009; 18:179-186).

Each whole grain has a different nutrition makeup and their fiber content can vary widely. For instance, brown rice contains 0.6 grams fiber per 16 grams brown rice, whereas Kamut® grain contains 3.9 grams of fiber per 16 grams. Despite these differences, the health-promoting effects of whole grains are not solely due to their fiber content.

In addition to varying amounts of fiber, the total antioxidant capacity differs among grains. “Corn has one of the highest antioxidant activities, followed by wheat, oats and rice," says Harriman. In a study examining the distribution of phytochemicals in wheat, scientists milled two varieties of wheat into endosperm and bran and germ fractions to examine how the refining process affects the total phytochemical content. The total phenolic content of bran and germ fractions was 15 to 18 fold higher than that of the endosperm fractions. And, the bran and germ fraction, the part that is removed during the refining process, contained an average of four times more lutein and 12 times more zeaxanthin, antioxidants found in the retina of the eye. The bran and germ fraction also contributed to 83% of the total phenolic content, 79% of the total flavonoid content, 85% of the total hydrophilic antioxidant activity and 94% of the total lipophilic antioxidant activity (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2005; 53:2,297-2,306; Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2007; 458:128-135). Though whole grains retain more antioxidants, thermal processing and milling can make some of the insoluble bound phytochemicals found in grains more bioaccessible (The Journal of Nutrition, 2011; 141:1,011S-1,022S).

Whole-grain health claims

The FDA approved health claim for whole grains and risk of heart disease and certain cancers specifies that the food contain 51% or more whole-grain ingredients by weight per RACC (reference amounts customarily consumed) and a dietary fiber content of at least:

• 3.0 grams per RACC of 55 grams

• 2.8 grams per RACC of 50 grams

• 2.5 grams per RACC of 45 grams

• 1.7 grams per RACC of 35 grams

Additionally, the food must be low fat. The required wording for the claim is: “Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.".

Gaining ground

Many whole grains are gaining popularity yet don’t come in a refined form. Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free grain that contains more protein than many grains, and one- quarter cup, uncooked, is an excellent source of magnesium and iron, and a good source of copper and phosphorus. In addition to quinoa, food manufacturers and chefs are incorporating a variety of other, less commonly used grains into food to enhance the taste and texture of products while meeting consumer needs (like gluten-free or nonallergenic).

According to NHANES data, many Americans are falling short on their intake of whole grains. This presents an opportunity for food manufacturers to create products that incorporate one or more whole grains while also communicating the nutrition benefits of whole grains to consumers. As Harriman notes, “it all comes down to a balanced diet incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich foods for good health."

Drinking Coffee Reduces Risk of Endometrial Cancer

2011-11-27T08:38:00.000-05:00

Drinking four or more cups of coffee a day has been shown to reduce a woman’s risk of developing endometrial cancer by 25%, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The findings suggest coffee is emerging as a protective agent in cancers that are linked to obesity, estrogen and insulin.

Harvard researchers observed cumulative coffee intake in relation to endometrial cancer in 67,470 women who enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. During the course of 26 years of follow-up, researchers documented 672 cases of endometrial cancer. Drinking more than four cups of coffee per day was linked with a 25% reduced risk for endometrial cancer. Drinking between two and three cups per day was linked with a 7% reduced risk. A similar link was seen in decaffeinated coffee, where drinking more than two cups per day was linked with a 22% reduced risk for endometrial cancer.

“Coffee has long been linked with smoking, and if you drink coffee and smoke, the positive effects of coffee are going to be more than outweighed by the negative effects of smoking," the researchers said. “However, laboratory testing has found that coffee has much more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits."

Sources:

· American Association for Cancer Research: Coffee May Protect Against Endometrial Cancer

About 46% of U.S. adults plan to shop online on Cyber Monday, Nov. 28 instead of in-store on Black Friday

2011-11-26T08:26:00.000-05:00

While some shoppers revel in the thrill of Black Friday shopping trips, others are content to click their way to savings. According to a new CouponCabin.com survey, nearly half (46 percent) of U.S. adults plan to shop online on Cyber Monday, November 28, the Monday after Thanksgiving, instead of in-store on Black Friday. These Cyber Monday shoppers said they plan to shop online so they can avoid crowds (35 percent), take advantage of the better deals online (27 percent), save money on gas (21 percent) and cut back on in-store impulse shopping (11 percent). This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from October 25-26, 2011 among 2,115 adults ages 18 and older.

In addition to avoiding the Black Friday in-store pitfalls and taking advantage of the great savings online, shoppers plan to hit the Web on Cyber Monday to give themselves the gift of time. More than four-in-ten (44 percent) Cyber Monday shoppers said that shopping online that day will save them a lot of time, while an additional 42 percent report it will save them at least some time.

"The benefits to shopping on Cyber Monday surpass convenience and really lie in the amazing deals to be had online that day," said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. "More than half of U.S. adults we surveyed said they plan to shop online that day, while 24 percent of those who are employed said they will do their shopping while they work. No matter where or how you plan to take advantage of online Cyber Monday deals, be sure to have a plan of attack to ensure you don't miss out."

The majority of Cyber Monday shoppers will be firing up their laptops to purchase electronics (e.g., TVs, DVD/Blu-ray Disc players, computers) and entertainment (e.g., video games, movies/TV series on DVD or Blu-ray, books) on November 28, at 55 percent and 54 percent, respectively. In addition, Cyber Monday shoppers said they plan to purchase:

· Clothing, shoes and/or accessories – 47 percent

· Toys – 33 percent

· Gift cards – 17 percent

· Sporting goods – 13 percent

· Jewelry – 11 percent

No matter what shoppers plan to buy, there are tons of deals to take advantage of on Cyber Monday. How can shoppers ensure they get the best discounts on the Web? Warrick offers the following tips:

Save on shipping – If you're starting your holiday shopping on Cyber Monday, think about shipping gifts directly to the friends and family on your list. Many sites will offer free shipping that day, and by shipping directly to your recipients, you'll cut out any shipping costs on your end. Plus, many sites will giftwrap the item and include a personal note in the box!

Plan your attack - If you know there's a certain product you want to buy, make sure to create a list of sites where it's available. Once Cyber Monday arrives, make your way down that list comparing prices, taking notes as you go, to ensure you're getting the deepest discount possible.

Get social – Follow your favorite stores on Twitter, Facebook and their blogs to stay up-to-date on savings as they happen on Cyber Monday. Don't forget to also follow coupon sites like CouponCabin.com, where deals and offers will be posted constantly that day via Twitter and Facebook.

People who consume a lot of unfermented soy products like tofu may have a smaller chance of getting lung cancer

2011-11-25T07:57:00.000-05:00

There is still no proof that soy itself is protective, but compounds in the soy called isoflavones have been shown to slow cancer cell growth in the lab.

Because researchers studying the link between diet and lung cancer have come to mixed conclusions on soy, Chinese and U.S. scientists decided to get an overview of the medical literature.

They found 11 observational studies, a few of which followed people for a decade or longer. Pooling all of the results, people who got the most soy in their diet had a 23 percent lower risk of lung cancer than those who got the least.

According to the American Cancer Society, about eight percent of men will develop lung cancer at some point, while six percent of women will get the disease.

The new findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, come with several caveats, according to Wan-Shui Yang from the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and colleagues.

The link between soy and cancer only held for unfermented products such as tofu and soy milk, for example. What's more, it was only found in people who never smoked, in women and in Asian populations.

Matthew Schabath, a researcher at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, whose study was included in the analysis, cautioned that more research is needed to tease out the relationship between soy and lung cancer.

"It may not be soy alone," Schabath told Reuters Health. "It could be a collection of other nutrients packaged in the food."

"We've been looking at this for decades," he added. "The observational studies do consistently show that healthy diets will provide beneficial effects. We just haven't found the one magic pill that will be able to prevent this. It just tells you about the complexity of this."

Schabath said until a link is found there is one surefire way to cut lung cancer risk.

"If you want to reduce your risk of lung cancer you need to stop smoking," he said. "The next step is to be prudent of the information out there."

SOURCE: bit.ly/sl2dLb American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,

Consumers are willing to pay more for apples that have an "exciting, sensory" name

2011-11-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but an apple by another name could fetch a much sweeter price for farmers.

Using experimental auctions, researchers at Cornell University's Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management tested participants' willingness to pay for five different varieties of apples, including a new, patented variety developed at Cornell, currently named NY1. Participants didn't know about the apples' history or the Cornell connection, but they learned about each variety's attributes, such as sweetness and crispness, and they tasted slices of each.

The researchers' conclusion? Consumers were willing to pay more for NY1, and they were willing to pay still more when it had an "exciting, sensory" name, said assistant professor Bradley J. Rickard. He presented the research Nov. 8 at the New York Produce Show and Conference in New York City.

Rickard and co-authors Todd Schmit, Miguel Gómez and Hao Lu, all of the Dyson School, wanted to test the influence of branding on patented fruit varieties.

"There are a lot of brands throughout the grocery store. The one exception is fresh produce," Rickard said. "But in the case of apples, pears, tomatoes and peaches, that's the one place in the fresh produce sector where you have a choice. Not really across brands, but across these varietal names."

And what's in a name? Quite a bit, it turns out.

Apple names generally fall into three categories, Rickard said: sincere names based on a breeder or location, such as Cortland or Granny Smith; sophisticated names, which usually highlight the fruit's appearance, such as Red or Golden Delicious; and exciting names that evoke the taste or texture of the apple, such as Honeycrisp.

In the experimental auction, the researchers tested the new Cornell apple under three names: sincere "Williams," sophisticated "Burgundy Beauty" and exciting "Flavor Haven."

In all cases, the average bid for the new apple was 12 percent higher than the average for four other apples (Empire, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Piñata). With the Flavor Haven name, the average bid jumped to 27 percent over the other varieties.

Perhaps most interesting, Rickard said, bids on NY1 influenced bids on the other new, patented Washington apple, Piñata, but made no difference in bids on the traditional varieties.

New York grocery shoppers already enjoy a wide selection of apples -- including some of the 66 varieties developed at Cornell, such as Cortland, Empire, Macoun and Jonagold -- but new, patented varieties are starting to hit shelves. These varieties often sell for a premium, but they're also more expensive to grow, as farmers have to buy licenses to grow them.

Historically, public universities developed new apple breeds and released them to the public. But in 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act gave universities the right to retain the intellectual property rights for their research. In May 2010, Cornell forged a partnership with a new industry group, the New York Apple Growers LLC, to establish an exclusive licensing agreement for the new apple varieties, NY1 and NY2.

"The license will entail some fairly substantial upfront fee. It could be $1,500 an acre upfront," Rickard said. "Then once you sell a box of fruit, you also need to pay a royalty."

Nov. 23: It's National Espresso Day

2011-11-23T11:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to our USA friends and may you have a peaceful day outside the USA

1. Many of us have a big day ahead tomorrow and may be inundated with a variety of tasks in order to pull off a festive, happy Thanksgiving.

With our lives already busy enough, it's no wonder why so many folks go for that morning cup of coffee to kick-start our day. It just so happens that today, Nov. 23, is National Espresso Day, and if you're looking for that extra "umph," espresso may be just what you're looking for.

But what is espresso exactly? First of all, it isn’t just the trendy new thing; it’s actually been around since 1903 and was invented by Luigi Bezzera, according to a history of espresso published on the University of Scranton website.

True espresso is brewed with a pump or piston-driven espresso machine and is enjoyed worldwide,according to Wikipedia. Espresso is not a type of bean, nor is it a type of blend or roast. It is simply a speedy method of brewing coffee using machines that force hot water, between 192ºF and 204ºF, at high pressure through finely-ground and compacted coffee, according to Wikipedia.

The ideal shot of espresso is extracted in approximately 23 to 25 seconds and has three parts – the foam, body and heart. The foam is a rich caramel cream that forms when brewed properly and sits atop the body. The heart is at the bottom of the cup and is typically bitter.

2. Since we’re on the topic, let’s do a quick Coffee 101 on what is what, according to The CoffeeBrewers.

· Typical American Coffee – coffee is brewed by mixing the grounds of roasted coffee beans with hot water, steeped briefly, then straining out the grounds.

· Cappuccino and Latte – These are made with espresso and milk. In cappuccino, the milk is frothed into foam. Cappuccino uses equal portions of espresso and milk. In latte, the milk is just steamed, and there is twice as much milk used than espresso.

About 51% of consumers that cook at home do so because it is generally healthier

2011-11-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

While Baby Boomers have been given credit for launching

America

's cooking craze and nurturing it over the past few decades, Baby Boomers' children, the Millennial generation (aged 17-34 in 2011), are now poised to take over and start stirring the pot.

According to a new Mintel report, younger cooks may lack skill in the kitchen, but make up for it with their enthusiasm. Only 6% of Millennials say they have advanced skill in the kitchen, compared to 15% of those aged 55+. However, a quarter (25%) of Millennials claim to "love cooking" versus 17% of their senior counterparts.

"It appears that years of frequent cooking helps to hone skills, but the downside is they sometimes fall into a rut from fixing the same dishes over and over," says Fiona O'Donnell, senior analyst at Mintel. "This creates an opportunity for marketers to provide seniors with options that adhere to specific health requirements, as well as add an element of fun and adventure to meal prep."

The desire for a healthier diet is an important motivation for home cooking. Roughly half (51%) of home cooks say they cook because homemade food is generally healthier than both restaurant food and prepared foods sold at grocery stores. In addition to health, experimentation, socializing and personal enjoyment round out the reasons people are spending more time cooking.

Fifty-six percent of Mintel respondents who cook occasionally say cooking allows them to experiment and try new things and 27% say it helps them to explore foods eaten in other cultures. Meanwhile, 48% say cooking is a way to express affection to friends and family and 41% enjoy teaching their children how to cook. And perhaps the simplest of reasons, 43% enjoy the process of cooking as much as eating and 40% find that preparing food helps them to relax.

"Older cooks, possibly for health concerns, are somewhat more likely to cite health as a reason for their interest in cooking," adds Fiona O'Donnell. "Younger cooks appear to be more interested in experimentation, with those in their 20s and 30s more likely to agree that cooking gourmet meals makes them feel sophisticated and smart, suggesting that learning to cook and cooking for friends is viewed as a way to establish credibility among their peers."

Consuming green tea could reduce "bad" cholesterol readings

2011-11-22T08:48:00.000-05:00

Green tea, taken in a capsule or drunk in a cup, may shave a few points off "bad" cholesterol readings, according to a U.S. study involving more than a thousand people.

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, showed that green tea trimmed 5 to 6 points more from people's total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels than dummy capsules or other treatments.

The trials tested either green tea itself or capsules containing green-tea compounds called catechins, which are thought to decrease cholesterol absorption in the gut.

Green tea in a cup was more consistently effective than capsules, though the benefits overall were fairly small, noted senior researcher Olivia Phung, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California.

"If someone is already taking medication for their cholesterol, they should stick with it and not try to trade it for green tea, either capsules or the beverage," she told Reuters Health in an email.

But adding green tea to your diet could be one way to further improve cholesterol numbers, she said.

The researchers, however, found no strong evidence that green tea boosted "good" HDL cholesterol, or cut triglycerides, another type of blood fat.

Phung's team pooled the results of 20 clinical trials that involved a total of 1,415 adults.

Participants were randomly assigned to either use green tea every day, as a beverage or capsule, or be part of "control" groups that took placebo capsules, drank a low-catechin tea or downed water.

The trials lasted anywhere from three weeks to six months and the benefits seemed to be limited to people who already had high cholesterol when they entered the study.

Overall, tea seemed more effective than capsules, though Phung said there isn't enough data to be sure that the beverage is better than the extract.

A number of clinical trials that examined whether green tea, or its extracts, can benefit people's cholesterol levels have reached mixed conclusions. Most of the trials have been small, making them less reliable.

There are other questions too, including what dose of green tea catechins is ideal.

In the trials Phung's team studied, the researchers were unable to test for a "dose-response" effect, which would have shown whether the cholesterol benefits increase as the catechin dose goes up.

"We would really need to have some head-to-head studies comparing the different forms of green tea in order to show which ones work more effectively," Phung said.

As for side effects, green tea is considered safe in moderate amounts, though the drink and the extracts contain caffeine, which some people may need to avoid.

There have also been a few dozen cases of liver damage reported among people using green tea extracts, but it's not certain that the supplements are to blame.

Low vitamin D may increase heart attack risk in women

2011-11-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

Low levels of vitamin D may put women at greater risk for heart attack and stroke, according to one of several new studies on the important nutrient.

After analyzing 16 years of data on more than 2,000 healthy, postmenopausal white women aged 45 to 58, researchers found that the 788 women with a vitamin D deficiency had more risk factors for heart disease than 1,225 women with normal levels of the vitamin. They were scheduled to present their findings Tuesday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

Women with low vitamin D levels had higher levels of triglycerides; higher fasting glucose; a higher body mass index; and lower HDL "good" cholesterol. The researchers noted 47 percent of the women who were deficient in vitamin D were smokers compared to 38 percent of the women with normal vitamin D levels.

About 15 percent of the women deficient in vitamin D either died or suffered heart failure, a heart attack or stroke during the study period compared to 10.2 percent of the women who did not have this deficiency.

Three other studies also looked at vitamin D's possible protective effects on the heart. One study found that people who took 4,000 units of vitamin D daily for five days following a severe heart event had less inflammation afterward than patients who didn't take the supplement.

A third study found that chest pain patients with low Vitamin D levels were more likely to die during the next two years than those with adequate levels of the nutrient.

Finally, a fourth study found that higher levels of vitamin D were associated with lower death rates from cardiovascular disease.
Because these studies were presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The End Of Cheap Coffee Is NEAR! MAYBE

2011-11-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

Zak Stone reports on what is probably the worst news all. That news is this: we may be approaching a day where coffee is both rare and expensive. This threat comes from two sources. The first is the ever-growing demand for coffee all over the world, especially as more countries develop a strong, robust middle class that requires coffee to function.

Second, there have been a number of impacts to the supply of coffee. Weather causes, possibly fueled by overall climate change, have led to lower crop yields. On top of that, there have been outbreaks of new pests and fungi, as well as some very unstable labor issues in coffee-producing companies. The overall effect is that, as Stone notes, “supply has gone down and demand has gone up.”

This is particularly the case because the coffee beans that produce the best flavors are also among the hardest to produce, because they require particular weather systems to reach a productive peak. Unfortunately, those weather systems are being impacted by the overall changes to the Earth’s climate:

The delicate balance in those ecosystems is being thrown off kilter. In Colombia, the world’s third-biggest coffee producer, agricultural scientist Peter Baker has watched while record rainfall, increased heat, and frequent plagues have devastated farms across the country’s Andean coffee- growing region. It was 2005 when Baker “started to think seriously that climate change was not just about the future but was already happening.” Today, the signs are plentiful. Average temperatures have risen nearly 2 degrees in some areas over the past 30 years, “especially nighttime minimum temperatures,” says Baker, “a tell-tale signature of [man-made] climate change.” Hotter, rainier weather nourishes pests and disease, particularly coffee rust, a fungal plague that’s ascended Colombia’s mountain peaks, which were formerly too chilly for the organism. Heavy rains damage Arabica’s delicate blossoms—the same blossoms that eventually turn into coffee cherries, whose seeds are coffee beans. As heat and pests climb Colombia’s mountains, “the lower limit at which coffee is grown is starting to go up,” says Baker. As growers move higher into the mountains, they run into another problem: mountains have tops.

The results of these climate changes was a decrease in yield. Arabica, the world’s most common bean, has seen diminished yields over the past few years, which has led to a rise in the price of coffee overall. Right now, it looks like that trend is going to continue.

Furthermore, the fact that coffee is a mental stimulant is well-documented. For example, the rise of coffee in the Islamic world in the early Middle Ages is what led to the rise of coffeehouse culture in those countries, which fueled the intellectual ferment that led to the Islamic golden age. Islamic students and scholars, fueled by coffee, revived Greek philosophy and laid the groundwork for the scientific method and modern mathematics. Without coffee, the Renaissance and Enlightenment might never have happened, as they were sparked by Europe’s introduction to the scientific and philosophic works of the Muslim world

It's possible that the modern world and the advance of science are not the direct result of coffee-fueled discussions in Cordoba and other Muslim cities. And the lack of readily-available coffee might not lead to the collapse of science, engineering, and civilization.

But is that really a risk we’re willing to take?

Credits: Forbes

About 44% of those hosting Thanksgiving this year are at least somewhat overwhelmed with the cost,

2011-11-19T08:01:00.000-05:00

Hosting a Thanksgiving meal is an honor and a joy for many, but sometimes the price tag that goes along with it can be daunting. A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that 44 percent of those hosting Thanksgiving this year are at least somewhat overwhelmed with the cost. More women said they feel overwhelmed by the cost than men, at 51 percent and 36 percent, respectively. This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from October 24-26, 2011 among 2,132 adults aged 18 and older.

Between a turkey, side dishes, beverages and dessert, a Thanksgiving host's grocery bill can cost a cornucopia of money. Nearly one-in-five (17 percent) Thanksgiving hosts said they plan to spend $250 or more on the meal this year, while half (52 percent) will spend between $100 and $249. Others are planning a more frugal Thanksgiving, as 31 percent said they will spend under $100.

"Don't let the burden of the cost of Thanksgiving fall squarely on your own shoulders," said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. "Since many people will be enjoying the meal with you, consider asking guests to chip in on the cost, or better yet, contribute with a dish of their own. Combine the sharing strategy with other money-saving tactics and you'll be well on your way to a less expensive Turkey Day."

Protein-Rich Dairy Foods Improve Bone Health During Dieting

2011-11-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

Obese premenopausal women who consume high levels of protein from dairy sources may help reverse bone loss often associated with calorie-restricted diets, according to a new study appearing in the January 2012 issue of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Previous studies have shown that higher body weight is associated with greater bone mass and that weight loss through dieting can adversely affect bone health. For this study, researchers at McMaster University conducted a controlled, randomized weight-loss intervention trial involving 90 premenopausal overweight or obese women that was designed to achieve weight loss and be supportive of bone health. Participants were put on modest dietary calorie restriction and daily exercise, including aerobic and resistance training with varied intakes of protein and dairy foods. Researchers used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to assess bone mineral density and content, and analyzed participants’ urine and blood samples to evaluate serum levels of several bone health biomarkers.

They found the consumption of diets higher in protein with an emphasis on dairy foods during a diet and exercise period positively affected markers of bone turnover, calcium, vitamin D status and bone metabolism in overweight and obese premenopausal women.

“Our data provide a good rationale to recommend consumption of dairy foods to aid in high-quality weight loss, which we define as loss of fat as opposed to muscle, and the promotion of bone health in young women who are at the age when achieving and maintaining peak bone mass is of great importance," they said.

Sources:

· Newswise: Eating Dairy Foods May Improve Bone Health During Diet and Exercise in Overweight Premenopausal Women

Middle Class Eats the Most Fast Food

2011-11-17T08:27:00.000-05:00

Middle-class families consume on average more fast food than lower-income, less-healthy families that can’t afford to eat out, according to a new study published online in the journal Population Health Management. The findings challenge the popular belief that fast food is to blame for higher obesity rates among the poor.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis examined data from the 1994 to 1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the accompanying Diet and Health Knowledge Survey. The data included responses from nearly 5,000 U.S. consumers about food consumption patterns, household income, race, gender, age and education.

They found as incomes rose, visits to full-service restaurants increased. In contrast, eating at fast-food restaurants followed a different pattern. Fast-food restaurant visits rose along with annual household income up to $60,000; however, as income increased beyond that level, fast-food visits decreased.

The researchers noted that the fast-food industry attracts the middle class by locating restaurants right off freeways in middle-income areas and by offering products that appeal to a large proportion of Americans.

"There is a correlation between obesity and lower income, but it cannot be solely attributed to restaurant choice," said senior author J. Paul Leigh, professor of public health sciences at UC Davis. "Fast-food dining is most popular among the middle class, who are less likely to be obese."

Sources:

· UC Davis: UC Davis study shows that fast-food dining is most popular for those with middle incomes, rather than those with lowest incomes

Some 46% of Americans are aware of USDA's MyPlate Guidelines

2011-11-16T08:32:00.000-05:00

As government organizations lead the battle against this nation’s obesity epidemic, it seems Americans are putting down their forks and listening. Forty-six percent of Americans have heard of the new USDA MyPlate Guidelines, according to a national survey conducted by M Booth’s Better4You practice —and more than half of those (60%), 27% of all Americans surveyed, say they may adopt the dietary guidelines for themselves or have already vowed to do so (11%).

The MyPlate model for healthy eating may help shape the way American families eat. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) Americans aware of MyPlate say they would factor the guidelines into decisions that affect their families’ eating habits. Surprisingly, the youngest group surveyed – those between ages 16 and 34 – are twice as likely as older age groups, 55 years plus, to change their habits (19% vs. 9%). Females are the most receptive audience to target with MyPlate messaging, with 7% more women than men willing to adopt it.

Those resistant to accepting MyPlate include: 16% who reported they definitely wouldn’t use the guidelines in determining how they feed their families; and 45% of those 55 and older who were the least likely to use MyPlate when making family-oriented food decisions.

M Booth’s Better4You Director of Nutrition Tanya Zuckerbrot, creator of the The F-Factor diet, believes the new nutrition tool has the potential to effectively change American eating habits. “The key to changing one’s eating habits is to make small sustainable changes. If people embrace even one facet of the MyPlate guidelines, such as filling half their plate with vegetables and fruit, it is a huge step forward for public health,” says Zuckerbrot. “MyPlate can be used as a motivating force to drive food manufacturers to create foods that meet healthful dietary guidelines, taste great and are affordable. It is imperative to educate the public on how to enjoy food as part of a healthy lifestyle."

With nearly half the population aware of the new guidelines and even more considering a change in their habits, MyPlate offers a vehicle for brands, marketers and the like to communicate nutritional messages to the masses.

“The results of our survey offer promise for brands in the Better4You space that wish to connect with consumers desiring a healthier lifestyle,” says Rich Goldblatt, senior vice president and director of M Booth’s Better4You practice. “Shoppers are more plugged in than ever when it comes to understanding the good, bad and ugly in their daily diets. They are more pro-active, delving beyond creative packaging on store shelves – and taking a consistently closer look at nutritional labels.”

Starbucks to Offer More Things We Don't Need to Spend Money On

2011-11-15T08:38:00.000-05:00

Starbucks (SBUX) has long been a master at getting people to overpay for something they could consume much more cheaply at home. Now -- confronted by a host of coffee rivals, led by Dunkin' Brands (DNKN) -- Starbucks hopes to pull off that neat profitable trick once more, this time with juice.

On Thursday, the world's largest coffeehouse chain announced its acquisition of Evolution Fresh, a small, high-end maker of juices and cut fruit and vegetables. In a press release, Starbucks proclaimed its intention to "reinvent the $1.6 billion super-premium juice segment, its significant next step in entering the larger $50 billion Health and Wellness sector."

But can Starbucks credibly claim to offer a beneficial addition to our nutritional regimens? This is a place, after all, that sells a 680-calorie Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha ("venti" size, made with whole milk plus whipped cream).

"Starbucks' idea of nutrition is nutrients in products, not real foods," says Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, and author of Food Politics and What to Eat, among other publications. "Starbucks would be a doing a lot more for the health of its customers if it reduced the sizes of its food offerings, and increased the proportion of real foods," says Dr. Nestl In other words: oranges instead of orange juice.

But you can only charge so much for a piece of fruit; the markup on a smoothie or blended juice drink can be many times higher.

Evolution Fresh does at least make a claim to singularity, boasting of new technology called High Pressure Pasteurization, which purportedly eliminates potentially harmful microbes without subjecting the juice to high temperatures that can degrade flavor or nutritional content. The result is a fresh product with a very long shelf-life -- 40 days, reportedly.

"I'm sure the juice is just fine nutritionally," Dr. Nestle said. "This is just part of Starbucks' plan to be seen as health foodish as well as caffeinated."

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said as much in an interview with CNBC. Schultz mentioned the respective sizes of "the health and wellness category in America" and "the premium juice business" and said that no "national specialty retailer of any kind" has matched what Starbucks thinks it can do with juice" (seeming to diss Jamba Juice). But aside from touting the taste and shelf-life of Evolution's products, which carry labels like "Daily Detox" and promise "vitality," Schultz said nothing about any actual health benefits.

Instead, discussing plans to open separate specialty stores after introducing Evolution drinks in Starbucks locations, Schultz said the company will "capture the romance and

theater of juice beverages." But he did not elaborate on what might constitute that romance and theater, the atmospheric details that are presumably why consumers will be expected to pay a premium. In any case, Schultz sounded confident about Starbucks' ability to pull it off. After all, he'd done it once before, as he reminded the interviewer: "If you think back 30, 40 years ago we reinvented a commodity, which was generic coffee, and built a major business around the experience. We think we can do the same thing with juice."

The products at Starbucks' juice-based specialty shops could well wind up delicious enough to make a claim on our wallets. But as a strategy, the "major push into health and wellness" announced by Howard Schultz amounts to a bet that consumers will happily pay hand over fist for a feeling of health and a taste of wellness, preferring these pleasures to the hard, unglamorous work of exercising regularly and eating right.

U.S. households are expected to spend an average of $497 on gifts this holiday season

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

U.S.

households are expected to spend an average of $497 on gifts this holiday season, The Conference Board reports today. Only 7 percent of consumers said they plan to spend more on holiday gifts this year, while approximately 40 percent plan on spending less than last year.

The survey of holiday gift spending intentions, based on a probability-design random sample, is conducted for The Conference Board by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch. The survey was conducted for The Conference Board in October.

"As the holiday season approaches, we once again find consumers in a frugal mood," says Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. "With the overwhelming majority of consumers expecting to spend the same or less than they did last year, it's not surprising that they expect a large share of their purchases to be on sale or discounted."

Consumers will be heading to the malls and online searching for bargains. Four out of ten holiday shoppers say they expect more than half of their purchases to be on sale or discounted. An additional three out of ten expect a quarter to half of their purchases to be discounted.

Close to two-thirds of consumers expect to purchase a portion of their holiday gifts online, with about 15 percent saying more than half of their gifts will be purchased online.

Source: The Conference Board Holiday Spending Survey, November 2011

Study questions benefits of reducing sodium in diet

2011-11-13T08:55:00.000-05:00

Although cutting back on salt does lower blood pressure, new research finds that it may also increase levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and other risk factors for heart disease.

At this point, though, it's not entirely clear what the findings mean for long-term health, according to the study, which appears online Nov. 9 in the American Journal of Hypertension.

"In my opinion, people should generally not worry about their salt intake," said study author Dr. Niels Graudal, senior consultant in internal medicine and rheumatology at Copenhagen University Hospital in

Denmark

For decades, health experts have been saying that reducing sodium consumption lowers the risk for heart disease and stroke. And there's a powerful new government push to reduce salt in prepared and processed foods.

New U.S. dietary guidelines now recommend that people aged 2 and older limit daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg).

People aged 51 and older, blacks and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should consider going down to 1,500 mg per day, many experts say.

And the American Heart Association believes the 1,500-milligram-a-day recommendation should apply to all Americans.

The average American probably consumes 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day which, by these standards, is way too much.

But is it?

One European study recently found that lower sodium excretion was associated with an increased risk of heart-related deaths and higher sodium excretion was not linked with increased risks for blood pressure or complications from heart disease in healthy people.

The study published this week reviewed data from 167 studies that compared high-sodium diets to low-sodium diets.

Less salt did lower blood pressure in whites, blacks and Asians who had either normal blood pressure or high blood pressure.

But this came with significant increases in levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, the enzyme renin (involved in regulating blood pressure) and the hormones noradrenaline and adrenaline (which can affect blood pressure and heart rate).

It's unclear at this point if these changes would translate, over the long run, into more heart attacks or strokes.

But the findings do raise the issue that not all salt consumers are created equal.

"There are those who are more salt-sensitive than others," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

As for the general public, the message is still the same: Less salt is probably better for your health, Steinbaum said.

And even people who do keep their sodium intake within normal bounds should know that might not be enough.

"People need to moderate their lifestyle with better mineral intake, more plant-based foods and more exercise in their daily lives," said Karen Congro, director of the Wellness for Life Program at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City. "Sodium reduction is not going to solve their problems 100 percent."

Consumers are more likely to choose a cookie over an apple when paying with cash

2011-11-12T08:24:00.000-05:00

It is 3:00 p.m. and you are feeling a little hungry. You walk into your favorite coffee shop. As you walk in, you look in your wallet and decide to pay with cash instead of a credit card. Will this seemingly innocuous decision affect what you buy

Authors Rajesh Bagchi and Lauren Block argue that because it feels more expensive when paying with cash versus a credit card consumers are likely to indulge more. That is, they are more likely to choose the cookie over the apple when paying with cash, but would choose the apple when paying with a credit card. Consumption of indulgent foods alleviates the pain of payment and leads to greater positive affect, the authors write.

The authors say the theory stems from the pain of payment and applies to all payment types, and paying with cash is more visceral than other payment forms. The theory applies to consumers at all income levels, but may be most readily apparent among the poor. "Payment can be painful when it is more difficult to earn money. People below the poverty line often find it difficult to earn money. So when they spend they want every penny to count. This can potentially explain why obesity rates are higher in these segments," Bagchi says.

But it is not just the poor who find products expensive, Block says. "During these current economic times, almost everybody is feeling the pain of payment. Therefore, the sale of indulgences should be on the rise as consumers will purchase indulgent products to compensate for the pain of payment."

These findings are in direct opposition to some recent study findings that found that when making grocery purchases consumers make judicious purchases with cash but buy more indulgent products with a credit card. Bagchi says this may be because in grocery contexts, the purchase is not consumed immediately. In a grocery store context consumers have to justify the purchase and because cash is more painful to pay with, consumers are more careful when making cash purchases. "But in our contexts," Block says, "justification is not necessary as consumption is immediate. It is this consumption that blunts the pain of payment."

SOURCE American Marketing Association

Eating Watermelon Benefits Heart Health

2011-11-11T09:03:00.002-05:00

Individuals who incorporate watermelon into their diets may help lower their risk of atherosclerosis, according to new research conducted at the University of Kentucky. The findings also suggest the nutrient-rich melon may help in the area of weight management.

Researchers conduced a study on mice with diet-induced high cholesterol. The control group was given water to drink, while the experimental group was given watermelon juice. By week eight of the study, the mice given watermelon juice had lower body weight than the control group, due to decrease of fat mass. They experienced no decrease in lean mass. Plasma cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the experimental group, with modestly reduced intermediate and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations as compared to the control group.

A measurement of atherosclerotic lesion areas revealed that the watermelon juice group also experienced statistically significant reductions in atherosclerotic lesions, as compared to the control group.

“Melons have many health benefits," said lead investigator Sibu Saha. “Our ultimate goal is to identify bioactive compounds that would improve human health."