Posts Tagged ‘diet’

Researchers from Tufts University are concerned that some nutritional labels may be underestimating the caloric content of their respective products. After evaluating 29 commercially-prepared restaurant foods and 10 frozen meals which are found throughout US, researchers discovered that the sit-down restaurant foods averaged 18% more calories than stated and the frozen meals averaged 8% more calories than advertised. The authors note that the US Food and Drug Administration allows up to 20% excess energy content but weight must be no less than 99% of the stated value. This might lead manufacturers to add more food to insure compliance with the weight standards and thereby exceed the stated energy content. However, it’s the allowable 20% caloric excess that is appalling. As the researchers note – a positive energy balance of just 5% per day for an individual requiring 2,000 kcal/day could lead to a 10-lb weight gain in a single year. [via Science Daily]

Share your comments here.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has published an update to their popular cookbook entitled “Keep The Beat.” It’s a collection of recipes that are limited in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium, as well as being moderate in calories. The majority of the recipes were created in collaboration with Culinary Institute of America-trained chef and instructor David Kamen and a James Beard Foundation award-winning registered dietitian based on guidelines from NHLBI. For those with heart disease, or those who simply want to eat healthier, it’s often difficult to find nutritionally sound recipes that are delicious at the same time. Costing only a nominal $5 it may just be the healthiest pocket change you spent in a while. The book can be purchased at the NHLBI website. [via NIH News]

Share your comments here.

New research from the UK is suggesting that not only do children learn from their parents, they tend to learn from their parents of the same sex, at least when it comes to the issue of obesity.  After studying 226 families, researchers found that daughters of obese mothers were 10 times more likely to be obese, compared to daughters of normal-weight mothers. Sons were 6 times more likely to be obese if they have an obese father. Researchers attribute this finding to a phenomenon called “behavioral sympathy” where children will adopt the lifestyles of their same-sex parent. The obesity epidemic has innumerable causes, but the fight against it has to involve educating both parents and children. Healthy eating and living are learned behaviors, not a consequence of genetics.

Read more and share your comments here.

Michigan State University researchers are suggesting that improper dieting may result in a weakened immune system that can increase your chances of getting hit hard by the flu. When looking at mice receiving adequate nutrition versus a lower calorie diet, those on the diet were not able to produce the amount of immune cells needed to fight an infection, despite consuming adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. Although this was a mouse study, we probably didn’t need it to tell us why the results make sense on a human scale. Our bodies need energy in order to fight infections, and although vitamins and minerals are necessary, they do not provide the majority of energy we need to fuel our bodies – that role is reserved for carbohydrates, fats and proteins. This is why I always tell my patients to eat well and sleep well during flu season. Therefore, don’t believe the old saying telling you to “starve a fever.” It simply is not true.

Read more and share your opinion.

Did you know that the rate of food inflation is currently double that of overall inflation? The US Department of Agriculture estimates the rate will be between 3% to 4% this year, the highest since the early 1990s. Figures show milk, beans, peas and lentils up 17%, cheese up 15%, bread up 12%, and eggs up 25% – all within this past year. In fact, the price of the world’s main grains – rice, corn, wheat – have all more than doubled. This may leave some to worry that fresh food choices may give way to less healthy alternatives. However, there are ways to eat healthy in the midst of rising food costs and lower budgets. Local farmers markets or co-operatives can be good sources of cheaper, fresh produce. And if you feel more industrious, planting your own produce, especially herbs, can save a you a great deal at the check out line. As well, the majority of flash-frozen vegetables actually retain most of their nutritional value, even after freezing. A tighter budget may even be an opportunity to eat healthier by cutting out expensive, fatty meats in favor of legumes as sources of protein. Read about more ways to cut food costs here.