Health for life

Showing posts with label calorie. Show all posts

Ask the Internet Would Calorie Labeling Change What You Order

Friday, May 16, 2014

Todays question is ripped from the headlines. (Woo hoo! Timeliness!)

Q: A recent study on calorie labeling in fast food restaurants showed that it didnt affect what kids ordered. Though the research was only conducted in New York City and Newark, the results still kinda surprised me.

Readers of CHG tend to be pretty aware of nutritional guidelines. Would calorie labeling affect what you ordered from a chain?

A: On the rare occasions I visit fast food restaurants (mostly on the road), definitely. Some of those salads, man - why not just have the burger?

Readers, how about you?

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

Mediterranean Diet and Calorie Restriction Promote Brain Health and Longevity

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Researchers have long theorized that a Mediterranean diet full of vegetables, fruit, fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil can help promote good health. Scientists at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden reporting in the European journal AGE provides the unanimous results of four independent studies that demonstrate this style of eating not only lowers the risk from many chronic and potentially fatal diseases, but actually extends healthy lifespan in aging adults.

A separate research body appearingin the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) explains that calorie restriction or consuming about twenty-five percent fewer calories each day, turns on a molecule that helps the brain stay young. Extrapolating the results of both studies suggests that following a Mediterranean diet with fewer calories may provide a valuable key to preserving memory, lowering risk of serious illness and extending a healthy life span.

Mediterranean Diet Improves Lifespan by Twenty Percent

Swedish researchers studied the effects of a Mediterranean dieton older people in the Swiss population. They developed a unique study designed to compare 70-year-olds who eat a Mediterranean diet with others who have eaten more meat and animal products. The intent was to confirm the positive results suggested by a myriad of studies over the past decade that found a diet low in animal meats and high in fresh vegetables and monounsaturated fats can improve health and extend lifespan.

The result of the study indicated that those who eat a Mediterranean diet have a 20% higher chance of living longer. The study leader, Dr. Gianluca Tognon commented“This means in practice that older people who eat a Mediterranean diet live an estimated two to three years longer than those who dont”. Three additional studies awaiting publication support these results. Dr. Tognon concluded “there is no doubt that a Mediterranean diet is linked to better health, not only for the elderly but also for youngsters.”

Calorie Restricted Diet Slows Brain Aging to Improve Cognition

An independent study found that overeating may cause brain aging while eating less turns on a molecule that helps the brain stay young. Italian researchers demonstrated that a molecule called CREB1 is triggered by a calorie restricted diet and activates many genes linked to longevity and to the proper functioning of the brain. Calorie restriction is defined as eating 25 to 30 percent less than normal while maintaining optimal nutrition.

Researchers conducting the study concluded“This discovery has important implications to develop future dietary therapies to keep our brain young and prevent brain degeneration and the aging process.” Compiling the available scientific evidence shines a critical light on how the type of food we consume (Mediterranean diet) and the quantity (Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition) can help prevent premature brain aging and lower the risk of cognitive decline as we age.

A high calorie breakfast protects against diabetes hypertension and cardiovascular problems

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Whether you hope to lose weight or just stay healthy, what you eat is a crucial factor. The right nutrients can not only trim your waistline, but also provide energy, improve your mood, and stave off disease. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has found that its not just what you eat — but when.

Metabolism is impacted by the bodys circadian rhythm — the biological process that the body follows over a 24 hour cycle. So the time of day we eat can have a big impact on the way our bodies process food, says Prof. Daniela Jakubowicz of TAUs Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Diabetes Unit at Wolfson Medical Center. In a recent study, she discovered that those who eat their largest daily meal at breakfast are far more likely to lose weight and waist line circumference than those who eat a large dinner.

And the benefits went far beyond pounds and inches. Participants who ate a larger breakfast — which included a dessert item such as a piece of chocolate cake or a cookie — also had significantly lower levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides throughout the day, translating into a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. These results, published recently in the journal Obesity, indicate that proper meal timing can make an important contribution towards managing obesity and promoting an overall healthy lifestyle.

The study was done in collaboration with Dr. Julio Wainstein of TAU and the Wolfson Medical Center and Dr. Maayan Barnea and Prof. Oren Froy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A dramatic difference

To determine the impact of meal timing on weight loss and health, Prof. Jakubowicz and her fellow researchers conducted a study in which 93 obese women were randomly assigned to one of two isocaloric groups. Each consumed a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-fat diet totalling 1,400 calories daily for a period of 12 weeks. The first group consumed 700 calories at breakfast, 500 at lunch, and 200 at dinner. The second group ate a 200 calorie breakfast, 500 calorie lunch, and 700 calorie dinner. The 700 calorie breakfast and dinner included the same foods.

By the end of the study, participants in the "big breakfast" group had lost an average of 17.8 pounds each and three inches off their waist line, compared to a 7.3 pound and 1.4 inch loss for participants in the "big dinner" group. According to Prof. Jakubowicz, those in the big breakfast group were found to have significantly lower levels of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin, an indication that they were more satiated and had less desire for snacking later in the day than their counterparts in the big dinner group.

The big breakfast group also showed a more significant decrease in insulin, glucose, and triglyceride levels than those in the big dinner group. More important, they did not experience the high spikes in blood glucose levels that typically occur after a meal. Peaks in blood sugar levels are considered even more harmful than sustained high blood glucose levels, leading to high blood pressure and greater strain on the heart.

Eliminating late night snacking

These findings suggest that people should adopt a well thought-out meal schedule, in addition to proper nutrition and exercise, to optimize weight loss and general health. Eating the right foods at the wrong times can not only slow down weight loss, it can also be harmful. In their study, the researchers found that those in the big dinner group actually increased their levels of triglycerides — a type of fat found in the body — despite their weight loss, reports Prof. Jakubowicz.

Prof. Jakubowicz suggests an end to late night snacking. Mindless eating in front of the computer or television, especially in the late evening hours, is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic, she believes. It increases not only poundage, but the risk of cardiovascular disease — making that midnight sugar rush more costly than it appears.