Dietary Fats and Risk of Sudden cardiac Death in Women
Duke study pinpoints breast milk benefit
It’s widely known that human milk makes for healthier infants than formula, but not all of the reasons are clear.
Duke University Medical Center researchers may have just found one: Human milk promotes the growth of “biofilms” of beneficial bacteria that line the intestinal tract of healthy babies, helping digestion and the development of the immune system and acting as a barrier to bad germs.
The study, which appears in this month’s edition of the journal Current Nutrition & Food Science, is the first the researchers know of that looks at the effects of infant nutrition on the way these bacteria grow, said William Parker, an associate professor of surgery at Duke and senior author of the study.
Among other implications, it could be a step toward engineering healthier formula for babies who can’t get human milk, said Parker.
The research team grew key types of bacteria in four types of samples: cow’s milk, breast milk, several brands of milk- and soy-based infant formula, and an antibody found in human milk known to help establish an infant’s immune system.
Buckwheat flour improves nutrition and texture in gluten-free bread
Buckwheat flour significantly improves the nutritional and textural properties in gluten-free bread formulations, a study has found.
Increased nutrition and texture in gluten-free breads with buckwheat flour, finds research
Published in the journal Food Hydrocolloids the study investigated the role of buckwheat and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) on the bread-making properties of gluten-free formulations.
The Italian researchers from DiSTAM (Department of Food Science and Technology and Microbiology) at the University of Milan concluded that high levels of buckwheat flours improved both the textural and nutritional properties of gluten-free breads.
Findings showed that the inclusion of up to 40% of buckwheat flour in formulations had favourable impacts on the leavening characteristics of gluten-free breads and thus overall quality.
“The improvements in dough development due to the incorporation of dehulled buckwheat flour can be attributed to an increased viscosity, due to its high dietary fibre content, to the swelling and gelling properties of the buckwheat starch and to the emulsion-forming and stabilizing properties of the globulin protein fraction,” the researchers wrote.
Nutrition tied to improved sperm DNA quality in older men
A new study led by scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that a healthy intake of micronutrients is strongly associated with improved sperm DNA quality in older men. In younger men, however, a higher intake of micronutrients didn’t improve their sperm DNA.
In an analysis of 80 healthy male volunteers between 22 and 80 years of age, the scientists found that men older than 44 who consumed the most vitamin C had 20 percent less sperm DNA damage compared to men older than 44 who consumed the least vitamin C. The same was true for vitamin E, zinc, and folate.
“It appears that consuming more micronutrients such as vitamin C, E, folate and zinc helps turn back the clock for older men. We found that men 44 and older who consumed at least the recommended dietary allowance of certain micronutrients had sperm with a similar amount of DNA damage as the sperm of younger men,” says Andy Wyrobek of Berkeley Lab’s Life Sciences Division.
High Intensity Interval Training
Dried apples may cut heart disease risk
Consumption of dried apples may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women by slashing levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by almost a quarter, according to new research data.
The one year clinical trial – published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – evaluated the effect of dried apple and plum (prune) consumption in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women.
Led by Professor Bahram Arjmandi of Florida State University, USA, the research team found that neither after three months total cholesterol levels in the group that ate apples dropped by 9% and LDL – often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol – dropped by 16%. These levels were found to be even lower after six months, with total cholesterol down 13% and LDL levels slashed by 24%.
“Our findings show that daily incorporation of dried apple into diets favorably improves cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women,” said Arjmandi and his colleagues, who noted that whilst prunes lowered cholesterol levels slightly, they did not achieve cholesterol reductions to the same extent as dried apple.
Encapsulation study backs pomegranate seed oil as functional ingredient
Research into the encapsulation of polyphenol-rich pomegranate seed oil has backed the use of the processing by-product as a functional ingredient for the food and nutrition industry.
The study – published in Food and Bioproducts Processing – evaluates new methods for the production of pomegranate seed oil for the food industry. The technique was developed based on the extraction of the polyphenol-rich seed oil and its subsequent encapsulation by spray drying.
“Pomegranate is one of the oldest known edible fruit that contains the highest concentration of total polyphenols in comparison with other fruits studied,” note the authors, who note that the fresh fruit is popularly consumed whole or as part of other food and beverage products.
The team, led by Dr Athanasia Goula from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, note that during the industrial processing of pomegranate, large volumes of industrial wastes – including seeds, peels, leaves – are produced, all of which have a wide range of nutritional values that could be utilised as functional ingredients for the food industry.
Firm up / toning buttocks workout
Walnuts ‘improve sperm health’
Eating around two handfuls of walnuts a day improves sperm health in young men, a study in the journal Biology of Reproduction suggests.
Sperm shape, movement and vitality improved in men who added walnuts to their diet over 12 weeks.
The fatty acids found in these nuts are thought to have helped sperm development. It is not known if this would help improve male fertility.
About one in six couples are infertile, with 40% of these due to a male factor.
Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield said: “It would be relatively easy to poke fun at studies like this, but there is increasing evidence to show that aspects of a man’s diet can affect the number and quality of sperm produced by his testicles.”
Flavonol-rich dark chocolate may help reduce blood pressure
Here’s one more excuse to chomp down on that dark chocolate bar: It may help you lower your blood pressure.
A report published by Cochrane Collaborations that analyzed 20 studies found that people who eat a bit of dark chocolate or cocoa daily experienced a slight reduction in blood pressure.
“Although we don’t yet have evidence for any sustained decrease in blood pressure, the small reduction we saw over the short term might complement other treatment options and might contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” lead researcher Karin Ried of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine in Melbourne, Australia said in the press release.
