Are you a chocoholic ?

Some research just bring happy news! The latest published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that adults who consumed the most chocolate had a lower body mass index (BMI) than subjects who ate chocolate less frequently. The BMI is an indicator of the person's weight status. The higher the BMI the higher the body weight. The irony is that chocolate is known to be high in fat and high in calories so how come its consumption was linked to a lower BMI ? The authors suggested that eating chocolate may have a metabolic benefit that leads to less fat being deposited around the body, and that the composition of calories not just the number of calories might affect one's weight.

This finding might be a good excuse to eat more chocolate, BUT it doesn't mean that eating it won't cause weight gain in certain people. So treat yourself, preferably with dark chocolate, and do so in moderation!

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Is popcorn a healthy snack ?

If you like popcorn, I have good news for you as this 100 % whole grain food might be the perfect snack choice !

A team of researchers from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania has found that popcorn contains more antioxidants (substance that protect your body cells) than fruits and vegetables. Moreover, the researchers discovered that the hulls of the popcorn (the part that everyone hates for its tendency to get caught in the teeth) actually has the highest concentration of antioxidant and fiber.

Now what about calories ? To get the most nutritional benefit, air-popped popcorn is the ideal choice. Microwave popcorn that we all love contains about 43% of fat (twice as many calories as air-popped), and when it's cooked with butter and sugary flavoring or oil, calories and fat will add up.

A final note, popcorn could never replace fruits or vegetables. It might be richer in antioxidants but it lacks all the vitamins and minerals that are vital for health.

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Link between maternal diet and development of diabetes later in life

It is known that prenatal care is important for the health of both the mother and her baby. Now, more research are looking at the relationship between a poor maternal diet and the development of disease later in life.

Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council showed that, in both rats and humans, individuals who experience a poor diet in the womb are less able to store fats correctly later in life.
Mechanism: In general, excess calories are stored in fat cells. When these cells become unable to absorb the excess, fat will be deposited in places like the liver which can lead to type II diabetes. This process is controlled by a molecule called miR-483-3p. The researchers found that miR-483-3p was produced at higher levels in individuals who had experienced a poor diet in their mother's wombs than those who were better nourished. As a result, cells that are exposed to high levels of this molecule have a reduced ability to form fat cells and to store fats, leading to insulin resistance and higher risk of type II diabetes.

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You are what you eat: A high intake of fruits and vegetables improves your skin tone

Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are known to be very beneficial for one's health. Unfortunately, many people are aware of the health benefits but still do not eat the recommended daily amount. The results of a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health might give some motivation to add some color in one's diet. The researchers found that a high consumption of fruits and vegetables have measurable beneficial effects on skin tone. So instead of buying those expensive creams to get a healthy beautiful glow, why not try eating extra portions of fruits and vegetables !

Quoting the author " Government strategies aimed at improving diet typically only offer information about why a healthy diet is good for us. These strategies have, so far, had no real impact on the nation's eating habits... We hope that by highlighting the rapidly achievable benefits of a healthy diet on our attractiveness will be a stronger incentive for people to eat more healthily. Knowing you are going to look more attractive in a few weeks may be more persuasive than the promise of health benefits later in life"

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Stronger smell linked to smaller bites

A new way to control portion size and cut down on calories is to choose food that smell good. In fact, a new study published in the new journal "Flavour" has found that the aroma of food may affect how much we eat. Their findings showed that bite size was reduced according to aroma intensity, the stronger the aroma, the smaller the bite size (5 to 10 % smaller). Small bite size are known to increase satiety and hence help in weight control. This was explained by the hypothesis that consumer self-regulate their sensations via bite size, whereby weak sensations are intensified via larger bite sizes and stronger sensations are weakened via smaller bite sizes.

"Insight into the dynamics of bite size regulation may not only be relevant from a theoretical point of view, but may also assist in the development of foods that are more satiating and are therefore consumed in smaller quantities. Given this objective, the use of aromas to affect bite size is particularly interesting since these can be manipulated without raising the caloric content of the food."

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A fatty diet may be associated with reduced sperm count

Findings of a new study that was published in the medical journal Human Reproduction showed that a man's diet might affect his reproductive health. The study of 99 men in the USA found an association between a high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration. In fact, men consuming the most saturated fats ( found in meat and dairy products) had a 35% lower total sperm count than men eating the least, and a 38% lower sperm concentration. However, the results also found that men who ate more omega-3 polyunsaturated fats (the type of fat often found in fish) had better formed sperm than men who ate less.

This study have a number of limitation including the small sample size. The results need to be replicated by more similar research to prove that association. Meanwhile, it doesn't hurt for all men to watch their saturated fat intake which is proven to increase the bad cholesterol and focus more on the good sources of fat such as the ones that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

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Would you eat a lab grown hamburger ?

Ref: ctv.ca

A Dutch scientist has been growing strips of meat in a Petri dish from animal stem cells and is hoping to have enough of them to cook his first lab-grown hamburger this fall. Apparently, this concept is not a new idea as scientists have been trying to do it for years.

Environmentalists say producing meat in the lab would be greener than controversial livestock farming practices and slaughterhouses because it requires much less energy, land and water. Moreover, organizations like People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are fully behind the test-tube meat project. They have funded scientists working to create meat alternatives and even offered $1 million to the first one who comes up with a viable, lab-grown chicken substitute.

The question that everyone would ask themselves: Would I eat that ? The concern once this is achieved is what type of food will we have on our table and what other projects are next ?

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Coke, Pepsi are changing their formulation to avoid cancer warning

In response to accusation that an ingredient called 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a coloring agent, Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. are changing the way they make the caramel coloring used in their soft drinks. In 2011, 4-MI was added to the list of known carcinogens (substance that can cause cancer) by authorities in California. In fact, the caramel color of soft drinks that we are all familiar with, is not sugar melted in a pan. it's a coloring made with ammonia that can be toxic in high amounts. However, the FDA and the American Beverage Association (ABA) insist the drinks are safe.

To comply with the law in California and avoid having to put a carcinogen label on all their caramel colored drinks sold in the states, Pepsi and Coke say they have begun to change the formulation by lowering levels of 4-MI. This change will later be implemented across the U.S

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Are honey and brown sugar better than white sugar ?

It's nutrition month and the theme is to bust common nutrition myths. One of my favorite is related to sugars.
Honey is considered by most people healthier than white sugar because it comes from a natural source. Brown sugar (which is white granulated sugar with added molasses) is considered healthier because its less synthetic than white sugar. The truth is all of them are the same nutritionally and the body handles them in the same way.

Quoting from the dietitians of Canada website: "all are concentrated sources of calories with very few other nutrients. Your body can’t tell the difference between them and white sugar. In fact, your body handles naturally occurring sugar in food or processed sugars and syrups in the same way. Excess sugar in any form gives you extra calories. Whether you choose to use honey, brown sugar, agave syrup or white sugar, use small amounts". 

Blame your taste buds for liking fat

If you are someone who loves fatty foods, there is now an explanation to that: your taste buds !

Ref: sciencedaily.com

In general, 5 taste buds are identified: sweet; sour; salty; bitter; and savoury. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have identified a sixth taste which is fat. They suggested that some people may be more sensitive to foods with high fat content and this is due to a variation in a gene CD36. The implication of these findings could be that a person's ability to taste fat in his food might impact his overall fat intake. Those with fewer receptors could be more prone to obesity, while those with more receptors might be better able to limit their fat intake.

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