December 2009
View or print a copy of the entire December 2009 issue of Environmental
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Research Roundup: 12/09
Subscribers Only Metabolic conditions including obesity are risk factors in "swine flu" deaths. French researchers analyzed the characteristics of 574 deaths that occurred across the world associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza (previously referred to as "swine flu") up to July 16, 2009. Underlying disease was found in at least half of the fatal cases. Two risk factors stood out: pregnancy and metabolic condition, including obesity.
Sweet Potatoes Glow with Health and Flavor
Subscribers Only You can add the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) to the list of native American foods discovered by Columbus and his crew. This root vegetable called "batatas" by the natives was taken back to Spain around 1500, where other varieties, including red, purple and white, were then cultivated. Sweet potatoes were also brought to the Pacific and Far East, where it became an important food source. Cultivated in the U.S. as early as 1648, it culminated into a favorite food in Southern cuisine. In Colonial times, American doctors recommended sweet potatoes for children to help prevent childhood nutritional diseases.
Healthier Cookies: EN Finds the Best Bites Among Dozens
Subscribers Only Who doesn’t enjoy a good cookie now and then? Whether you like them thin and crispy, soft and chewy, or filled with cream, there’s something out there for everyone. And today, you’ve probably noticed plenty of cookies in the supermarket that appear to be healthier than traditional cookies of yore. While no one would really call cookies healthy, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a healthier choice the next time you’re browsing in the cookie aisle.
Is Mangosteen a Miracle Fruit? Science Doesn’t Seem to Support Claims
Subscribers Only It seems that mangosteen is poised to become the next acai berry (see our October coverage on acai). The Internet is bulging with websites hawking mangosteen products, many crediting this exotic fruit with miraculous benefits. The proclaimed benefits of mangosteen include aid against allergies, lowering blood sugar, prevention against aging effects, protection against free radical damage and abnormal body cell growth, and promotion of higher energy levels, anti-depressant effects, mental alertness, brain health, stronger circulatory system and a healthy immune system.
Does Exercise Sabotage Weight Loss? EN Clears up the Controversy
Subscribers Only Recent headlines claiming that exercise doesn’t help you lose weight because it over-stimulates the appetite caused quite a stir in both the public and health community. After all, we’ve heard for years that exercise is an important facet in weight loss and health.
Celebrate a Happy Holiday…Without the Weight Gain
Subscribers Only What’s the big deal about gaining a couple of extra pounds over the holidays? Unfortunately, most people don’t forge a successful New Year’s resolution to shed those extra holiday pounds later on. Research suggests that Americans are steadily gaining an average of .4 to 1.8 pounds each year during their adult lives. And the holidays may be the most likely season for packing on some of that weight.
Raise Your Glass to Wine’s Health Benefits
Subscribers Only The case for sipping red wine is mounting. Substantial evidence links drinking moderate amounts (up to one five-ounce glass per day for women and up to two glasses per day for men) with protection against cardiovascular disease, loss of bone density and dementia, reports University of California, Davis scientist, Clare Hasler, Ph.D., in Food Technology.
Picking through the Latest Science on Berries and Health Benefits
Subscribers Only The health halo that crowns berries—the original "superfruit"—hasn’t slipped a bit over the years. Ever since it was discovered that berries have very high total antioxidant capacity, the public has had a veritable love fest for berries, making them its favorite fruit. Of all fruits, consumer research finds strawberries the favorite among adults and kids. Over the past decade, multiple research findings have supported the health benefits of berries, showing that they have a profound impact on chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and age-related mental decline.Berries 101. In botanical terms, a berry is a fleshy fruit in which the entire plant ovary wall ripens into a soft fruit surrounding seeds. Thus the definition of berries extends to include fruits like tomatoes, grapes and avocados. But in common terms, "berries" refers to the small fruits with multiple seeds we are familiar with today. While exotic berries such as acai have gleaned a lot of public attention, the largest body of berry research focuses on the traditional berries available in North America—blackberries, black raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, red raspberries and strawberries.
Under the Microscope: The Nutrition-Gene Connection
Subscribers Only What if you had a personal profile of which foods were best suited to your genetic makeup to keep your genes disease-free for life? Food can act as medicine—or wreak havoc on the body—depending on the nutrients and on the person eating them. Blueberries are heart-healthy, tomatoes protect the prostate and fish is good for the brain—but only for certain people. When it comes to how the body processes nutrients, each person’s unique genetic makeup determines how their cells respond to what they eat. Genes can explain a number of nutritional phenomena, such as why some people can adhere to a low-saturated fat and high-plant food diet, yet still be prone to high blood cholesterol levels.