June 2009
View or print a copy of the entire June 2009 issue of Environmental Nutrition
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Waist Circumference Predictive of Heart Failure
Subscribers Only The bigger your waist, the higher your risk of developing heart failure. Researchers who analyzed data from nearly 80,000 women and men age 45 to 83 discovered that those with larger waists had a higher incidence of heart failure, a condition in which an insufficient amount of blood is pumped from the heart, allowing fluid and blood to back up into the lungs and/or a buildup of fluid in the feet and legs. Specifically, in women and men with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 (the lowest end of the overweight range), a waist circumference increase of 10 centimeters (cm) was linked to a 15 and 16 percent higher risk of heart failure, respectively.
Research Roundup: June 2009
Subscribers Only People who eat more white meat and less red and processed meat live longer. A study of half a million people age 50 to 71 years at baseline and followed for 10 years found that those who ate the most red meat (beef and pork) and processed meat (bacon, sausage, cold cuts) had the highest risks for overall mortality.
Pucker Up for Lemons and Limes: Tart, Refreshing and Healthful
Subscribers Only Sweet yet tart Key limes, a variety brought to the Americas by Spaniards and cultivated in Central America, the West Indies and the Florida Keys are much smaller than the more common Persian limes. Key limes are yellowish-green in color, juicier and the favored ingredient in a true Key lime pie. Meyer lemons, named after Frank N. Meyer, who is thought to have crossed a lemon with a mandarin to come up with this hybrid in 1908, are much sweeter—and pricier—than regular lemons.
Fluoride in Instant Iced Teas: Health Benefit or Hidden Danger?
Subscribers Only The researchers subsequently analyzed the fluoride content of several brands of instant iced tea and found they contain 0.18 to 1.17 milli-grams of fluoride per six ounces when mixed with distilled water (tea made with fluoridated water provides more). That exceeds the maximum fluoride allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency as well as what the Food and Drug Administration permits in bottled water. But keep in mind that fluoride limits are set based on people’s water intake, including what’s used in cooking, not a fair standard for tea.
EN Looks at Whether New Enova Oil Lives Up to Its Fat-Busting Claims
Subscribers Only Enova is a highly unsaturated oil made from soybean and canola oils. While Enova looks and tastes like regular vegetable oil, the body metabolizes it differently because of its unique structure. Enova’s oils are enzymatically altered so 80% of its fat molecules have only two fatty acids each—diglycerides instead of the triglycerides predominant in most oils. Because the body is confused by this structure, it doesn’t store Enova fats easily. Instead, the body sends more of them directly to the liver to be burned as energy.
Add Flavor, Not Fat, Using EN’s Condiments Guide
Subscribers Only According to the dictionary, a condiment is "a substance…to flavor or complement food." Condiment connoisseurs know that these accoutrements can make or break a menu; choose right and your condiments will complement the flavors, but won’t detract nutritionally from your meal. Americans, who often think more is better, have a tendency to smother a dish in ketchup or mayo, adding unnecessary fat, sugar and sodium to an otherwise healthful meal. So watch your portion sizes as well. There are hundreds of condiments that can add flavor, spice and texture to your food, even in small doses. As Americans’ taste for ethnic dishes becomes more sophisticated, stores are stocking more than the standard ketchups and mustards, to include Asian, Indian, Italian, Thai and Latin-inspired condiments.
New Study Cites Veggies as Brain Food
Subscribers Only Over 65? Be sure to eat your vegetables to stay sharp. So suggests a recent study that tracked more than 3,700 men and women in the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Researchers assessed what the participants ate, then tested their mental acuity three years and six years later.
Multi-ple Failures
Subscribers Only Multivitamins are basic supplements. Reliable, you’d think. But ConsumerLab.com (CL), an independent evaluator, recently tested multis and found that more than half didn’t pass muster.
Can Beverage “Boost” Blood Sugar Control?
Subscribers Only The Buzz. Novartis, the maker of Boost Glucose Control, boasts its product is: "Specifically formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of people with type 2 diabetes to help maintain stable blood glucose levels." But is it necessary?The Basics. Boost Glucose Control is the latest addition to the Boost line of meal replacements and nutrition supplements. This Boost is a liquid supplement snack designed to minimize blood sugar spikes in people with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance. It claims to delay and lower the body’s normal glucose response because of a "unique blend of carbohydrates"—tapioca dextrin, maltodextrin and fructose. It also contains the sugar substitute sucralose.The Bonus. The carbs in Boost Glucose Control are preferable to the sucrose in a sugary treat. Recent research by Novartis found that Boost Glucose Control produces a lower blood sugar response four hours after drinking it than does Glucerna Shake, its competitor from Abbott/Ross Laboratories. Indeeed, Boost’s glycemic index and glycemic load are very low. Because Boost comes in a plastic bottle, it’s an easy-to-tote snack on the go. Boost Glucose Control also contains Benefiber, a fiber supplement that adds bulk, providing three grams of fiber per serving. And it sports 26 vitamins and minerals, though not enough to negate the need for a multi.
Meatless Mondays Are Good for You…and the Earth
Subscribers Only Okay, so you’re environmentally inclined, but not exactly ready to embrace a vegan lifestyle. Still, you know juicy hamburgers, a succulent T-bone and meatballs with your spaghetti are not the most healthful choices for dinner. But forgoing meat doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. Try this to improve your health, as well as the health of the environment: Eat less meat, especially red meat, by making your Mondays meatless. Skip Meat for a Day…or More. The germ of this concept was born in response to a report called "Healthy People 2010," issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. One of the report’s health goals is to reduce saturated fat intake by 15%. Nutritionists at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future wanted to be even more specific than that. They discovered everyone is willing to forgo meat one day a week. And thus was born a concept: Meatless Monday. "We found that a campaign to get consumers to skip meat and other saturated-fat-containing foods one day a week would naturally get them to the recommended intake," said Robert Lawrence, M.D., professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Why Go Meatless? In the1960s, Americans ate less than 160 pounds of meat per person per year. By 2002, meat consumption had burgeoned 37% to 220 pounds per year—that’s more than half a pound of meat per person per day, every day! Why aim to eat less meat? Research shows that vegetarians have lower rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers (breast, colorectal and prostate). Plus eating less meat can help control body weight, because the additional bulk produce and whole grains add to your diet helps keep you fuller on fewer calories. Indeed, vegetarians weigh less, on average, than meat-eaters.
Walk Yourself Well: EN’s Step-By-Step Guide To Good Health
Subscribers Only With just one step you can make a giant leap toward improving your health and well-being. It sounds simple, but walking is one of the best ways to help stave off chronic diseases, improve self-confidence and mood plus keep you happy and independent—at any age. Benefits of Walking. Research shows that walking may help reduce the risk of age-related conditions like heart disease, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, as well as stroke, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Walking can also reduce stress and help control your body weight—even belly fat. Like many other types of weight-bearing exercise, walking builds bone to help prevent osteoporosis. It also tones and tightens your muscles, relieving arthritis symptoms. That’s not all. In the July 26 Circu-lation, government researchers, analyzing results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, reported that exercising can improve lung capacity by 15% to 25%. That can make your breathing ability like that of someone 10 to 20 years younger. That’s important, because the researchers found that lung capacity declines dramatically with age, contributing to frailty later in life. Although your aerobic capacity will still inevitably decline, exercising makes everything you do easier. How Much Is Enough? Let your goals dictate the duration and intensity of your walking regimen. If your goal is to lose weight, think LSD—short for Long-Slow Distance—but if you want to build overall fitness, focus on walking faster or uphill for a better cardio workout (see "How Fast Should You Walk?," page 6.)
Food for Thought: Exploring the Potential of “Mindful Eating”
Subscribers Only Do you eat when you’re not hungry? Do you find yourself wolfing down food without even remembering it? If you’re like most people, the answer is yes. In today’s world, people barely notice the act of eating, as they feed on demand from fast food drive-thrus, vending machines, and snack food cartons. The net result is that we’ve become increasingly out of touch with our body’s sense of hunger and fullness, as well as the pleasures of eating. In a 2008 General Mills online hunger and eating survey that included 1,049 men and women aged 18 and over, only 6% indicated that they almost always notice physical hunger such as a growling stomach before they eat. When subjects were asked how often they multi-task (driving, walking, working, watching television, shopping online, etc.) while eating, a scant 3% reported never. Only 34% of participants indicated that they decide a meal or snack is over when they feel full.