December, 2011
View or print a copy of the entire December 2011 issue of Environmental Nutrition
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Research Roundup: December 2011
Subscribers Only Diet plus exercise most effective in diabetes prevention. In a randomized controlled trial, 439 women were assigned to a dietary weight loss group designed for 10 percent weight loss, or an exercise group scheduled for 45 minutes/day, five days/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity, an exercise-dietary weight loss group, or a control group. After 12 months, the dietary weight loss group had better insulin response and lost more weight compared with the exercise and control group; however, the combination diet-exercise group had the best weight loss and insulin and blood glucose control results.
Get Saffron Savvy in the Kitchen
Subscribers Only Saffron is harvested from the dried, dark red stigmas of the purple saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.), a member of the iris family. Its tiny threadlike filaments are so delicate they must be hand harvested. It takes about 80,000 flowers (240,000 stigmas) to produce a pound of saffron, which can cost upward of $2,000. Due to its steep price, saffron has a history of being adulterated with coloring agents like turmeric and safflower to extend and even sometimes replace the expensive ingredient. Three distinct compounds combine to make saffron as healthy as it is valuable. Safranal provides the spice’s pungent odor, picrocrocin its bitter flavor, and crocin its striking color.
Party On with Whole Grain Crackers
Subscribers Only It seems no office party, house party, or other festive event is complete without a tray of cheese and crackers—it’s practically a party staple. But when it’s your turn to fill the platter, a quick trip down the cracker aisle can be overwhelming: You’re faced with a wall of crackers in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. Which ones should you get? To simplify, think of crackers as an opportunity to knock out one of your daily servings of whole grains, which will help narrow the field tremendously. However, choosing a box because the picture on the front looks like it contains wheat isn’t enough.
From Field to Table—Are You Game?
Subscribers Only Game meats are getting their game on, so to speak, turning up on the menus of fine restaurants across the country. Known today as “field to table” eating, game meat is hardly new, having sustained humans for thousands of years. A healthy, sustainable, responsible—and now fashionable—choice, game meats are going through a renaissance. Bison burgers, alligator medallions, and braised kangaroo are just a few examples of the dishes chefs are creating with game, redefining the way meats like deer, elk, antelope, wild boar and rabbit are prepared.
Discovering A Honey of a Sweetener
Subscribers Only Humans have always been drawn to the alluring sweetness of honey. Before the advent of sugar refinement, it was the only food available—other than fruit—that satisfied a sweet tooth. It was worth a few bee stings to come home with the prize: a golden honeycomb. Honey also was valued as “medicine” by folk healers for conditions such as lack of vigor and skin healing. Today, modern science is beginning to confirm that honey possesses unique health properties.
Coffee Offers Potential Health Perks
Subscribers Only A few decades ago, people sipped coffee with trepidation, as doctors cautioned against drinking too much of this “excitable” brew. But now the attitude on coffee and health has come full circle, due to research that reveals this plant-based beverage might actually have some health benefits. And it’s a good thing, because people really love their morning—as well as afternoon and evening—cup of Joe. Per capita in the U.S., men drink 1.9 cups of coffee per day and women drink 1.4 cups per day.
Harvard Launches the Healthy Eating Plate
Subscribers Only On the heels of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s release of MyPlate comes Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate, both graphic images detailing how you should eat for optimal health. The Healthy Eating Plate, which was created by nutrition experts from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Health Publications, goes beyond MyPlate to make specific recommendations for food choices within categories. For example, MyPlate does not suggest whole grains over refined grains; its protein section does…
Say Cheers! to Drinking (Moderately)
Subscribers Only Alcohol may make you happy, but can it really keep you healthy? The good news is that moderate alcohol intake can fit into a healthy lifestyle and even offer some benefits—welcome tidings for the estimated 100 million American adults who drink alcohol responsibly. Alcohol’s potentially positive effects on health and quality of life have been on the public health radar screen for decades, dating back to 1979, when one of the first research papers was published on the topic.
Top 9 Stealth Health Diet Strategies
Subscribers Only “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones,” says an oft quoted Chinese proverb. It’s encouraging to use this analogy when you’re facing a difficult challenge, such as remodeling a home or embarking on a new career. But this strategy is also useful when you’re trying to make positive changes in your diet to achieve better health. Small steps in your diet that may seem to fly under the radar can add up to noticeable benefits.