Nutrition

Virgin Drinks: No Alcohol, No Breast Cancer

For those of you enjoying your evening glass of wine or cocktail, you might want to trade it in for some sparkling water instead. Previous research established that alcohol consumption of just one drink per day (4 oz of wine, 1.5 oz of liquor, or a 12 oz beer) is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Since the association is hypothesized to happen through hormonal mechanisms, new research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, confirms these previous findings and sheds new light on the subject by examining how alcohol …

No Health Benefits To Bottled Tea

by Erica Giovinazzo on September 2, 2010

It’s time to put the kettle on! Drinking tea has garnered a lot of press over the years for its high polyphenol content – natural antioxidants with health-promoting qualities. However, if you’ve been getting your daily dose from bottled tea, you might be missing out. Recent research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society revealed much lower amounts of these healthy polyphenols in bottled tea when compared to home-brewed green or black tea. Although it has long been popular in England and Asia, tea has become a more …

Fish Oil May Help Depressed Teen Boys

by Marissa de Crom on September 2, 2010

New research from Japan may help cheer up young adolescent boys dealing with symptoms of depression. In a recent article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, researchers found that increased intakes of fatty fish were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in teenage boys aged 12 to 15. Similar results were not seen for teenage girls, however. Fish such as salmon, trout, and whitefish are good sources of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA. Fatty fish, such as sardines, mackerel, yellowtail, and tuna are especially high …

Women: Lower Heart Disease Risk By 30%

by Erica Giovinazzo on September 1, 2010

Although most people associate coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause for heart attacks, with men, over 200,000 women die from it each year. That’s more than five times the number of women who die from breast cancer, making coronary heart disease the number one cause of death in women. A recent study conducted by researchers discovered not only that a high consumption of red meat increased the risk of CHD, but also that substituting red meat for an alternate protein source reduced the risk. Analyzing data from the Nurses’ …

Is Chocolate Milk Good or Bad for Kids?

by Tamara Duker Freuman on August 31, 2010

Q: What’s worse– giving my young child chocolate milk full of added sugar, or having him drink less milk since he doesn’t like the taste? A: With the start of the new school year, the chocolate milk debate is raging once again and a growing number of school districts have removed–or are considering removing–flavored milks from their cafeterias. It’s a tough question and I can argue both sides of it, but my own research has led me to come out on the pro-chocolate milk side of the debate. In other words, I think …

Do Antioxidant Supplements Help Athletic Performance?

by Tasha Gerken on August 30, 2010

You may have heard that excess amounts of “free radicals” increase your risk of cell and DNA damage, or worse, your risk of cancer. What you may not know is that overdoing it with antioxidant supplements designed to quench those free radicals may actually thwart your body’s own immune mechanisms. When you exercise, the body uses oxygen and the energy it converts from food to produce energy for exertion. When the food-derived energy is broken down, it generates substances called “reactive oxygen species” (ROS, or “free radicals”). Free radicals (ROS) …

Western Diet Increases Risk Of ADHD In Teens

by Erica Giovinazzo on August 27, 2010

Could diet be part of the reason so many kids today are being diagnosed with ADHD? Parents of children with Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have the challenge of helping their young one deal with impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention, which can create difficulties for the child in school and social situations. ADHD is diagnosed in 3% to 7% of school-aged children, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the most diagnosed childhood mental health problem, identifying causes and treatment of ADHD is imperative. Now, …

The Magic of Grapes, Wine & Nuts

by Pha Lo on August 27, 2010

We’ve all heard that moderate wine consumption can be beneficial for heart health. While most of us interpret this as giving us permission to enjoy that glass of red wine with dinner and think nothing more of it, the real hero behind the scenes may be a naturally-occurring compound in that wine called resveratrol (RS). Resveratrol is found in grapes, grape products and other sources, such as nuts. A new study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compiling over a decade of research in animal models, supports the …

Q&A: Is Added Fiber Beneficial?

by Tamara Duker Freuman on August 26, 2010

Q: I’m trying to follow a high-fiber diet and wondered if foods with added fiber have the same benefits as foods naturally high in fiber? A: As with most nutrition questions, the answer is: it depends. Fiber is a plant form of carbohydrate that our body’s digestive enzymes can’t break down. Since we can’t break it down, we can’t extract any energy from it, which means fiber has no calories by definition. But just because we can’t digest it, that doesn’t mean the friendly bacteria in our intestines can’t: some …