Nutrition News | Sci.News

Study: Vegetarians Have Healthier Biomarker Profile than Meat-Eaters

May 17, 2021 by News Staff

Vegetarians appear to have lower levels of disease biomarkers that can lead to cell damage and chronic disease, according to new research from the University...

The World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day. Image credit: Ben Davies.

Fruit- and Vegetable-Rich Diet May Help Reduce Stress Levels

May 14, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

In a study involving more than 8,600 Australian adults, higher intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with lower perceived stress, particularly...

In the Danish prospective cohort study, Bondonno et al. observed an inverse association between vegetable nitrate intakes, up to 60 mg/day, and hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases; more specifically, moderate to high nitrate intakes were associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease, and atrial fibrillation; a higher vegetable nitrate intake was also associated with a lower baseline systolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure; the results suggest that ensuring the consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables, corresponding to one cup of green leafy vegetables, may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Image credit: Ilona F.

Eating Green Leafy Vegetables May Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk

May 5, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

Consumption of at least 60 mg/day of vegetable nitrate (one cup of green leafy vegetables) can significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases,...

Zhou & Hyppönen observed a positive dose-dependent association between self-reported coffee intake and plasma concentration of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, with the highest lipid levels seen among participants reported drinking over 6 cups/day. Image credit: Ermal Tahiri.

Study: People Naturally Regulate Their Coffee Consumption Based on Cardio Health

Apr 28, 2021 by News Staff

In a study published in March 2021 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a team of researchers at the University of South Australia found that...

Ba et al. show that mushroom may help guard against cancer. Image credit: Barbro Forsberg.

Mushroom Consumption May Reduce Risk of Cancer

Apr 28, 2021 by News Staff

A team of researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine and the Pennsylvania State University found that people who incorporated any variety of mushrooms...

Sun et al. examined changes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, markers of oxidative stress, antioxidant response and cell damage in high-fat-fed obese mice treated with a diet supplemented with 80 mg cocoa powder per gram of food. Image credit: S. Hermann & F. Richter.

Cocoa Supplementation Mitigates Severity of Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Mice, Study Shows

Apr 19, 2021 by News Staff

Supplementation of cocoa powder, derived from Theobroma cacao, in the diet of high-fat-fed mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease reduced the severity...

Vanhatalo et al. applied a systems-level bacterial co-occurrence network analysis across 10-day dietary nitrate and placebo interventions to test the stability of relationships between physiological and cognitive traits and clusters of co-occurring oral bacteria in older people. Image credit: Conger Design.

Beetroot Juice Consumption May Help Improve Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health

Apr 7, 2021 by News Staff

Drinking beetroot juice, which is rich in inorganic nitrate, promotes communities of oral bacteria associated with healthier blood vessels and brain function,...

Flavonoid-rich cocoa could reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Image credit: Steve Buissinne.

Cocoa Flavanols Could Protect against Mental Stress-Induced Cardiovascular Events

Apr 1, 2021 by News Staff

Blood vessels were able to function better during mental stress when people were given a cocoa drink containing high levels of flavanols than when drinking...

An activation of the vascular and neuronal KCNQ5 potassium channel contributes significantly to vasodilation by both green and black tea; the tea polyphenols ECG and EGCG are major contributors to this effect, via hyperpolarization of the voltage dependence of KCNQ5 activation; ECG and EGCG or optimized derivatives of these compounds are candidates for future anti-hypertensive drug development. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

Two Tea Compounds Found to Relax Blood Vessels

Mar 10, 2021 by News Staff

A team of researchers from the University of California, Irvine and the University of Copenhagen has found that two polyphenol compounds found in green...

In the two prospective cohorts with many repeated measurements of diet and up to 30 years of follow-up, Wang et al. observed that a higher intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of total mortality and cause-specific mortality; their analysis in the NHS and the HPFS and in a meta-analysis of 26 prospective cohort studies documented that intake of approximately 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily was associated with the lowest mortality, and higher intake was not associated with additional risk reductions in mortality. Image credit: Julita / Pasja1000.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Could Lead to Longer Life

Mar 3, 2021 by News Staff

A team of U.S. researchers has found an inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and mortality in two large prospective cohorts, the Nurses’...

This digitally colorized, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image, depicts a clump of yellow-colored, spheroid shaped, Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that were enmeshed in a blue-colored, filamentous extracellular matrix, which normally binds cells together within the body’s various tissue types Image credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Artificial Sweeteners May Play Role in Spread of Antibiotic Resistance

Feb 26, 2021 by News Staff

Four commonly used artificial sweeteners – saccharine, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium — can promote the horizontal transfer...

Heavy Coffee Consumption May Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Feb 25, 2021 by News Staff

Long-term heavy coffee consumption (six or more cups a day) may lead to unfavourable lipid (fat) profile, which could potentially increase individuals’...

Lin et al. examined whether daily caffeine intake affects human gray matter through the mediation of homeostatic sleep pressure. Image credit: Bru-nO.

Daily Caffeine Intake Induces Changes in Gray Matter, Study Shows

Feb 24, 2021 by News Staff

Caffeine, a psychostimulant commonly used to combat high sleep pressure on a daily basis, alters gray matter structures; however, the effect appears to...

Caffeine is a known neuromodulator that is commonly consumed throughout pregnancy. Image credit: Poohchisa Tunsiri.

Caffeine During Pregnancy Is Not a Good Idea, Researchers Say

Feb 10, 2021 by News Staff

Caffeine consumed during pregnancy can change important brain pathways that could lead to behavioral problems later in life, according to new research...

Ingredients in oolong tea can stimulate fat oxidation. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

Drinking Oolong Tea May Help Reduce Body Fat

Jan 13, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

In a study published recently in the journal Nutrients, oolong tea and pure caffeine increased fat breakdown by about 20% in the healthy volunteers; oolong...

Postmenopausal women who ate a half cup of Ataulfo mangoes 4 times a week saw a 23% decrease in deep wrinkles after 2 months and a 20% decrease after 4 months. Image credit: Liwan Chun.

Mangoes May Help Reduce Facial Wrinkles in Women

Jan 2, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

According to a clinical pilot study published in the journal Nutrients, regular intake of modest amounts of Ataulfo mangoes may improve facial wrinkles...

Fresh Hass avocado intake over a 12-week period resulted in changes to the fecal microbiota and increased concentrations of microbially derived metabolites among adults with overweight and obesity. Image credit: Sandid.

Daily Avocado Consumption Improves Gut Health, New Study Suggests

Dec 21, 2020 by News Staff

Avocado affects digestive physiology of the intestinal microbiota as well as its composition and metabolic functions, according to a study published in...

Al-Shaar et al. found that greater intakes of total, unprocessed, and processed red meat were each associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease. Compared with total, unprocessed, or processed red meat, other dietary components such as soy, nuts, and legumes were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease. These associations were stronger among older men. These findings are consistent with the effects of these foods on low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and support a health benefit of limiting red meat consumption and replacement with plant protein sources; this would also have important environmental benefits. The team also found that substituting whole grains or dairy products for total red meat and substituting eggs for processed red meat were also associated with a lower coronary heart disease risk. Image credit: Ulrike Leone.

Replacing Red Meat with Plant Foods Reduces Coronary Heart Disease Risk, Study Suggests

Dec 9, 2020 by News Staff

According to a new study published in The BMJ, substituting high quality plant foods such as legumes, nuts, or soy for red meat might reduce the risk of...

A green Mediterranean diet is further enriched with green plant-based foods and lower meat intake. Image credit: Higorhsa.

Green Mediterranean Diet Better than Original Version, New Study Suggests

Dec 2, 2020 by News Staff

New research suggests that additional restriction of meat intake with a parallel increase in plant-based, protein-rich foods may further benefit the cardiometabolic...