It's not just the salt that makes meat-substitute foods a thoroughly unhealthy option

A few stories in the press this week highlighted the sometimes very salty nature of meat-substitute foods such as 'veggie'-burgers and sausages. My opinion of salt and its relevance to human health has mellowed somewhat over the years. I can honestly say that from a health perspective, I am more concerned about the base ingredients of such foods. Quorn is commonly employed here, and I wrote about its nutritional attributes (or rather, the lack of them) recently. The other major ingredient in meat-substitute foods is, of course, soy. Like Quorn, soy is often promoted as a positively healthy food. In Monday's blog I discuss some of the research which suggests that soy's 'health food' status is seriously misplaced. For more on this, click this link.

From Dr. John Biffa's e-newsletter

If vertical growth is hormonally driven, couldn't horizontal growth be too?

If vertical growth is hormonally driven, couldn't horizontal growth be too?

You've heard it before and no doubt you'll hear it again: the only way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more. And, mentally tagged with this, usually, is the idea that overweight individuals are gluttonous, or lazy, or both. Actually, not everyone (including me) takes this view. One 'new' theory about why people put on weight has recently been put forward Gary Taubes', author of The Diet Delusion (entitled Good Calories, Bad Calories in the States). Taubes' suggests that as people put on weight, hormonal imbalance drives them to eat more, which perpetuates the problem. Taubes likens this situation to the hormonally-provoked voracious appetites children and adolescents can exhibit when they're going through a growth spurt. Taubes' quite reasonably suggests that if vertical growth and appetite can be driven by hormones, why can't the same be true for horizontal growth? On Wednesday, I write about a recent study which appears to provide support for Taubes' quite compelling ideas. For more on this, click this link.

CoQ10 may reduce muscle injury in athletes

**Exciting new research for elite athletes has shown that supplements of
CoQ10 may reduce the occurrence of muscular injuries.

This new research was carried out in Japan and adds to an
already-growing body of research to support the use of CoQ10 in sports
nutrition.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that levels of markers
associated with increased wear and tear in the muscle, like creatine
kinase and lipid peroxide, were significantly lower in elite Japanese
kendo athletes after consuming co-enzyme Q10 for 20 days, compared to
placebo.

/"These results indicate that CoQ10 supplementation reduced
exercise-induced muscular injury in athletes,"/ concluded the researchers.

The underlying mechanism appears to be due to the antioxidant potential
of the coenzyme, suggest the researchers, although further research is
necessary to confirm these findings.

Researchers from University of Tsukuba, University of Tokyo, and Kobe
Gakuin University reported their findings in the British Journal of
Nutrition.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1017/S0007114508926544
/"Reducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with
supplementation of coenzyme Q10"
/Authors: M. Kon, K. Tanabe, T. Akimoto, F. Kimura, Y. Tanimura, K.
Shimizu, T. Okamoto, I. Kono

From the Nutri Supplement, issue 101

MEP’s Support Plans to Ban Unnecessary Colours in Children’s Foods and Drinks

**Last year's publication of the Southampton study, which linked certain
additives to hyperactivity, has fuelled national and international
debates on their use. Food additives are now well and truly in the
media spotlight with consumers demanding that action be taken to
restrict their unnecessary use.

The Southampton study, published in The Lancet last year, looked at the
effect of mixes of additives on a range of children aged between three
and nine and drawn from general population and across a range of
hyperactivity and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
severities.

Mix A contained sunset yellow, tartrazine, carmoisine, ponceau 4R and
sodium benzoate. Mix B contained sunset yellow, quinoline yellow,
carmoisine, allura red and sodium benzoate.

The researchers concluded that artificial food colours and additives
exacerbate hyperactive behaviour in children at least up to middle
childhood.

For anyone interested in the health of their children, it is welcome
news that now the EU Environment Committee has advised that sweeteners
and colourings in food aimed at children should be banned, while
additives should only be used if they provide an advantage to the consumer.

The new European proposal states that a food additive may be authorised
only /"if it is safe in use, if there is a technicological need for its
use, if its use does not mislead the consumer and if it has advantages
and benefits to him". /

In addition, /"food additives would be completely banned in unprocessed
food, as would sweeteners and colours in food for babies and small
children"/.

The proposals must now be agreed on by the plenary session of the
European Parliament in Strasbourg in July, and by the governments of the
member states.

Should the proposals be accepted and controls on the use of additives
made stricter, it could have far-reaching effects across the industry,
requiring huge investment in time and money to adapt products to meet
new regulations. Many companies have already started to take action as
a response to the growing concerns from consumers.

Lancet. 2007 Nov 3;370(9598):1524-5. /Food additives and hyperactive
behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a
randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. McCann D, Barrett
A, Cooper A, Crumpler D, Dalen L, Grimshaw K, Kitchin E, Lok K, Porteous
L, Prince E, Sonuga-Barke E, Warner JO, Stevenson J./ School of
Psychology, Department of Child Health, University of Southampton,
Southampton, UK.

From the Nutri Supplement, issue 101

DHA Supplementation May Improve the Comprehension and Vocabulary of Young Children

**DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, is the primary component of the fatty
membrane surrounding neurons. Its structure keeps the membrane flexible,
allowing messages to travel easily between neurons.

The potential link between improved omega-3 fatty acid status and better
cognitive performance has generated a great deal of excitement. DHA and
EPA, the active forms of omega-3, can only be obtained directly from
oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon and pilchards; these foods
rarely feature in children's diets. So far, no high quality research has
been conducted to examine the effects on learning when supplementing the
diets of healthy children with fish oil. A newly published
randomised-controlled trial provides some evidence.
In the study 175 healthy 4 year olds were randomly assigned to receive
either 400mg of DHA or a placebo daily for four months. None of those
involved in the study were aware of which children were receiving the
active treatment, until the end of the four months. A number of tests of
cognition were carried out at the beginning and at the end of the four
months: Leiter-R Test of Sustained Attention, Peabody Picture Vocabulary
Test, Day-Night Stroop Test, and Conners' Kiddie Continuous Performance
Test.

Initial statistical analysis did not reveal any significant differences
between the two groups. When regression analysis was conducted, however,
a positive association was observed between blood levels of DHA and
scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, a test of listening
comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Regression analysis is a
statistical tool to ascertain the effect of one variable, such as DHA
levels in blood, on another, such as cognitive performance.
This study is promising preliminary evidence of the efficacy of fish oil
supplementation in improving aspects of cognitive function in some children.

Click here
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18180340?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum>to
view the abstract

From the Nutri Supplement, issue 100

Focus On....Asparagus

Asparagus is at the peak of its season in the warming spring months of
April and May. This delicate tasting vegetable is surprisingly versatile
and very nutritious.

*Nutritional Profile*
Asparagus is a rich source of folate, just the equivalent of a cup
provides approximately 263mg. Pregnant women need 400mg daily. A cup
of asparagus also contains 288mg of potassium. Adults need 3,500mg each
day. This high potassium content, combined with the active amino acid,
asparagine, gives the vegetable a diuretic effect. Historically,
asparagus has been used to treat problems involving swelling, such as
arthritis and rheumatism. It may also be useful for PMS-related water
retention.

*Asparagus is also Rich in Vitamin K, C and Fibre*
Asparagus contains the carbohydrate inulin, which provides food for the
beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, in the
gut. Asparagus also contains phytonutrients called anthocyanins that
give it its purple colour.

As part of a balanced diet, rich in fresh produce, nutrients and fibre,
asparagus can help prevent chronic disease, including heart disease and
cancer.

*Recipes*
Asparagus should be cooked in the minimum of water to preserve the water
soluble nutrients and flavour. It is perfect served lightly steamed with
a knob of butter alongside grilled salmon or chicken, boiled new
potatoes and a watercress, tarragon or hollandaise sauce. Try it with
poached eggs topped with parmesan cheese or maybe add it to a risotto,
omelette or stir fry. It can also be eaten raw - try it with a garlic
mayonnaise dip.

Study Finds Turmeric Beneficial for Diabetics

**A new study has found that curcumin may be especially beneficial for
diabetics.

Over the years studies have shown potential benefits for curcumin for
reducing cholesterol levels, improving cardiovascular health, reducing
the risk of Alzheimer's, and potential protection against cancer. And
now it seems there may be another benefit to add to this already
extensive list.

Curcumin is the natural colour pigment that makes turmeric yellow. The
recent study tested its effects on various variables and reported
significant improvements for insulin resistance and glucose tolerance.

If results of the new study, published in the journal Molecular
Nutrition & Food Research, can be repeated in humans, it may suggest
potential for the spice for diabetes management or prevention.

*Source: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
*Published online ahead of print 8 April 2008, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200700184
/"Effect of curcumin supplementation on blood glucose, plasma insulin,
and glucose homeostasis related enzyme activities in diabetic db/db mice
(p NA)"
/Authors: K.-I. Seo, M.-S. Choi, U.J. Jung, H.-J. Kim, J. Yeo, S.-M.
Jeon, M.-K. Lee

From the Nutri Supplement, Issue 100

Pesticides Found to Cause Parkinson’s

**New research has found that pesticides may be a direct cause of
Parkinson's disease. The research looked at 319 cases of Parkinson's
disease and found that herbicides and insecticides 'significantly'
increased the risk of Parkinson's disease.

The herbicides and insecticides found to be the worst are those that
contain organochlorine and organophosphorous compounds.

The study concluded that as a result, farmers and people living on farms
who are regularly exposed to the chemicals may be at greater risk of
developing Parkinson's disease than the general population.

It has often been suspected that well water may be a cause of
Parkinson's, but this study did not find a correlation.
(Source: BMC Neurology, 2008; 8: 6).

From the Nutri Supplement, Issue 100

Supermarket bans aspartame from own-label products, and a food fight is brewing..

I'm no fan of the artificial sweetener aspartame: there is quite a lot
of evidence linking its consumption with adverse effects on health.
Plus, it turns out that while industry-funded research on aspartame is
universally positive, independently-funded work is almost always not. My
suspicion is that growing numbers of individuals are viewing aspartame
with suspicion, and a recent turn of events suggests this scepticism has
filtered through to the food retailers too. The supermarket chain Asda
has singled out aspartame as a 'nasty' that is has banned from its 'Good
for You' range of own-label foods. Ajinomoto, who make aspartame, have
served a writ against Asda in an effort to protect the reputation of its
product. For more on this, and why I believe the ensuing 'food fight'
will be a 'no-win' scenario for Ajinomoto, click this link.

From Dr John Briffa's Newsletter

http://www.drbriffa.com
http://www.thetrueyoudiet.com