Archive For The “Health” Category
by Alliance for Food and Farming
According to a new study issued by the Centers for Disease Control, consumption of fruits and vegetables continues to be stagnant with only one in 10 Americans eating enough on a daily basis. You may not have heard about the CDC announcement because this is yet another government report that surprisingly received little media coverage.
The CDC report, which broke out groups of Americans by state, income, race and gender, found some subgroups were even less likely to eat enough produce. Men, young adults and people living in poverty all had especially low rates of fruit and vegetable intake.
“The study confirms years of data demonstrating that Americans do not eat their veggies,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, in The Guardian. Assuming this result is close to reality, it suggests the need for taking much stronger action to make it easier and cheaper to eat fruits and vegetables.
The very fact that the CDC examines fruit and veggie consumption itself should be an indicator of its vital importance to our health. But here are some facts to remind everyone why produce is the only food group health experts agree we should eat more of every day for better health and a longer life.
- 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented each year if only half of all Americans increased their consumption of a fruit or veggie by a single serving every day.
- Consuming a plant rich diet can lower your risk of premature death by 42%, heart disease by 31% and cancer by 25%.
- Research shows the benefit of increased consumption on fetal health. One study showed that pregnant women who eat a diet rich in fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish can reduce the risk of heart defects in their baby, sometimes by as much as 37%.
- Numerous studies illustrate the benefits of fruits and veggies on cognitive development. One recent study found that children who ate more fruits and veggies scored much higher in multiple areas on standardized academic tests.
Unfortunately, as two peer reviewed studies are showing, misinformation carried by activist groups about the safety of the more affordable (cheaper) and accessible (easier) fruits and veggies may be contributing to this trend of stagnating consumption. In one of the studies, researchers found misleading messaging which inaccurately describes certain fruits and vegetables as having pesticide residues results in low income shoppers reporting that they would be less likely to purchase any fruits and vegetables, organic or conventional.
In light of the CDC consumption statistics and peer reviewed research showing the potential effect of fear-based messaging, isn’t it time for activist groups to change their strategy from one of disparagement to encouragement? Just think what activists could do if they spent their time and considerable resources, including using their celebrity spokespersons, to encourage consumption instead of disparaging produce that has been proven safe but is also the most affordable and accessible to the majority of Americans. What a benefit that could be to public health.
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By Category Partners
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INDIANAPOLIS — The Produce Mom®, a passionate advocate for the fresh produce industry lead by Lori Taylor, announces a rebrand and name change to The Produce Moms.by The National Mango Board
ORLANDO, Fla.– Emerging human studies on mango consumption have found potential health benefits associated with the superfruit including improved blood pressure, blood sugar control, and gut health. The research, conducted by of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University and the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Oklahoma State University, was presented during the 2017 Experimental Biology conference in Chicago.
“This emerging research shows promising outcomes on mango’s potential to reduce the risk of metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation,” said Leonardo Ortega, Director of Research at the National Mango Board.
Chuo Fang, Ph.D., from Texas A&M University, investigated the metabolic effects of daily consumption of freshly frozen mango pulp (400g) for six weeks in lean and obese subjects and the relationship between mango metabolites to Body Mass Index (BMI) and circulating biomarkers.
- Fang, C. Kim, H. Barnes, R. Talcott, S. Mertens-Talcott, SU. Daily Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Consumption for 42 Days Differentially Modulates Metabolism and Inflammation in Lean and Obese Individuals. The FASEB Journal, April 2017, vol. 31 no. 1 Supplement 431.3. http://bit.ly/ModulatesMetabolismandInflammation
Researcher Crystal O’Hara, Ph.D., from Oklahoma State University examined the post-prandial response of young, healthy males (18-25 years) following consumption of a typical American high-fat breakfast with or without a mango shake, which included 50g of mango pulp (equivalent to ~250g of fresh mango).
- O’Hara, C. Babjide, O. Simenson, A. Hermann, J. Payton, M. Smith, B. Lucas, E. The Effects of Acute Freeze-Dried Mango Consumption with a High-Fat Meal on Post-Prandial Responses in Healthy Young Adult Males. The FASEB Journal, April 2017, vol. 31 no. 1 Supplement 166.3. http://bit.ly/PostPrandialResponses
In a randomized pilot study, researchers from Texas A&M University, led by Hyemee Kim, Ph.D., investigated the potential role of mango consumption in changes of the gut microbiota, bioavailability of galloyl metabolites, and anti-inflammatory activities in lean and obese subjects.
- Kim, H. Barnes, R. Fang, C. Talcott, S. Mertens-Talcott, SU. Intestinal Microbiota and Host Metabolism Respond Differentially in Lean and Obese Individuals Following Six-Week Consumption of Galloyl Derivatives from Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Pulp. The FASEB Journal, April 2017, vol. 31 no. 1 Supplement 431.3. http://bit.ly/IntestinalMicrobiota
Researchers from Texas A&M University examined the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of gallic acid, galloyl glycosides, and gallotannins in lean and obese individuals that consumed 400g of freshly frozen mango pulp daily for six weeks. The study’s lead researcher, Susanne Mertens-Talcott, Ph.D. suggests that extended mango consumption may offer increased anti-inflammatory benefits compared to sporadic mango consumption and this would need to be confirmed within an extended efficacy study.
- Mertens-Talcott, SU. Kim, H. Talcott, S. Barnes. R. Adaptation of Galloyl Derivatives Metabolism and Excretion After 42 Days of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Consumption. The FASEB Journal, April 2017, vol. 31 no. 1 Supplement 646.16 http://bit.ly/GalloylDerivativesMetabolsim
About The National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is an agriculture promotion group, which is supported by assessments from both domestic and imported mangos. The board was designed to drive awareness and consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S. The superfruit mango contains 100 calories, an excellent source of vitamins A and C, a good source of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor. Learn more at mango.org.
Are Potatoes Good for You?
Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, and those eaten with the skin are a good source of potassium. Foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium, such as potatoes, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
All varieties of potatoes are nutritious and, while both the type and amounts of nutrients may vary slightly depending on the variety, the differences are minimal. So minimal in fact, the FDA nutrition label for potatoes represents a composite of varietals.
The FDA-approved Nutrition Facts Label says it all. Potatoes are:
– An excellent source of vitamin C
– A good source of potassium (more than a banana!)
– A good source of vitamin B6
– Fat-, sodium- and cholesterol-free
– Only 110 calories per serving
– An excellent source of vitamin C
– A good source of potassium (more than a banana!)
– A good source of vitamin B6
– Fat-, sodium- and cholesterol-free
– Only 110 calories per serving
Potatoes and Potassium
One medium potato with skin provides 620 milligrams or 18% of the recommended daily value (DV) of potassium per serving and is considered one of the best foods with potassium. Skin- on potatoes rank highest for foods with potassium and are among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and fruits. Potassium is a mineral that is part of every body cell. It helps regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of cells and in doing so, helps maintain normal blood pressure. Potassium is also vital for transmitting nerve impulses or signals, and in helping muscles contract.
Potassium is a powerful dietary factor that may help lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, few Americans are getting the recommended 4700 milligrams per day of potassium they need. (Potatoes make it easier!)
Are Potatoes Fattening?
No. A 5.3-ounce potato has only 100 calories and no fat. Experts agree weight gain occurs when an individual consumes more calories than he or she expends.
Are Fries and Chips Healthy?
Staple foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be eaten every day, while fried foods and high fat snacks should be viewed as occasional treats. One food, even one meal, does not make or break a healthful diet. Understanding the impact that fried foods, like fries and chips, or high-fat foods like ice cream and cookies, have on your overall eating pattern makes it possible for you to “make room” for them as occasional indulgences.
More information on potatoes can be found at the Potato Goodness website.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Many parents struggle with their kids’ eating habits and obesity. What if more kids actually wanted to consume fruits and vegetables? A New York startup believes it will make that happen.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Vedge’ Kids, LLC Phase 1 of a 2 Phase $1.1 million grant to conduct research on the effectiveness of its produce-centric TV show and curriculum in the fight against childhood obesity. Childhood obesity continues to be a serious health concern in the U.S. Total societal costs are estimated at over 100 billion dollars annually.
The Vedge’ Kids show, which features animated fruits and vegetables as superheroes, aims to inspire and motivate children to eat healthy. The show is unique in that it is entertainment driven not preachy, flat or didactic.
“We’re extremely pleased to have worked with the USDA to reach this milestone,” said Rob Orchanian, President of Vedge’ Kids. “The individuals at the USDA are dedicated, professional and forward thinking. Their action confirms our proof of concept and our team’s dedication. Our goal is to improve the health of all our children by promoting the eating of fruits and veggies.
Our method has been to tear a page from the marketing book of junk food companies. Eating fruits and veggies is fun, exciting. They taste great too! We will make sure that little kids and their mommies know that and live that.”
Orchanian went on to say, “The Vedge’ Kids show is the cornerstone of a commercial enterprise. We firmly believe that the shows popular appeal will support a national TV broadcast. We expect this grant will be the 1st of a series of grants and investments that will move us firmly into profitability within the next 2 to 5 years.”
Research will be done in conjunction with the University of Maryland. The University has advised programs offered through Sesame Workshop and PBS.
Vedge’ Kids LLC, headquartered in the greater NYC metropolitan area, is also the publisher of several nutrition-focused children’s books. More information on the company can be found at www.vedgekids.com
by NatureFresh Farms
Leamington, ON – The heat of the summer is settling in across the Midwest though this has not deterred NatureFresh™ Farms’ mobile greenhouse tour from missing a beat. Already nearly 50 events completed since mid-April, consumers continue to flock to #GreenInTheCity events to learn more about how greenhouse vegetables are grown.
“The mobile greenhouse has not only been a conversation starter but a difference maker in how we connect with our customers”, said Ray Wowryk, Director of Business Development.
The mobile Greenhouse Education Center (GEC) is a 38’ custom-built unit that is an exact snapshot of how NatureFresh™ Farms grows its vegetables in state of the art high tech greenhouses in Leamington, ON & Delta, OH. Equipped with fruit bearing plants and complimented by a live Bumblebee Eco-System, the GEC serves as an education resource to inform consumers about how greenhouse vegetables are grown.
“We care about the future of fresh and all that it entails; we need to collectively increase fresh produce consumption. NatureFresh™ can help do that with the GEC and by getting front and center with consumers, we share our story to help inform them of the value of greenhouse vegetables. Knowing who grows what you buy is important, understanding how its grown is just as important if not more”, commented Wowryk.
Supporting the GEC this summer are 5 college students who serve as NatureFresh™ Brand Ambassadors at each event. The team is responsible for event day operations and interacting with retail partners to ensure their customers have the best possible experience. With varied backgrounds ranging from agri-business to environmental science to marketing to biology, the team provides unique perspectives of the value of greenhouse grown vegetables.
“We are able to immediately impact consumers purchasing decisions at store level with the knowledge we share about how we grow greenhouse vegetables”, said Cole Burkholder, GEC Team Member & 3rd year Environmental Science Major from Ohio State University. Agriculture is nothing new to Burkholder whose family operates a farming operation of more than 500 acres of row crops in central Ohio. “The look on people’s faces when we explain the greenhouse growing process and they see the live plants with real fruit, it’s priceless, you kind of see that ‘a-ha’ moment in their eyes. We’ve even had customers show us their shopping carts when leaving to show us the tomatoes or bell peppers they have purchased because of our conversation. It’s a pretty good feeling!” commented Burkholder.
Now in it’s 3rd year, the #GreenInTheCity Tour has completed more than 200 events to date across eastern North America connecting with consumers at retail stores, summer camps, schools, and community fairs. The 2017 tour will continue on through early November wrapping up at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON November 12th.
To learn more about NatureFresh™ Farms and the #GreenInTheCity Tour, visit naturefresh.ca/GEC.
About NatureFresh Farms –
NatureFresh Farms™ has grown to become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable growers in North America. Growing in Leamington, ON and Delta, OH, NatureFresh™ Farms prides itself on exceptional flavor & quality. Family owned NatureFresh Farms™ ships Non-GMO greenhouse grown produce year-round to key retailers throughout North America.
by Michael Price, Science
The U.K. journalist Miles Kington quipped that knowledge is knowing tomatoes ares a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. It wasn’t always this way. Decades of commercial growing have altered the tomato’s genetic makeup, turning it from a once-sweet fruit into today’s relatively tasteless sandwich topper. Now, a new study has uncovered which flavor-enhancing genes have been lost, giving growers a “roadmap” to breed tastiness back into their tomatoes.
“This is great work, which I believe could only be done by very few groups on Earth,” says Changbin Chen, a horticultural scientist at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, who wasn’t involved with the study. “This is doable for commercial growers who supply the fresh tomato market.”
Tomatoes are among the highest-value crops in the world. In the United States—the world’s second largest tomato grower behind China—they account for more than a billion dollars in sales annually. Nutritionally, they are important sources of vitamins A and C. But the large, plump, ruddy tomatoes available year-round in grocery stores taste much different than the small, multihued, berry-sized fruits that evolved more than 50 million years ago near Antarctica and were first domesticated in Central and South America some 2500 years ago. The fruits spread throughout the world following Spanish colonization in the 16th century. Over the next 400 years or so, hundreds of regional cultivars of tomatoes emerged, but they mostly stayed small, sweet, and flavorful.
Then, commercial agriculture exploded after World War II, and tomato crops were bred for higher yields, disease resistance, redder color, and firmness, explains Harry Klee, a horticultural scientist at the University of Florida in Gainesville and one of the study’s authors. These traits helped growers sell their crops for more money, but growers neglected genes responsible for taste, Klee says, and many of these were lost or tamped down over thousands of generations.
by Hass Avocado Board
Insulin and homocysteine levels were lower in the avocado group, as well as a significantly reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome, according to a study.
Homocysteine, when elevated, has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises the risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. The analysis, Avocado Consumption by Adults is Associated with Better Nutrient Intake, Diet Intake, Diet Quality, and Some Measures of Adiposity: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 -2012 , was published in the journal Internal Medicine Review.
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS:
- Compared to non-consumers, avocado consumers have:
- Higher intakes of dietary fiber, total fat, good fats (monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids), vitamins E and C, folate, magnesium, copper and potassium.
- Lower intakes of total carbohydrates, added sugars and sodium.
- Avocado consumers have improved diet quality, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2010.
- Improved physiologic measures include:
- On average, avocado consumers weighed 7.5 lbs less, had a mean BMI of 1 unit less and 1.2 in. smaller waist circumference compared to non-consumers.
- Avocado consumers were 33% less likely to be overweight or obese and 32% less likely to have an elevated waist circumference compared to non-consumers.
- Incidence of metabolic syndrome was significantly reduced for avocado consumers.
The findings are based on avocado consumption and its association with nutrient and food group intake, diet quality, and health biomarkers assessed using a nationally representative sample of 29,684 adults (ages 19 years and older) participating in the 2001-2012 NHANES. Fresh avocado intake averaged a consumption of 76 grams per day (a little more than half of a medium Hass avocado) and was assessed by 24-hour dietary recalls. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), which measured adherence to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The analysis was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Children’s Nutrition Research Center and the Hass Avocado Board (HAB).
“These findings indicate incorporating avocados could be one way for Americans to meet the recommended fruit and vegetable intake and potentially improve physiologic measures,” said Nikki Ford, Hass Avocado Board Director of Nutrition. “As we fund additional clinical studies investigating the relationship between fresh avocado consumption and weight management and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, we continue to encourage healthcare professionals to remain committed to recommending avocados as part of an overall healthy diet.”
About the Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is an agriculture promotion group established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass Avocados in the United States. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass Avocados directs HAB’s promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Funding for HAB comes from Hass avocado producers and importers in the United States.
A Dirty Dozen list has been once again released by The Environmental Working Group, which has prompted industry objections that the list has been discredited by scientists, is not based upon risk and has now been shown to potentially discourage consumption of organic and conventional fruits and vegetables.
“In light of new science and information about how safety fears are impacting low income consumers, it is concerning that EWG still releases a Dirty Dozen list in 2017,” Teresa Thorne, executive director of the Alliance for Food and Farming, said in a news release.
“If EWG truly cares about public health, it will stop referring to popular produce items that kids love as “dirty” and move toward positive, science-based information that reassures consumers and promotes consumption.”
The EWG said strawberries in 2017 remain at the top of the list of the “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, with spinach moving to second place, according to a news release. The list ranks of conventionally grown produce with the most pesticide residues, according to the group.
After strawberries and spinach, the 2017 Dirty Dozen list includes nectarines, apples, peaches, celery, grapes, pears, cherries, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes. The group released its first Dirty Dozen list in 1993.
“Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential no matter how they’re grown, but for the items with the heaviest pesticide loads, we urge shoppers to buy organic,” Sonya Lunder, EWG senior analyst, said in the release. It is especially important to reduce young children’s exposures to pesticides, she said in the release.
The group’s Clean 15 list of produce least likely to contain pesticide residues includes sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cabbage, onions, frozen sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, honeydew melon, kiwis, cantaloupe, cauliflower and grapefruit, according to a news release.
Industry Fights Back
“Any report that tells people to avoid eating apples is giving harmful advice,” said Jim Bair, U.S. Apple Association president and CEO, in a statement. “Instead, we should be more concerned with increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.”
Bair said the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietary Guidelines for Americans all advise consumers to eat more fruit.
The industry-backed Alliance for Food and Farming said it has requested reporters view the Dirty Dozen list in the context of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Report, the report that EWG uses to help create its list.
“This report shows that when pesticide residues are found on foods, they are nearly always at levels below the tolerances set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” the USDA said in its 2015 annual report. Over 99% of the products sampled through PDP had residues below the EPA tolerances, according to the report.
The alliance said an analysis by a toxicologist with the University of California’s Personal Chemical Exposure Program concluded that a child could eat excessive quantities of fruits and vegetables and suffer no effects from pesticide residues. For strawberries, a child could eat 181 servings or 1,448 strawberries in a day and still not have any effects from pesticide residues, Thorne said in the release.