Archive For The “Health” Category
By Produce for Kids
ORLANDO, Fla. – For the third year, Produce for Kids and produce partners are encouraging families nationwide to kick off the school year right by pledging to eat a healthier lunch, Aug. 8 through Sept. 23, at PowerYourLunchbox.com. The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge® website offers tips and recipes to help families and classrooms eat healthier lunches, after-school snacks and weekday dinners this school year. For every online pledge, lunchbox-friendly companies supporting Power Your Lunchbox Pledge will make a collective $1 donation to Feeding America® programs that support families and children.
Produce for Kids’ 11 produce partners are featured in lunchbox-friendly recipes on PowerYourLunchbox.com, in digital communications to more than 25k subscribers, targeted social media efforts and in digital coupons provided to families taking the pledge.
Produce partners supporting Power Your Lunchbox Pledge 2016 include: Avocados from Mexico – Mexican Hass Avocados, Bee Sweet Citrus, Crispy Fruit Freeze-Dried Fruit Snacks from Crispy Green®, Eat Smart® Fresh Cut Vegetables, Earthbound Farm® Baby Kale, GROW Bananas by Organics Unlimited, Marie’s® Dressings, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice, NatureFresh™ greenhouse tomatoes, Pero Family Farms® Mini Sweet Peppers and Snipped Green Beans, and Sun World® grapes with additional support provided by Bentology™.
During the campaign, Produce for Kids will be generating a healthy lunch buzz by giving away a Bentology™ bento box each day and hosting a #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party allowing Twitter users to join in an hour-long conversation about back to school and healthy lunches. Additionally, families will be encouraged to use the #PowerYourLunchbox hashtag on social media throughout the campaign to share ideas with each other.
“Back to school is a great time for families to make a healthy resolution they can carry on through the duration of the school year,” said Trish James, vice president, Produce for Kids. “As a mom of two boys, I understand the challenges parents face when packing a healthy, nutritious lunch for their children and for themselves. The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge was designed to help families tackle this universal challenge.”
Here are a few ways to get involved in the campaign:
- Take the pledge. Pledge to eat healthier this school year at PowerYourLunchbox.com. Companies supporting the program will make a collective $1 donation for every pledge taken to Feeding America programs that support families and children.
- Show off healthy lunchboxes on social media. Produce for Kids’ Instagram and Twitter followers can use the #PowerYourLunchbox hashtag to show off their healthy lunchboxes to have their lunchboxes featured on the Produce for Kids Facebook page. Follow along on the hashtag to see great ideas from fellow parents.
- Party with Produce for Kids on Twitter. Parents looking for even more tips and resources for healthy lunchboxes are invited to join Produce for Kids and partner companies at the #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party at 9 pm ET on August 17.
This month’s back-to-school themed Produce for Kids “We Heart RDs” kit, sent to retail dietitians, included pledge sheets, “I Pledged” stickers, lunchbox recipes and more. There is a dedicated retail dietitian section on PowerYourLunchbox.com.
“Retail dietitians are in a position where they can support families during the back-to-school timeframe while they are in the store making decisions,” said James. “It made sense to bring the Power Your Lunchbox message to our more than 300 retail dietitians so that they can share healthy back-to-school recipes with shoppers.”
In addition to outreach in the grocery store, classrooms can get involved in the pledge by visiting the PowerYourLunchbox.com teacher resource page that provides teachers in grades K-5 with fun, free nutrition-focused downloadable lesson plans, certificates for their students, take home materials for families, and the ability to take the pledge as a classroom.
Since 2014, the campaign raised more than $15,000 for kid’s health and wellness programs across the country.
For more information visit poweryourlunchbox.com.
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About Produce for Kids®
Produce for Kids® is a philanthropically based organization that brings the produce industry together to educate consumers about healthy eating with fresh produce and raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations. Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $5.7 million to benefit kids. To learn more about Produce for Kids and healthy eating, visit www.produceforkids.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Four new studies surrounding the effects of mango consumption suggest this superfruit has the potential to help combat adverse effects associated with high fat diets and obesity (animal study), as well as inhibit growth of fat cells (anti-lipogenic properties in an in-vivo study), slow advancement of breast cancer tumors (animal study), and improve regularity and decrease inflammation associated with constipation (human subject study). The research was presented recently at the 2016 Experimental Biology conference in San Diego, CA.“While more research is needed, especially in humans, there is a growing body of studies that suggest mango consumption may contribute to some protective effects in relation to obesity, certain cancers, gut health, and inflammation,” said Leonardo Ortega, Director of Research at the National Mango Board (NMB).
Obesity
- Nutrition science researcher, Babajide Ojo at Oklahoma State University, was selected by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) as one of five finalists to present his research at the 2016 ASN Young Minority Investigator Oral Competition. Ojo’s study investigated the effects of supplementing mangos (in the form of freeze-dried mango pulp) in mice fed a high fat diet on body composition, glucose homeostasis and gut inflammatory markers: tinyurl.com/zyz6dpc.
- Chuo Fang, PhD, of the department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University investigated the potential role of mango and its microbial metabolites in regulating lipid metabolism and adipogenesis via the activation of AMPK in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes: tinyurl.com/zwe78kq.
Breast Cancer
- Researcher Matt Nemec, of the Interdisciplinary Program of Toxicology at Texas A&M University, studied the anti-proliferative activities of pyrogallol, an intestinal microbial metabolite of gallotannin, a mango polyphenol, on mice with ductal carcinoma in situ breast cancer (DCIS): tinyurl.com/ze3y5kx.
Constipation
- Vinicius Paula Venancio, of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University, studied the consumption of 300 grams of mango compared to an equivalent amount of fiber (1 teaspoon of a fiber supplement) and its effect on abdominal distention and constipation in otherwise healthy human volunteers: tinyurl.com/h6pvwnn.
Grapefruit are not only known for being great for those on diets because of the low-calories, but grapefruit is also a great source of vitamins and nutrients.
Grapefruit is a relative newcomer among citrus fruits that wasn’t discovered until the 18th century in Barbados. Though its origins were a mystery for years, many historians agree that it is a natural hybrid of the sweet orange and pomelo. As for its curious name, a Jamaican farmer named the large orbs “grapefruit” for the way they grow in grape-like clusters on the trees.
As well as being a good source of dietary fiber (8 percent Daily Value) and potassium (5 percent DV), half a medium grapefruit provides 64 percent DV of vitamin C and 28 percent DV of vitamin A; it also contains the health protective plant chemicals naringenin, limonin, lycopene (in pink and red varieties) and beta-carotene.
Long associated with weight loss, grapefruit studies have shown mixed results. A recent review of studies on the effectiveness of grapefruit consumption on overweight and obese individuals showed no significant difference between those eating grapefruit and those who did not. However, the analysis, published in a 2015 issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, showed a significant decrease in blood pressure.
Regular grapefruit juice consumption also benefits arterial stiffness in middle-aged, post-menopausal women (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015), and adult consumption of grapefruit is associated with improved diet quality, including higher nutrient intakes of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and dietary fiber (Food and Nutrition Research, 2014).
Grapefruit is available in markets year-round, but its peak season is January through June.
When preschoolers watch videos of other children eating vegetables, they’re more likely to eat vegetables themselves, according to research conducted by Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center.Peer modeling on a digital screen may be an effective tool to encourage vegetable consumption among preschool children, the research shows.
Children between the ages of 3 and 5 were more likely to choose to eat that vegetable when presented with it one week later, after viewing a video of peers consuming a vegetable like bell peppers. Additionally, parents of the children who saw the video of peers eating vegetables were marginally more likely to make that vegetable available in the home soon thereafter, and those children were also more likely to report a higher preference for the vegetable.
“As we work to explore easy-to-use tools to help influence children’s attitudes toward healthy eating and to make it more fun and exciting, this study lays the foundation for interventions that we may be able to translate into home or school settings in the future,” said Amanda Staiano, PhD, lead author on the study and assistant professor of research in Pennington Biomedical’s Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Laboratory.
Research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows one-third of preschoolers eat zero servings of fruit and vegetables a day. In contrast, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-20 recommend preschool-aged children eat four to six servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
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The new 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend most Americans consume 2.5 cups of vegetables a day, a goal almost 9 out of 10 Americans are not meeting (i). But research coming out of the Illinois Institute of Technology and presented at the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference April 2-6 in San Diego, Calif shows that canned tomatoes may be a good gateway vegetable to help people meet these veggie goals.
The study, which looked at 21 adults’ vegetable consumption, found that participants who were encouraged to add either one cup of Hunt’s tomatoes or one cup of raw vegetables to their diets both increased their total vegetable intake during the study. When eating canned tomatoes, participants increased their intake to 2.28 cups, just shy of the recommended 2.5 cups a day. When adding raw vegetables, they increased it to 2.58 cups. The amounts were not statistically different from each other, but were significantly higher than starting intakes.
“It’s not news that people struggle to eat adequate vegetables,” says Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, Associate Professor of Food Science and Nutrition, Illinois Institute of Technology. “This research showed that fresh isn’t the only way to meet vegetable requirements. In fact, encouraging vegetable consumption from convenient sources like canned tomatoes, tomato sauces, tomato paste and puree can help people more easily include vegetables in their diets.”
A USDA study has revealed that eating grapes could help obese people decrease certain types of fats in their blood that are linked to heart disease and lower their risk of infection.
Susan Zunino, a molecular biologist with the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC) in Davis, California, studies phytochemicals—natural compounds found in fruits such as grapes and strawberries. Her recent work suggests that phytochemicals from grapes may have a positive effect on the immune system of obese individuals.
Hospital and clinic documentation of viral and bacterial infection has shown that obese people are at a much higher risk for developing infections after surgery, according to Zunino. About 35 percent of Americans are obese, which puts them at a higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and bacterial and viral infections.
In the study, obese participants drank either a mixture of water and grape powder made from freeze-dried table grapes or a placebo twice a day for three weeks. The two groups switched to the opposite mixture for the next three weeks.
Blood samples were analyzed to measure the effects of grapes on blood lipids (fats), blood markers of inflammation and cells of the immune system during the study. Compared with the placebo group, the grape powder group had reduced plasma concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as “bad” cholesterol, which is associated with heart disease.
When scientists stimulated immune cells from blood with a bacterial component, they found an increase in the production of proteins—cytokines—that are instrumental in fighting off infections. In previous research, Zunino discovered that one of the same cytokine proteins was produced when obese individuals consumed strawberry powder.
However, obesity leads to more inflammation in the body, according to Zunino. Therefore, more studies are needed to find out if the increase in cytokine production, after grapes and strawberries are eaten, contributes to more inflammation or is beneficial in reducing infections.
It seems that there is some truth in the old saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” A recent release by U.S. Apple Association (USApple), shows that eating apples can help fight the factors that contribute to heart disease, the leading cause of death globally.
The release provides evidence from research that shows the benefits of eating apples:
An Ohio State University study recently found that eating an apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL the bad cholesterol by 40%.
A University of Oxford (UK) study found that eating an apple once a day may be just as beneficial as daily statin use when it comes to preventing vascular deaths in individuals over 50.
A University of Florida study found eating two apples a day reduced LDL by 23%.
U.S. researcher’s report that for every 10 grams of fiber consumed per day the risk of developing heart disease may decrease 14 percent, and the risk of dying from heart disease may decrease 27 percent. They also found that fiber from fruits appeared to be slightly more protective than cereal fiber, lowering the risk of coronary disease death by 30 percent.
By California Strawberry Commission
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Food plays an important role in the life of a diabetic and the ADA identifies berries, including strawberries, as one of the top ten superfoods for a diabetes meal plan because they are low in sugar, packed with vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber.
A new study* published in the February 2016 issue of Molecular Nutrition & Food Nutrition found that anthocyanin-rich strawberries may improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance (IR) is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome and a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Typically, after a meal, the pancreas produces an appropriate amount of insulin to usher glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. People with IR have built up a tolerance to insulin, so the pancreas must churn out extra insulin to coax blood sugar into the cells. Over time, this process can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Researchers observed the effect of anthocyanins on the postprandial insulin response of 21 obese adults with insulin resistance. Subjects were served a typical ‘Western-style’ meal high in carbohydrates and fat plus a beverage that contained freeze-dried whole strawberry powder. The beverages were controlled for fiber, and the amount of strawberry powder ranged from 0 grams to 40 grams (equivalent to 3 cups of fresh strawberries). When subjects drank the most concentrated beverage, they didn’t produce as much insulin as when they drank the least concentrated versions. In other words, they didn’t need as much insulin to metabolize their meal after drinking the anthocyanin-rich strawberry shake.
While the exact mechanisms are unclear, strawberry anthocyanins may alter insulin signaling at a cellular level.
“These results add to the collective evidence that consuming strawberries may help improve insulin action,” says study author Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., MS, Director, Center for Nutrition Research, Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) at Illinois Institute of Technology.
Naturally low in sugar (just 7 grams), strawberries provide a unique combination of essential nutrients, dietary fiber and phytochemicals. One serving of eight medium strawberries is just 45 calories and provides more vitamin C per serving than orange and 140% of the daily value. Additionally, strawberries are a good source of fiber (3 grams), folate and potassium, along with a variety of health-promoting phytochemicals. Clinical research suggests that eating a serving of eight medium strawberries a day may improve heart health, help manage diabetes, support brain health, and reduce the risk of some cancers.
For the latest nutrition news on strawberries, visit: http://www.strawberrynutritionnews.com/
About California Strawberry Commission: The California Strawberry Commission is a state government agency located in Northern California charged with conducting research to support California’s strawberry industry. With an emphasis on sustainable farming practices, the commission works with strategic partners focusing on production and nutrition research, food safety training and education, marketing and communications, trade relations and public policy.
Eating grapes is good for the eyes and could reduce the risk of going blind later in life, according to new researc
h.
The fruit protects against a chemical process known as oxidative stress, which releases harmful molecules called free radicals into the retina. Grapes are rich in antioxidants that protect healthy cells from DNA damage and it is believed these compounds are behind the eyesight benefits.
The retina is the part of the eye that contains cells that respond to light, known as photoreceptors. Degenerative diseases of the retina can cause blindness.
“Adding grapes to the diet actually preserved retinal health in the presence of oxidative stress in this study,” says Professor Abigail Hackam, of the University of Miami in the U.S., which carried out the research.
Elevated oxidative stress is strongly associated with retinal disease and has been widely studied in the development of age-related macular degeneration and other eye conditions.
During the research, mice were fed either freeze-dried whole grape powder – the equivalent of about three servings a day for humans – a diet with the same level of sugar, or a standard research control diet. The results showed that both retinal structure and function were preserved in the group eating the grape-enriched diet.
Mice in this group maintained their retinal thickness, the quantity of photoreceptors and the amount of photoreceptor activity, despite high oxidative stress. In the non-grape eaters, retinas were damaged, displaying holes and lesions, and there was a significant decrease in thickness.
There was also a 40 per cent reduction in photoreceptors and significant loss of photoreceptor activity.
Previous research by scientists at the University of Glasgow found that the antioxidant benefits of drinking purple grape juice could also reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study, by scientists at Washington State University, found that eating grapes can help prevent weight gain.
They contain a compound called resveratrol – also found in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and apples – that converts bad, white fat in the body into good ‘beige fat’, which burns up calories.
Many factors have affected food consumption patterns over the last 25 years.
In Tracking Demographics and U.S. Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Patterns, a 2011 report has a list that is lengthy.
Roberta Cook, cooperative extension specialist and lecturer in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics at the University of California-Davis, writes about key trends that affect food consumption, including:
* demand for foods of high and predictable quality offering convenience and variety;
* growing demand for freshness and foods with higher flavor profiles;
* a willingness to experiment both in restaurants and in the home;
* the changing ethnic composition of the population, which has expanded demand for Asian and Hispanic commodities;
* the growth in public knowledge about how diet and health are linked;
* the importance of maintaining physical fitness throughout life;
* the simultaneous trend toward higher rates of obesity;
* an exploding research base on the specific phytonutrients/antioxidants associated with individual fruits and vegetables and their potential protective health benefits;
* a higher public sector profile and policy engagement on U.S. health issues to the benefit of fruits and vegetables, such as MyPlate;
* and growing consumer interest in where and how food is produced.
Cook points out the changing ethnic makeup of the U.S. population is definitely favorable to fresh produce consumption, since Hispanic and Asian Americans consume fruits and vegetables at higher rates than African Americans and whites.