Archive For The “Health” Category
By Rabobank
Despite efforts by governments to promote the benefits of a healthy diet, consumption of fruit & vegetables in Western Europe and the US has declined over the past decade. A report by Rabobank cites lower incomes and perceived price increases, alongside strong competition from processed and convenience foods, as the major factors driving this trend. Producers, processors and retailers must all explore ways to inspire greater consumption of fruit & vegetables if the industry is to flourish.
Cindy van Rijswick, Rabobank analyst commented: “The challenge for the fruits & vegetables industry is to close the gap between what consumers say they want and what they actually do. Surveys have shown that, in principle, consumers are positive-minded about healthy eating, but in practice they are easily swayed by creative marketing of processed food and beverages and exhibit a strong bias for convenience products”.
On a household level there is a clear relationship between income and fruit & vegetable intake, meaning that in a tough economic climate, consumers become more susceptible to fluctuations in price. This impact can be exacerbated by the common misperception among consumers that unhealthy food is cheaper to eat than healthy food. Between 2006 and 2011, in both the EU and US, average consumer prices for fruits & vegetables in fact increased less than prices of the total food category, but consumption levels fell.
Processed foods have become a strong competitor for fruits & vegetables for different reasons: availability, taste, marketing, product range and convenience. Even when consumers do opt for a healthy choice, they will likely select processed foods in the ‘health and wellness category’ over a fresh option (despite the fact that research has found that two-thirds of US and half of all European products referencing fruit on their packaging contained no or only a trace amounts of fruit). It is extremely difficult for the fresh produce industry to match the sophisticated marketing efforts of processed health foods as most fresh products are sold unpackaged and unbranded.
There are three ways in which the industry must invest/evolve in order to boost consumption levels:
- Reducing inconvenience: Convenience is often cited as a barrier to consumption of fruits & vegetables, a claim that is supported by the increasing popularity of prepared (i.e. washed, cut, diced, sliced and packaged) products. The industry must continue to find innovative ways to boost convenience e.g. offering chopped vegetables that can be heated directly in the microwave without removing packaging
- Marketing based on more than health benefits: Most consumers are already aware that fruit & vegetables are good for them and governments are the best vehicle for promoting the benefits of a healthy diet. Therefore, the industry should focus on informing consumers about the convenience, taste, enjoyment and versatility of fruits & vegetables
- Better cooperation along the supply chain: keeping inferior quality products off the market is crucial to securing consumer buy-in. Short dedicated supply chains in which the brand owner is in control can enable partners to work together more closely to improve basic features, such as quality and freshness (e.g. by reducing the time to market or choosing the tastiest varieties)
By The Alliance for Food and Farming
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day leads to a longer life. The comprehensive research, conducted in Sweden, studied more than 71,000 people aged 45 to 83 for 13 years. Among the key findings, eating fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables each day is linked with a higher chance of dying early. Participants who ate at least one serving of fruit daily lived 19 months longer than those who never ate fruit, on average. And those who ate at least three servings of vegetables per day lived 32 months longer than people who reported not eating vegetables.
This Swedish study can be added to the decades of nutritional research that show the benefits of eating fruits and veggies on improved health. Another important example is the recent peer reviewed study published in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology which found that if half of Americans increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables by a single serving, 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented. (It should be noted that most of these nutritional studies were conducted using conventionally grown produce.)
This type of science based evidence is why the Alliance for Food and Farming joins with public health experts, the government, and environmental groups in encouraging consumption of all fruits and vegetables – organic and conventional. Experts agree that both are grown safety and can be eaten with confidence.
The Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences has published research linking mango consumption to a better diet quality and nutrition intake in adults and children. This research, funded in part by the National Mango Board (NMB), suggests that consumption of mangos in adults is not only associated with an overall better diet, higher intake of whole fruit and certain nutrients, like dietary fiber and potassium, along with lower body weight and C-reactive protein, a measure of inflammation that may be associated with cardiovascular risk.
Mango consumption associated with a healthier diet
The study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences suggests that adults who consume mangos tend to have a higher intake of certain nutrients like potassium and dietary fiber than those who do not eat mango, which contributes to a balanced diet. The researchers compared the diets of more than 29,000 children and adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2008 and used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to determine diet quality relative to federal dietary guidance.
The researchers found those that ate mangos scored higher on the HEI than those that did not. Compared to non-mango consumers, mango eaters, on average, had higher intakes of whole fruit, vitamins C, potassium, and dietary fiber (in adults only) while having lower intakes of added-sugars, saturated fat (in adults only) and sodium (in adults only).
Additionally, lower levels of C-reactive protein were found in adult mango-consumers. C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation and it has been suggested that high levels of it in the blood may be linked to increased risk for heart disease.
“Overall, the results found in this study show that people who consume mangos tended to have better intake of nutrients like potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber, contributing to better overall diet quality than those who do not,” explained Dr. Victor Fulgoni III, of Nutrition Impact, LLC. “This research also underscores the importance helping individuals identify fruits such as mangos that can be readily incorporated into their diets for greater variety.”
This research, “Mangoes are Associated with Better Nutrient Intake, Diet Quality, and Levels of Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,” was co-authored by Dr. Carol E. O’Neil of Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Center; Dr. Theresa A. Nicklas of USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine; and Dr. Victor Fulgoni of Nutrition Impact. The research was supported with funding from the National Mango Board (NMB) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. NMB supported it with the goal of better understanding the relationship between mangos and healthy diets.
According to NMB, results from this published research will help add to the existing body of evidence suggesting mangos are a nutritional powerhouse. “Mangos are by far one of the tastiest ways to consume more than 20 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants all in one bite. With such great flavor and nutritional benefits, mangos are clearly a smart addition to anyone’s diet,” said Megan McKenna, National Mango Board’s director of marketing.
For more information about fresh mango varieties and availability, storage, handling tips, recipes and nutrition, visit www.mango.org.
About National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is a national promotion and research organization, 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. One cup of mango is only 100 calories, an excellent source of vitamins A and C, a good source of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor.
Mango availability per capita has increased 32 percent since 2005 to an estimated 2.47 pounds per year in 2012. Mango import volume for 2012 was 804 million pounds. Learn more at www.mango.org.
Source: National Mango Board
By Mann Packing
As part of the company’s “moms helping moms” initiative, Mann Packing Company of Salinas, CA created the Girlfriends Guide for Moms electronic brochure for distribution this summer.
The Girlfriends Guide for Moms is available free online via Mann’s Facebook page and via links tweeted from the @veggiesmadeeasy Twitter account.
The Girlfriends Guide for Moms was created to provide moms with summer recipes in one printable brochure so they can serve a great meal and enjoy summer at the same time, said Gina Nucci, director of healthy culinary innovation.
Nucci also wrote a personal note as part of the brochure.
“We want to let our fellow moms know that we understand the challenges of balancing kids’ activities, work, household chores AND putting a meal on the table every night,” Nucci said. “This guide has some of our favorite recipes featuring easy-to-make healthy items with Butternut Squash, Broccolini®, Sugar Snap® Peas and Broccoli Slaw.”
Further plans include two additional editions of the Girlfriends Guide to release in the late summer and early fall.
For more information about Mann Packing, please visit www.veggiesmadeeasy.com.
About Mann Packing Company
Mann Packing Company, Inc., located in Salinas, Calif., is one of the world’s leading suppliers of fresh vegetables. Mann Packing Company is certified as a women’s business enterprise through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the US. We encourage the commitment to supplier diversity that is embraced by corporations and government agencies today
There has long been research — both anecdotal and data-based — suggesting a positive link between the eating of fruits and vegetables and healthy outcomes, including disease prevention.
The National Mango Board is working to pursue the connection, specifically with mangos, and has some research on its side. The board is publicizing early results of some studies and refining the nutrition message as it promotes mango and green papaya salad.
New mango nutrition research on obesity and cancer are the subjects recently presented at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in Boston. The research identifies important findings that merit further investigation to determine whether mangos can potentially have a positive effect on blood sugar in obese individuals and help to limit inflammation.
An Oklahoma State University study examined the effects of daily mango consumption on the obese. Twenty adults participated in the study, consuming significant amounts of mangos in a dried form for 12 weeks. Blood sugar levels at the conclusion of the study were significantly lower than the baseline in both male and female subjects, but there were no significant changes in body composition for either gender.
Texas A&M had another study on the effects of polyphenols found in fresh mangos on cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells, which were examined. This study suggests that mango polyphenols might limit inflammatory response in both cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. Because this was an in vitro study, more research is needed to determine whether mango polyphenols can have the same effect in humans.
The National Mango Board is actively marketing the nutrition message, which claims that mangos are a nutrient-rich fruit containing more than 20 different vitamins and minerals. The NMB states that mangos are an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamins C and A. Vitamin C is important for wound healing and immune function; and vitamin A is critical for vision and helps maintain healthy skin.
The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit. The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today.
It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of
individual floweret’s that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each
scale on a pineapple is evidence of a separate flower. Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness. Choose your pineapple by smell. If it smells fresh, tropical and
sweet, it will be a good fruit.
The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste. After you cut off the top, you can plant it.
This delicious fruit is not only sweet and tropical; it also offers many benefits to our health. Pineapple is a remarkable fruit.
We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it may also be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we take a more detailed look at it, we will find that pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis.
The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intestinal worms.
Let’s look at how pineapple affects other conditions. Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of strong bones and connective tissue. A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recommended daily amount. It is particularly helpful to older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age.
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple’s value. Proteolytic means “breaks down protein”, which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently. Bromelain is also considered an effective anti-inflammatory. Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It also produces mild pain relief.
In Germany, bromelain is approved as a post-injury medication because it is
thought to reduce inflammation and swelling. Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the Bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucous in the throat.
If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet.
It is commonly used in Europe as a post-operative measure to cut mucous
after certain sinus and throat operations.
Those individuals who eat fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems
related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low risk for allergies.
Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot development. This makes
it a valuable dietary addition for frequent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots.
An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. It really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first thing in the morning often make a difference. It’s also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discourages plaque growth.
Vegetarian diets are associated with reduced death rates in a study of more than 70,000 Seventh-day Adventists with more favorable results for men than women, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.The possible relationship between diet and mortality is an important area of study. Vegetarian diets have been associated with reductions in risk for several chronic diseases, including hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease (IHD), according to the study background.Michael J. Orlich, M.D., of Loma Linda University in California, and colleagues examined all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a group of 73,308 men and women Seventh-day Adventists. Researchers assessed dietary patients using a questionnaire that categorized study participants into five groups: nonvegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian (includes seafood), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (includes dairy and egg products) and vegan (excludes all animal products).The study notes that vegetarian groups tended to be older, more highly educated and more likely to be married, to drink less alcohol, to smoke less, to exercise more and to be thinner.“Some evidence suggests vegetarian dietary patterns may be associated with reduced mortality, but the relationship is not well established,” the study notes.There were 2,570 deaths among the study participants during a mean (average) follow-up time of almost six years. The overall mortality rate was six deaths per 1,000 person years. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in all vegetarians combined vs. nonvegetarians was 0.88, or 12 percent lower, according to the study results. The association also appears to be better for men with significant reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality and IHD death in vegetarians vs. nonvegetarians. In women, there were no significant reductions in these categories of mortality, the results indicate.“These results demonstrate an overall association of vegetarian dietary patterns with lower mortality compared with the nonvegetarian dietary pattern. They also demonstrate some associations with lower mortality of the pesco-vegetarian, vegan and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets specifically compared with the nonvegetarian diet,” the authors conclude.(JAMA Intern Med. Published online June 3, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.6473. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor’s Note: An author made a conflict of interest and funding disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. An author interview with Dr. Orlich will be available online.
By Loma Linda University
About Loma Linda University Health (LLUH)
Loma Linda University Health includes Loma Linda University’s eight professional schools, Loma Linda University Medical Center’s six hospitals and more than 900 faculty physicians located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Established in 1905, LLUH is a global leader in education, research and clinical care. It offers over 100 academic programs and provides quality health care to 40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million outpatients each year. A Seventh-day Adventist organization, LLUH is a faith-based health system with a mission “to continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”
Source: Loma Linda University Health (LLUH)
Based on the results of four recent medical studies, health-wise consumers may want to include a handful of pistachios in their daily diet. Eating nuts such as pistachios has been associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, lower heart disease risk factors, lower body weight, and better outcomes during pregnancy.
First, a review of eight relevant studies has been published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine on the effect of pistachios on blood lipid profiles. With a single exception, all of the studies reported a decrease in the mean LDL (commonly regarded as bad) cholesterol in a range from 7.6 to 9.7% of the baseline. Drawing from PUBMED and Loma Linda University database searches, researchers from East Carolina University and the University of Tennessee found the majority of studies reported a statistically significant improvement in HDL and LDL cholesterol ratios. They concluded that adding pistachios to a diet can benefit individuals with normal and high LDL cholesterol. This result is consistent with other studies associating nut consumption with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as noted in the following examples.
A PREDIMED study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February focused on the cardiovascular benefits of a Mediterranean diet that’s rich in nuts and extra-virgin olive oil. Researchers looked at individuals at high risk for heart disease and found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts resulted in a substantial reduction of major cardiovascular events. A total of 7,447 persons aged 55 to 80 participated for at least four years. They did not have cardiovascular disease when the study began, but were at risk for developing it because they had diabetes or at least three major risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, an elevated LDL cholesterol level, obesity or overweight, or a family history of premature heart disease. In the trial the Mediterranean diet groups resulted in a relative risk reduction of approximately 30%, including a significant reduction in the risk of stroke.
In the third paper, as published in PLOS ONE, the PREDIMED study researchers looked at the same persons who were at high risk for heart disease at the start of the study and compared those who ate nuts three times per week versus those who ate them less than once a week. Subjects who ate nuts three times per week or more had a significantly lower prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The nuts included pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts and cashews.
As background, PREDIMED is an acronym for a long-term, multi-center nutritional intervention study (PREvención con Dieta MEDiterránea) that was designed to examine the effects of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of cardiac diseases. Launched in 2003 with a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Health, it is recognized for the size of its sample (more than 7,400 subjects), the length of time (on average of four years) and its scientific rigor (randomized controlled study). Additional funding was received from the Centre Català de la Nutrició de l’Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
“Nuts, including pistachios, are rich in nutrients and filled with antioxidants, vitamins, protein and fiber that have been found to be heart healthy and not cause weight gain,” said Constance Geiger, Ph.D., R.D., Nutrition Consultant, American Pistachio Growers. She continues, “Studies show that substituting pistachios for other snacks or proteins improves the nutrient quality of the diet and is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.”
Finally, a fourth study appeared in the February issue of Diabetes Care. Led by Wei Bao, M.D., Ph.D., a research team examined the association between protein intake and gestational diabetes. A vegetable protein diet, specifically with nuts, in place of an animal protein diet, in particular red meat, was associated with a lower risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. The study extended over a 10-year period and included more than 21,000 healthy pregnancies among the 15,294 participants of the well-known and ongoing Nurses’ Health Study II cohort study. This study was funded by the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. The Nurses’ Health Study was funded by research grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Pistachio Fact4s
Pistachios are a cholesterol-free snack that contains just 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 13 grams of fat per serving, the majority of which comes from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts, which is more per serving than any other snack nut. Pistachios contain as much potassium per serving (300 mg, 8%) as an orange (250 mg, 7%), making them a nutritious snack choice or ingredient to incorporate into daily diets.
About American Pistachio Growers
American Pistachio Growers is a voluntary trade association representing pistachio growers, processors and industry partners in California, Arizona and New Mexico. These states represent 100% of domestic commercial pistachio production. APG pistachios are the “Official Snack” of USA Water Polo, professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones and the Miss California Organization. APG and its ambassadors share the goal of increasing national awareness about the nutritional benefits of pistachios. For more information, visit www.AmericanPistachios.org.
Source: American Pistachio Growers
The grilling season continues with the Fourth of July holiday, and Frieda’s, Inc. has some delicious and different holiday favorites. These colorful suggestions will make your produce department stand out.
“Fourth of July grilling is all about summer traditions like hot dogs and burgers, but consumers are also looking to change things up a bit and make their menu a little healthier by adding more fruits and vegetables,” said Karen Caplan, Frieda’s President and CEO. “They look to Frieda’s to add more flavors and colors to their summer barbecue.”
The grilling season, which kicked off with Memorial Day, continues with Independence Day and concludes on Labor Day weekend.
Here are some of Frieda’s featured Fourth of July grilling items that shoppers will be looking for in their favorite retail stores:
Star Spangled Spuds
Nothing says Fourth of July like red, white, and blue potatoes! Parboil them and finish on the grill. Or follow a delicious recipe for potato salad on the package.
Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes
Our brilliant colored tubers will liven up any gathering. Cut into wedges or ½ inch-thick slices, toss in olive oil, and put them right on the grill.
Fresh Ghost and Trinidad Scorpion Chiles
No chile lover would pass up the opportunity to test their limits with two of the world’s hottest chile peppers. Use sparingly in a salsa or homemade hot sauce as a condiment on grilled meat and vegetables.
Maui Onions
Brushed with olive oil and grill or served up fresh, no hamburger is complete without these sweet, pungent slices.
Angelcots®, Fuyu Persimmons, and Fresh Figs
Grilling adds depth to sweet and succulent fruits. They are transformed altogether once wrapped in bacon and grilled, lightly brushed with balsamic vinegar.
Yellow Seedless Watermelons
Simply brush slices with honey and grill until marked. Make into a salad with feta and fresh mint, or just finish with a squeeze of lime for a refreshing dessert.
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Inc. celebrates more than 50 years of innovation in fresh produce. Founded in 1962 by Frieda Caplan, Frieda’s was the first wholesale produce company in the U.S. to be founded, owned and operated by a woman, and is still a family- and women-owned business today. With the mission of changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 specialty items to U.S. produce departments, including Kiwifruit, Spaghetti Squash, Habanero Peppers, Black Garlic and many more. Frieda’s officially declared 2013 as The Year of Purple. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce and www.friedas.com.
Source: Frieda’s Inc.
Low-fat herb dips can increase a child’s consumption of vegetables, according to a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Researchers with the Center for Childhood Obesity Research at Pennsylvania State University studied 3- to 5-year-olds in a childcare center in an online study recently published.
Preschoolers ate significantly more of a previously rejected or disliked vegetable – in this case, celery and squash – with a reduced-fat herb dip than when served alone, the study revealed.
Additonally, only 31% would eat the vegetable by itself, compared to 64% with the dip.
“The most fool-proof way to inspire our kids’ intake of fruits and veggies is by introducing snacks that are easy, taste amazing and satisfy both sweet and savory cravings,” stated a press release by produce shipper Ready Pac.
According to market research firm Mintel, 75% or more of children and teens snack between meals, but innovation in snack foods targeting them dropped 16% from 2008 to 2012. Even so, dairy, fruit and vegetable product launches experienced growth in the period, according to Mintel.