Low-fat or low-carb? It's a draw, study finds

Date: February 20, 2018 Source: Stanford Medicine Summary: New evidence might dismay those who have chosen sides in the low-fat versus low-carb diet debate. Cutting either carbs or fats shaves off excess weight in about the same proportion, according to the study.

What's the best diet? (stock image)

Credit: © Pavel Bobrovskiy / Fotolia

New evidence from a study at the Stanford University School of Medicine might dismay those who have chosen sides in the low-fat versus low-carb diet debate.

Neither option is superior: Cutting either carbs or fats shaves off excess weight in about the same proportion, according to the study. What's more, the study inquired whether insulin levels or a specific genotype pattern could predict an individual's success on either diet. The answer, in both cases, was no.

"We've all heard stories of a friend who went on one diet -- it worked great -- and then another friend tried the same diet, and it didn't work at all," said Christopher Gardner, PhD, professor of medicine and the lead author of the study. "It's because we're all very different, and we're just starting to understand the reasons for this diversity. Maybe we shouldn't be asking what's the best diet, but what's the best diet for whom?"

Past research has shown that a range of factors, including genetics, insulin levels (which helps regulate glucose in the body) and the microbiome, might tip the scales when it comes to weight loss. The new study, to be published Feb. 20 in JAMA, homed in on genetics and insulin, seeking to discover if these nuances of biology would encourage an individual's body to favor a low-carbohydrate diet or a low-fat diet. The senior authors of the study are Gardner; Abby King, PhD, professor of health research and policy and of medicine; Manisha Desai, PhD, professor of medicine and of biomedical data science; and John Ioannidis, MD, DSc, professor of medicine.

A tale of two diets

In his quest to find out if individual biological factors dictate weight loss, Gardner recruited 609 participants between the ages of 18 and 50. About half were men and half were women. All were randomized into one of two dietary groups: low-carbohydrate or low-fat. Each group was instructed to maintain their diet for one year. (By the end of that year, about 20 percent of participants had dropped out of the study, due to outside circumstances, Gardner noted.)

Individuals participated in two pre-study activities, the results of which were later tested as predictors of weight loss. Participants got part of their genome sequenced, allowing scientists to look for specific gene patterns associated with producing proteins that modify carbohydrate or fat metabolism. Then, participants took a baseline insulin test, in which they drank a shot of glucose (think corn syrup) on an empty stomach, and researchers measured their bodies' insulin outputs.

In the initial eight weeks of the study, participants were told to limit their daily carbohydrate or fat intake to just 20 grams, which is about what can be found in a 1.5 slices of whole wheat bread or in a generous handful of nuts, respectively. After the second month, Gardner's team instructed the groups to make incremental small adjustments as needed, adding back 5-15 grams of fat or carbs gradually, aiming to reach a balance they believed they could maintain for the rest of their lives. At the end of the 12 months, those on a low-fat diet reported a daily average fat intake of 57 grams; those on low-carb ingested about 132 grams of carbohydrates per day. Those statistics pleased Gardner, given that average fat consumption for the participants before the study started was around 87 grams a day, and average carbohydrate intake was about 247 grams.

What's key, Gardner said, was emphasizing that these were healthy low-fat and low-carb diets: A soda might be low-fat, but it's certainly not healthy. Lard may be low-carb, but an avocado would be healthier. "We made sure to tell everybody, regardless of which diet they were on, to go to the farmer's market, and don't buy processed convenience food crap. Also, we advised them to diet in a way that didn't make them feel hungry or deprived -- otherwise it's hard to maintain the diet in the long run," said Gardner. "We wanted them to choose a low-fat or low-carb diet plan that they could potentially follow forever, rather than a diet that they'd drop when the study ended."

Continuing to mine the data

Over the 12-month period, researchers tracked the progress of participants, logging information about weight, body composition, baseline insulin levels and how many grams of fat or carbohydrate they consumed daily. By the end of the study, individuals in the two groups had lost, on average, 13 pounds. There was still, however, immense weight loss variability among them; some dropped upward of 60 pounds, while others gained close to 15 or 20. But, contrary to the study hypotheses, Gardner found no associations between the genotype pattern or baseline insulin levels and a propensity to succeed on either diet.

"This study closes the door on some questions -- but it opens the door to others. We have gobs of data that we can use in secondary, exploratory studies," he said. Gardner and his team are continuing to delve into their databanks, now asking if the microbiome, epigenetics or a different gene expression pattern can clue them in to why there's such drastic variability between dieting individuals.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this study, Gardner said, is that the fundamental strategy for losing weight with either a low-fat or a low-carb approach is similar. Eat less sugar, less refined flour and as many vegetables as possible. Go for whole foods, whether that is a wheatberry salad or grass-fed beef. "On both sides, we heard from people who had lost the most weight that we had helped them change their relationship to food, and that now they were more thoughtful about how they ate," said Gardner.

Moving forward, he and his team will continue to analyze the reams of data collected during the yearlong study, and they hope to partner with scientists across Stanford to uncover keys to individual weight loss.

"I'm hoping that we can come up with signatures of sorts," he said. "I feel like we owe it to Americans to be smarter than to just say 'eat less.' I still think there is an opportunity to discover some personalization to it -- now we just need to work on tying the pieces together."

The study's other Stanford co-authors are postdoctoral scholars John Trepanowski, PhD, and Michelle Hauser, MD; research fellow Liana Del Gobbo; and senior biostatistician, Joseph Rigdon, PhD.

Gardner, Desai and Ioannidis are members of the Stanford Cancer Institute. Gardner and Ioannidis are members of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. Gardner and Desai are members of the Stanford Child Health Research Institute. Ioannidis is a member of Stanford Bio-X.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grants 1R01DK091831, T32HL007034 and 1K12GM088033), the Nutrition Science Initiative and Stanford's Clinical and Translational Science Award (grant UL1TR001085).

Stanford's departments of Medicine and of Health Research and Policy also supported the work.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Stanford Medicine. Original written by Hanae Armitage. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Christopher D. Gardner, John F. Trepanowski, Liana C. Del Gobbo, Michelle E. Hauser, Joseph Rigdon, John P. A. Ioannidis, Manisha Desai, Abby C. King. Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults and the Association With Genotype Pattern or Insulin Secretion: The DIETFITS Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 2018; 319 (7): 667-679 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.0245

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Stanford Medicine. "Low-fat or low-carb? It's a draw, study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 February 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220123124.htm>.

Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging, reduce bone loss

Date: May 3, 2016

Source: EUFIC - European Food Information Council

Summary:

Sticking to a Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging, a new study has found. Mediterranean style diet, tested in the project, significantly decreased the levels of the protein known as C-reactive protein, one of the main inflammatory marker linked with the ageing process. Another positive effect of this diet was that the rate of bone loss in people with osteoporosis was reduced. Other parameters such as insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, digestive health and quality of life are yet to be analyzed.

Sticking to a Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging finds the EU funded project NU-AGE. At a recent conference in Brussels, researchers presented that a NU-AGE Mediterranean style diet, tested in the project, significantly decreased the levels of the protein known as C-reactive protein, one of the main inflammatory marker linked with the aging process. Another positive effect of this diet was that the rate of bone loss in people with osteoporosis was reduced. Other parameters such as insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, digestive health and quality of life are yet to be analysed.

"This is the first project that goes in such depths into the effects of the Mediterranean diet on health of elderly population. We are using the most powerful and advanced techniques including metabolomics, transcriptomics, genomics and the analysis of the gut microbiota to understand what effect, the Mediterranean style diet has on the population of over 65 years old" said prof. Claudio Franceschi, project coordinator from the University of Bologna, Italy.

A new personally tailored, Mediterranean style diet was given to volunteers to assess if it can slow down the aging process. The project was conducted in five European countries: France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK and involved 1142 participants. There are differences between men and women as well as among participants coming from the different countries. Volunteers from five countries differed in genetics, body composition, compliance to the study, response to diet, blood measurements, cytomegalovirus positivity and inflammatory parameters.

NU-AGE's researchers also looked at socio-economic factors of food choices and health information as well as the most significant barriers to the improvement of the quality of a diet. As with biological markers, considerable country differences were seen when comparing several aspects, for instance on the overall nutrition knowledge. In France and the UK, over 70% of participants thought they had high nutrition knowledge while in Poland only 31% believed so.

Also, when elderly people buy food products, there are country differences in the attitudes towards nutrition information on the food labels (what is important for a person from Poland, may not be as important for a person from Italy). In addition, participants from different countries understand and trust nutrition claims differently. Participants from the Netherlands and the UK appeared to understand nutrition claims better than participants from France, followed by those from Poland and Italy. In terms of trust, over 40% of Italian participants thought that nutrition claims on food products are reliable, while only 20% of British participants had the same opinion (on reliability of these claims). Surprisingly to experts, no gender differences were observed in nutrition knowledge between men and women.

"The NU-AGE conference was a great success and allowed us to share the most recent results of the project as well as decide on the next steps and future work," concluded Franceschi.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by EUFIC - European Food Information Council. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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EUFIC - European Food Information Council. "Mediterranean style diet might slow down aging, reduce bone loss." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160503072603.htm>.

'Mediterranean' diet linked to lower risk of heart attacks, strokes in heart patients

But a 'Western' diet is not associated with an increased risk

Date: April 25, 2016

Source: European Society of Cardiology

Summary:

A 'Mediterranean' diet, high in fruit, vegetables, fish and unrefined foods, is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke in people who already have heart disease, according to a study of over 15,000 people in 39 countries around the world. The research also showed that eating greater amounts of healthy food was more important for these people than avoiding unhealthy foods -- a 'Western' diet.

A "Mediterranean" diet, high in fruit, vegetables, fish and unrefined foods, is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke in people who already have heart disease, according to a study of over 15,000 people in 39 countries around the world. The research also showed that eating greater amounts of healthy food was more important for these people than avoiding unhealthy foods, such as refined grains, sweets, desserts, sugared drinks and deep-fried food -- a "Western" diet.

The study, which is published in the European Heart Journal, showed that for every 100 people eating the highest proportion of healthy "Mediterranean" foods, there were three fewer heart attacks, strokes or deaths compared to 100 people eating the least amount of healthy foods during nearly four years of follow-up from the time the participants joined the study.

The researchers asked 15,482 people with stable coronary artery disease and an average age of 67 to complete a lifestyle questionnaire when they joined the STABILITY trial, which was looking at whether a drug called darapladib reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths. The questionnaire included simple questions on diet; participants were asked how many times a week they consumed servings from food groups such meat, fish, dairy foods, whole grains or refined grains, vegetables (excluding potatoes), fruit, desserts, sweets, sugary drinks, deep-fried foods and alcohol. Depending on their answers, they were given a "Mediterranean diet score" (MDS), which assigned more points for increased consumption of healthy foods with a total range of 0-24; a "Western diet score" (WDS) assigned points for increased consumption of unhealthy foods.

After 3.7 years of follow-up, a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) -- heart attack, stroke or death -- had occurred in a total of 1588 (10.1%) of the study participants. MACE occurred in 7.3% of the 2,885 people with an MDS score of 15 or over (who ate the most amount of healthy foods), 10.5% of 4,018 people with an MDS of 13-14, and 10.8% of 8,579 people with an MDS of 12 or lower.

Professor Ralph Stewart, from Auckland City Hospital, University of Auckland, New Zealand, who led the study, said: "After adjusting for other factors that might affect the results, we found that every one unit increase in the Mediterranean Diet Score was associated with a seven percent reduction In the risk of heart attacks, strokes or death from cardiovascular or other causes in patients with existing heart disease. In contrast, greater consumption of foods thought be less healthy and more typical of Western diets, was not associated with an increase in these adverse events, which we had not expected."

The findings were consistent across all the geographical regions involved in the study.

He continued: "The research suggests we should place more emphasis on encouraging people with heart disease to eat more healthy foods, and perhaps focus less on avoiding unhealthy foods."

However, he warned that this did not mean that people could eat unhealthy foods with impunity.

"The main message is that some foods -- and particularly fruit and vegetables -- seem to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and this benefit is not explained by traditional risk factors such as good and bad cholesterol or blood pressure. If you eat more of these foods in preference to others, you may lower your risk. The study found no evidence of harm from modest consumption of foods such as refined carbohydrates, deep fried foods, sugars and deserts. However, because the assessments were relatively crude, some harm cannot be excluded. Also, the study did not assess the total intake of calories, which is a major determinant of obesity-related health problems, and we were unable to assess good fats and bad fats, so we can not comment of their importance to health."

The researchers did not specify what a "serving" of food might be and relied on people's interpretation of it; this usually meant that a serving might be an individual piece of fruit, a portion of meat, fish, vegetables or grains that would be enough for one person. This is a limitation of the study, but also a strength.

Prof Stewart said: "We did not specify what a serving meant because we needed to make the questionnaire very simple and intuitive, so that it would be easy and quick to complete. This is a limitation because the estimates of foods eaten are relatively crude and imprecise, but also a strength because we were able to show that even though diet is very complex, a few simple questions can identify a dietary pattern associated with a lower risk of recurrent heart attacks or strokes."

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by European Society of Cardiology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Ralph A. H. Stewart, Lars Wallentin, Jocelyne Benatar, Nicolas Danchin, Emil Hagström, Claes Held, Steen Husted, Eva Lonn, Amanda Stebbins, Karen Chiswell, Ola Vedin, David Watson, Harvey D. White. Dietary patterns and the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in a global study of high-risk patients with stable coronary heart disease.European Heart Journal, 2016; ehw125 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehw125

Cite This Page:

European Society of Cardiology. "'Mediterranean' diet linked to lower risk of heart attacks, strokes in heart patients: But a 'Western' diet is not associated with an increased risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160425095132.htm>.

Mediterranean diet plus olive oil associated with reduced breast cancer risk

Date: September 14, 2015

Source: The JAMA Network Journals

Summary:

Eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil was associated with a relatively lower risk of breast cancer in a study of women in Spain, according to a new article.

Eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil was associated with a relatively lower risk of breast cancer in a study of women in Spain, according to an article published online byJAMA Internal Medicine.

Breast cancer is a frequently diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of death in women. Diet has been extensively studied as a modifiable risk factor in the development of breast cancer but epidemiologic evidence on the effect of specific dietary factors is inconsistent.

The Mediterranean diet is known for its abundance of plant foods, fish and especially olive oil. Miguel A. Martínez-González, M.D., of the University of Navarra in Pamplona and CIBEROBN in Madrid, Spain, and coauthors analyzed the effects of two interventions with the Mediterranean diet (supplemented with extra virgin olive oil [EVOO] or nuts) compared with advice to women to follow a low-fat diet. Study participants in the two intervention groups were given EVOO (one liter per week for the participants and their families) or mixed nuts (30 grams per day: 15 grams of walnuts, 7.5 grams of hazelnuts and 7.5 grams of almonds).

The study was conducted within the framework of the large PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial, which was designed to test the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

From 2003 to 2009, 4,282 women (ages 60 to 80 and at high risk of cardiovascular disease) were recruited. Women were randomly assigned to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO (n=1,476), the Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts (n=1,285) or the control diet with advice to reduce their dietary intake of fat (n=1,391).

The women were an average age of 67.7 years old, had an average body mass index of 30.4, most of them had undergone menopause before the age of 55 and less than 3 percent used hormone therapy. During a median follow-up of nearly five years, the authors identified 35 confirmed incident (new) cases of malignant breast cancer.

The authors report that women eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO showed a 68 percent (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of 0.32) relatively lower risk of malignant breast cancer than those allocated to the control diet. Women eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts showed a nonsignificant risk reduction compared with women in the control group.

The authors note a number of limitations in their study including that breast cancer was not the primary end point of the trial for which the women were recruited; the number of observed breast cancer cases was low; the authors do not have information on an individual basis on whether and when women in the trial underwent mammography; and the study cannot establish whether the observed beneficial effect was attributable mainly to the EVOO or to its consumption within the context of the Mediterranean diet.

"The results of the PREDIMED trial suggest a beneficial effect of a MeDiet [Mediterranean diet] supplemented with EVOO in the primary prevention of breast cancer. Preventive strategies represent the most sensible approach against cancer. The intervention paradigm implemented in the PREDIMED trial provides a useful scenario for breast cancer prevention because it is conducted in primary health care centers and also offers beneficial effects on a wide variety of health outcomes. Nevertheless, these results need confirmation by long-term studies with a higher number of incident cases," the authors conclude.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by The JAMA Network Journals. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Estefanía Toledo, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Carolina Donat-Vargas, Pilar Buil-Cosiales, Ramón Estruch, Emilio Ros, Dolores Corella, Montserrat Fitó, Frank B. Hu, Fernando Arós, Enrique Gómez-Gracia, Dora Romaguera, Manuel Ortega-Calvo, Lluís Serra-Majem, Xavier Pintó, Helmut Schröder, Josep Basora, José Vicente Sorlí, Mònica Bulló, Merce Serra-Mir, Miguel A. Martínez-González. Mediterranean Diet and Invasive Breast Cancer Risk Among Women at High Cardiovascular Risk in the PREDIMED Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; 1 DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.4838

Cite This Page:

The JAMA Network Journals. "Mediterranean diet plus olive oil associated with reduced breast cancer risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 September 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150914092837.htm>.

Terapia ou Dieta de Gerson no tratamento do cancro: o que diz a evidência?

4 MAIO, 2015

Dina Raquel João / Melhor Nutrição Mais Vida

Em 2005, foi publicado um estudo que indicou que cerca de 50% dos doentes oncológicos europeus recorrem a medicinas complementares e alternativas, no sentido de tratarem a doença. Regimes alimentares como a dieta de Gerson, as dietas alcalinas, a dieta do jejum, as dietas cetogénicas, a dieta dos alimentos crus, entre outras são alguns exemplos de práticas a que os doentes recorrem.

O regime de Gerson é uma das práticas nutricionais alternativas mais antigas no tratamento do cancro (1945), tendo sido desenvolvida pelo médico alemão Max Gerson, inicialmente aplicada a outras doenças.

É considerado uma terapêutica metabólica e baseia-se na teoria de que o cancro é causado pela acumulação de substâncias tóxicas no organismo, além de um teor celular elevado em sódio e baixo em potássio. De acordo com os defensores, este tipo de tratamento deve ser continuado por meses ou anos até a doença estar curada, com a recomendação mínima de 2 anos.

O regime de Gerson envolve soluções com água e café preparadas especialmente para lavagens intestinais, suplementos, sumos e uma dieta especial que é referida como capaz de “limpar” o organismo, melhorar os sistema imunitário e estimular o metabolismo. Os enemas de café são aconselhados para aliviar as dores e eliminar as toxinas acumuladas no fígado. Para “estimular o metabolismo”, são aconselhados extratos de fígado, de enzimas pancreáticos, de hormonas da tiróide e vários suplementos. A dieta é rica em frutas e legumes, de modo a corrigir os teores de sódio e potássio e “revitalizar” o fígado.

Basicamente, requer uma dieta vegetariana baixa em sal e gordura, com uma ingestão diária de sumos naturais correspondente a cerca de 9 quilos de fruta e legumes frescos, distribuídos por hora a hora, até 13 vezes por dia. Quanto aos enemas, devem ser 5 por dia.

Segundo a American Cancer Society, trata-se de uma prática perigosa, já que os enemas de café têm sido associados a infeções sérias, desidratação, obstipação, inflamação do cólon, distúrbios eletrolíticos e, até mesmo, morte. Neste sentido, trata-se de um regime não aprovado nos Estados Unidos da América, até porque não existe evidência científica que sustente as afirmações divulgadas pelos defensores desta prática para tratamento do cancro.

Em 1990, o National Cancer Institute examinou os processos dos doentes de Max Gerson e não encontrou qualquer evidência na eficácia deste método para o tratamento do cancro.

Uma revisão de 2014 dos estudos realizados refere que os mesmos apresentam metodologias questionáveis e amostras pequenas, dificultando qualquer conclusão com validade científica suficiente para ser tida em consideração. Além disso, parte do regime de Gerson, como a ingestão de uma dieta rica em frutas e legumes e uma ingestão controlada de gordura, pode fazer parte de uma dieta saudável, mesmo não sendo levada ao extremo respeitante a este tipo de prática.

Dado que o regime de Gerson não apresenta benefícios com validade científica no tratamento do cancro e uma vez que apresenta alguns riscos, Huebner e os seus colegas (2014) referem que o mesmo não deverá ser recomendado e que os doentes não devem basear unicamente o seu tratamento em qualquer tipo de dietas ou formas de tratamento alternativas, atrasando ou omitindo as modalidades de terapêutica anticancerígena convencional.

Além disso, os autores, tal como em muitos outros trabalhos publicados, referem que todos os doentes oncológicos devem ser orientados e acompanhados por um nutricionista, como parte integrante da equipa multidisciplinar, assegurando-se uma ingestão de macro e micronutrientes suficiente para cada situação, um controlo da sintomatologia com impacto nutricional pela doença em si ou pelos tratamentos, bem como o esclarecimento sobre as diversas dietas anunciadas como tendo um papel terapêutico em oncologia.

Referências: 

American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org. Acedido em maio/2015. 

Huebner J, Marienfeld S, Abbenhardt C, Ulrich C, Muenstedt K, Micke O, Muecke R, Loeser C. Counseling patients on cancer diets: a review of the literature and recommendations for clinical practice. Anticancer Res. 2014; 34(1): 39-48. 

Molassiotis A, Fernadez-Ortega P, Pud D, Ozden G, Scott JA, Panteli V, Margulies A, Browall M, Magri M, Selvekerova S, Madsen E, Milovics L, Bruyns I, Gudmundsdottir G, Hummerston S, Ahmad AM, Platin N, Kearney N, Patiraki E. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey. Ann Oncol. 2005; 16(4): 655-663. 

Fontes de imagens:

http://salud.facilisimo.com/jugoterapia; http://cateringveg.altervista.org/blog/intervista-charlotte-gerson/

Link:

http://www.stopcancerportugal.com/2015/05/04/terapia-ou-dieta-de-gerson-no-tratamento-do-cancro-o-que-diz-a-evidencia/

Dieta mediterrânea e os benefícios à saúde (grupoalimentosfuncionais.blogspot.com.br)

Desde 2013, a dieta mediterrânea é considerada Patrimônio Mundial e Imaterial da Humanidade pela Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, Ciência e Cultura (UNESCO). E não é a toa que ela é assim considerada. Neste artigo vamos esclarecer a razão pela qual esta dieta é uma das mais saudáveis do mundo.

A dieta mediterrânea é um conjunto de alimentos e hábitos alimentares que fazem parte da cultura de determinados países da região mediterrânea, como Itália, França, Grécia, Espanha, Portugal, Líbano, Marrocos, Turquia, entre outros. E, embora esses países sejam diferentes em relação à cultura, religião e política, compartilham muitas semelhanças, como o clima, temperatura e solo, fatores que influenciam diretamente na agricultura e, consequentemente, nos costumes alimentares da população dessa região.

É uma dieta que existe há anos, porém só começou a ser estudada detalhadamente há pouco tempo. E o que se obteve foi vários estudos científicos comprovando os benefícios deste hábito no tratamento e prevenção de doenças. 

Mas, por que isto ocorre? Primeiramente, precisamos entender como esta dieta é constituída. As principais características são: uso de azeite de oliva como principal fonte de gordura na alimentação; alto consumo de vegetais, frutas, grãos e cereais; consumo de peixes e aves semanalmente, e em quantidades moderadas; consumo de frutas secas oleaginosas (nozes e similares) diariamente; consumo de produtos lácteos diariamente, em quantidades moderadas, principalmente queijos e iogurtes; ovos (no máximo, quatro vezes por semana); baixo consumo de carnes vermelhas (no máximo, duas vezes por semana) e consumo de vinho tinto em pequenas quantidades. 

Por conta destas características da dieta, os povos da região mediterrânea possuem baixas taxas de doenças cardiovasculares e alta expectativa de vida. Além disso, o padrão alimentar típico dos países mediterrâneos está associado a uma menor incidência de declínio cognitivo leve e de doenças neurodegenerativas. Isto ocorre devido aos alimentos consumidos serem ricos em compostos, como os ácidos graxos mono e poli-insaturados, as vitaminas B, D e E e polifenóis, que desempenham, principalmente funções anti-inflamatórias e antioxidantes. 

Pesquisas mostram que os benefícios da dieta mediterrânea estão associados com uma melhora significativa no estado de saúde geral, redução significativa na mortalidade total, mortalidade por doenças cardiovasculares, incidência ou mortalidade por câncer, além da diminuição na incidência de doenças neurológicas, como doença de Parkinson e Alzheimer. 

Um estudo publicado na New England Journal of Medicine (2013) demonstrou que, entre as pessoas com alto risco cardiovascular, a dieta mediterrânea reduziu a incidência de eventos cardiovasculares. Foi um estudo que avaliou 7.447 indivíduos, homens e mulheres, com idade entre 55 a 80 anos, e que teve a duração de quase 5 anos. Todos os participantes tinham alto risco para desenvolver doença cardiovascular e ao longo dos anos, os pesquisadores avaliaram as taxas de eventos cardiovasculares, como infarto do miocárdio, acidente vascular cerebral e morte por causas cardiovasculares. Os participantes foram distribuídos em três grupos: o primeiro recebeu orientações para consumir a dieta mediterrânea com quatro colheres de sopa de azeite de oliva extra virgem por dia; o segundo recebeu orientações para consumir a dieta mediterrânea suplementada com castanhas e nozes (30 g por dia: com 15 g de nozes, 7,5g de avelãs, e 7,5g de amêndoas); e o terceiro recebeu uma dieta controle, com orientações para consumir uma dieta com baixo teor de gordura. Após a conclusão do estudo, os pesquisadores observaram que os dois grupos da dieta mediterrânea apresentaram redução de aproximadamente 30% no risco de desenvolvimento de eventos cardiovasculares, em comparação com o grupo controle. Estes resultados sustentam os benefícios da dieta mediterrânea para a prevenção primária da doença cardiovascular. 

Outro estudo publicado British Journal of Nutrition (2012) também relacionou a dieta mediterrânea com a prevenção de doenças cardiovasculares. Esta pesquisa, que incluiu 40.142 indivíduos espanhóis participantes da Investigação Prospectiva Europeia sobre Câncer e Nutrição sem histórico de doenças crônicas concluiu que o consumo de azeite de oliva está relacionado com menor incidência no desenvolvimento de doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Os pesquisadores enfatizam a necessidade de manter o uso do azeite na culinária tradicional da dieta mediterrânea para reduzir o risco de doenças cardiovasculares. Eles também demonstraram que, para cada 10 g por dia de azeite oliva consumido, há redução significativa de 7% no risco de doenças cardiovasculares. Essa associação inversa foi mais pronunciada em não fumantes (11% de redução do risco de DAC) e nos indivíduos que nunca ou pouco consumiram bebida alcoólica (25% de redução do risco de DAC). 

Com isso, se confirmam os benefícios da adesão à dieta mediterrânea, a qual protege de forma significativa contra as principais doenças crônico-degenerativas. Portanto, trata-se de um modelo de alimentação saudável que contribui para um estado de saúde favorável e melhora a qualidade de vida. Para aderir este tipo de alimentação é preciso deixar o cardápio rico em frutas, verduras, legumes, cereais, nozes e castanhas; azeite de oliva como a principal fonte de lipídios; consumo moderado de iogurtes e queijos, consumo moderado de vinho tinto durante as refeições, consumo preferencial de peixes e baixo consumo de carne vermelha. Também não podemos esquecer de atrelar tudo isso à prática de atividade física.

Kélin Schwarz

Nutricionista M. Sc.

Doutoranda em Ciências - CENA/USP

Sob orientação: Profa. Dra. Jocelem Mastrodi Salgado 

Postado há 17th March por GEAF FUNCIONAIS

Link:

http://grupoalimentosfuncionais.blogspot.com.br/2015/03/dieta-mediterranea-e-os-beneficios-saude.html

Obesidade: conheça os alimentos que podem auxiliar na manutenção da perda de peso (grupoalimentosfuncionais.blogspot.com.br)

A crescente prevalência da obesidade tornou-se grave problema de saúde pública em todo o mundo. As pesquisas apontam que, tanto o número de indivíduos com excesso de peso (índice de massa corporal ≥ 25 kg/m2), quanto o número de indivíduos com obesidade (índice de massa corporal ≥ 30 kg/m2), cresceram em proporção alarmante nos últimos anos. No artigo de hoje, vamos entender a sua origem e conhecer alguns alimentos que podem auxiliar na manutenção da perda de peso.

A origem da obesidade é complexa e multifatorial, visto que resulta da interação ambiental, estilo de vida, fatores emocionais e genéticos, alta ingestão calórica, redução da prática de atividades físicas e idade. O sobrepeso e a obesidade predispõem o indivíduo a doenças e outros problemas de saúde, tais como hipertensão, dislipidemia, diabetes mellitus tipo 2, doenças coronarianas, acidente vascular cerebral, disfunção da vesícula biliar, osteoartrite, apneia do sono, problemas respiratórios e alguns tipos de câncer. 

Desta forma, desde que a obesidade vem sendo tratada como doença e, mais recentemente, como epidemia, diversas alternativas vêm sendo estudadas a fim de auxiliar na manutenção da perda de peso. 

Estudos publicados na revista Nature mostraram que o desnível das bactérias presentes em nossa flora intestinal pode ocasionar processos inflamatórios, que são estágios precedentes a obesidade. O desequilíbrio dos microrganismos presentes no trato gastrointestinal causa a inibição de proteínas responsáveis pela proteção das paredes intestinais, permitindo que as bactérias que habitam essa região atravessem a parede intestinal, caiam na corrente sanguínea e estimulem a produção de substâncias inflamatórias que inibem a assimilação da insulina pelo organismo. Isso gera um bloqueio desse hormônio responsável pelo transporte da glicose para as células, principalmente localizadas na região abdominal, diminuindo o metabolismo da área e contribuindo para o aumento de peso corporal e acúmulo de gordura. Sendo assim, se a ingestão alimentar entre dois indivíduos for idêntica e sua microbiota intestinal diferir entre si, a absorção dos nutrientes será facilitada naquele indivíduo cuja microbiota intestinal for mais eficaz na extração energética. 

Alguns alimentos, como os probióticos, podem ajudar na regulação dos microrganismos presentes no nosso trato gastrointestinal. Os probióticos são microrganismos vivos que proporcionam benefícios à saúde do consumidor, contribuindo para o equilíbrio da microbiota intestinal. Essas bactérias benéficas são encontradas em produtos lácteos, como leites fermentados e iogurtes. 

Outros alimentos que ajudam na perda de peso são o feijão e a soja, sendo o primeiro mais consumido que o segundo pela população brasileira. Eles são ricos em nutrientes, já que contêm proteínas vegetais, carboidratos complexos, fibras dietéticas, fitoquímicos e minerais. Em contrapartida, contêm baixo teor de gordura saturada e sódio, além de não conterem colesterol. A ingestão de fibras é essencial em dietas de emagrecimento, pois amenizam o ganho de peso corporal, contribuem para a manutenção do nível glicêmico e para a melhora da sensibilidade à insulina, fatores relevantes na prevenção e tratamento de diabetes e obesidade. 

Além das fibras, o feijão e a soja também são fontes de proteínas, que parecem exercer maior efeito sobre a saciedade do que os carboidratos e gorduras. No entanto, o consumo excessivo de proteína deve ser evitado, pois pode desencadear doenças renais, especialmente em indivíduos obesos, já propensos ao desenvolvimento do problema. 

Outra opção é o chá verde, conhecido por conter catequinas, que apresentam propriedades antioxidantes, anticâncer e antiobesidade. Um estudo publicado na revista British Journal of Nutrition demonstrou que a adição de inulina, prebiótico que beneficia o metabolismo lipídico, ao chá verde é benéfica para o controle de peso, com redução de peso corporal total e de massa gorda, em indivíduos com sobrepeso. Esses efeitos benéficos podem justificar a sua utilização como estratégia para o controle do peso corporal em populações com sobrepeso, a fim de evitar o surgimento de doenças cardiovasculares e metabólicas. 

Assim, o consumo de tais alimentos parece ser favorável na promoção da saúde, redução de peso e prevenção da obesidade, desde que associados a bons hábitos alimentares e exercícios físicos regulares. É importante enfatizar que estes alimentos devem ser consumidos com moderação dentro de uma dieta balanceada e que sua preparação não deve conter alimentos ricos em gordura saturada, que aumentam o valor calórico e predispõem às doenças cardiovasculares. 

Referências bibliográficas: 

Turnbaugh PJ, Ley RE, Mahowald MA, Magrini V, Mardis ER, Gordon JI. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. Nature. 2006;444(7122):1027-31. 

Yang HY, Yang SC, Chao JC, Chen JR. Beneficial effects of catechin-rich green tea and inulin on the body composition of overweight adults. Br J Nutr. 2011 Oct 28:1-6. 

Jéssica Fernanda Scatolin Russo

Graduanda em Ciências dos Alimentos (ESALQ-USP)

Sob orientação da Profª. Drª. Jocelem Mastrodi Salgado 

Postado há 3rd March por GEAF FUNCIONAIS

Link:

http://grupoalimentosfuncionais.blogspot.com.br/2015/03/obesidade-conheca-os-alimentos-que.html

Your stomach bacteria determines which diet is best for weight reduction

Date: September 10, 2015

Source: Chalmers University of Technology

Summary:

New research enables "tailored" diet advice -- based on our personal gut microbiome -- for persons who want to lose weight and reduce the risk of disease. Systems biologists have, for the first time, successfully identified in detail how some of our most common intestinal bacteria interact during metabolism.

The computational algorithm allowed for calculation of micronutrient content in different foods, and hereby it is possible to calculate how diet impacts the metabolism in the human gut microbiome. In the study it was found that subjects with low gene counts (LGC), having a compressed gut microbiota, respond better to dietary intervention than subjects with a high gene count (HGC), due to differences in the metabolism of the gut microbiota in the two groups.

Credit: Image courtesy of Chalmers University of Technology

New research enables "tailored" diet advice -- based on our personal gut microbiome -- for persons who want to lose weight and reduce the risk of disease. Systems biologists at Chalmers University of Technology have for the first time successfully identified in detail how some of our most common intestinal bacteria interact during metabolism.

The researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a mathematical calculation platform that makes it possible to predict how different patients will respond to a modified diet, depending on how their gut microbiome is composed.

Work has been conducted in cooperation in the context of the EU funded project Metacardis, coordinated by professor Karine Clement at Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (Ican, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Inserm/Sorbonne University) in Paris and also includes professor Fredrik Bäckhed at the University of Gothenburg.

"This method allows us to begin identifying each individual bacteria type's metabolism and thus get a handle on the basic mechanisms in human metabolism," says Jens Nielsen, professor of systems biology at Chalmers and head of the research team.

There can be up to 1,000 different types of bacteria and other microorganisms in the human digestive system, many of which take part in metabolism in one way or another. The composition of the human gut microbiome greatly varies between individuals, for reasons that are largely unknown. However, research over the past few years has shown that there is a connection between some diseases and the composition of the gut microbiome.

"This is clear as regards type 2 diabetes, hardening of the arteries and obesity, for example. There are also indications that the same might apply to depression and the body's ability to respond to various cancer treatments," says Jens Nielsen.

Exactly how microorganisms interact with food, the individual and not least each other is extremely complex. Until now it has been very difficult to gain understanding of what the causal links are. In a study that was recently published in Cell Metabolism, however, researchers prove, through clinical trials, that the mathematical modelling they developed works.

The point of departure is a diet experiment that was performed at Ican. First the gut microbiome was characterised for individuals in a group of overweight patients, and then they were put on a weight loss diet. Everyone lost weight, which was expected. In patients with low-diversity gut microbiome, however, the content of several substances that generally indicate health risks was also reduced in the individuals' blood and faeces. This was a deviation from the patients who had gut microbiome with greater "biological diversity." Their health situation was not affected to the same extent.

Of real interest, however, is that the systems biologists from Chalmers with their modelling tools have largely been able to explain why both patient groups reacted as they did to the diet.

"Amongst other things, we have been able to demonstrate that the intestines of the individuals with low-diversity gut microbiome produce fewer amino acids when they follow this diet. This is one explanation for the improved blood chemistry.

In the short term, Jens Nielsen believes the research will make it easier for physicians to identify overweight patients who are at higher risk of cardiometabolic disease and could truly achieve major health benefits by modifying their diet and losing weight. Fairly soon it should be possible to design diet recommendations that take the gut microbiome of individual patients into account. Karine Clement is already thinking along these lines and new follow up clinical experiments are being designed.

"In the long term we might be able to add intestinal bacteria for patients whose metabolism does not function properly," she explains.

What are known as probiotics are already being used -- various yoghurt cultures are one example -- but the task of these bacteria is primarily to stabilise the intestines and create a favourable environment.

"The next generation of probiotics will pertain more to adding bacteria that integrate directly with the existing gut microbiome and make a lasting change to the composition," says Jens Nielsen.

The company Metabogen was founded based on collaboration between researchers at Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg and it will aim to develop these types of drugs.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Chalmers University of Technology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Saeed Shoaie, Pouyan Ghaffari, Petia Kovatcheva-Datchary, Adil Mardinoglu, Partho Sen, Estelle Pujos-Guillot, Tomas de Wouters, Catherine Juste, Salwa Rizkalla, Julien Chilloux, Lesley Hoyles, Jeremy K. Nicholson, Joel Dore, Marc E. Dumas, Karine Clement, Fredrik Bäckhed, Jens Nielsen. Quantifying Diet-Induced Metabolic Changes of the Human Gut Microbiome. Cell Metabolism, 2015; 22 (2): 320 DOI:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.07.001

Cite This Page:

Chalmers University of Technology. "Your stomach bacteria determines which diet is best for weight reduction." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 September 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150910091400.htm>.

Cuidado, dietas da moda podem ser prejudiciais à saúde

Quem quer emagrecer deve ficar atento às promessas de resoluções rápidas. Ideal é alimentação nutricionalmente equilibrada

A mudança de hábitos de alimentação e exercícios físicos são formas de obter resultados positivos no combate à obesidade.

No Brasil, dados da pesquisa Vigitel 2013 (Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico) indicam que atualmente 50,8% dos brasileiros estão acima do peso ideal e 17,5% são obesos.

Todo início de ano os brasileiros fazem promessas de novos hábitos de vida, mudanças e planos, sempre em busca de um ano novo melhor que o anterior. Com isto, é comum a busca por atividades físicas e, também, por dietas.

A obesidade tornou-se uma indústria lucrativa, com os mais diversos tipos de dietas que prometem a resolução rápida do quadro. As dietas de moda levam a uma perda de peso rápida, mas, assim que são interrompidas, provocam aumento ponderal de peso, muitas vezes superando o anterior.

De acordo com a Coordenação Geral de Alimentação e Nutrição do Ministério da Saúde, uma alimentação nutricionalmente equilibrada, baseada em alimentos in natura e minimante processados (como grãos, tubérculos e raízes, legumes e verduras, frutas, leite, ovos, peixes, carnes), sem restrições drásticas, adaptadas à cultura, condição socioeconômica e estilo de vida é o melhor caminho para promoção da saúde e prevenção de enfermidades.

Situações específicas e orientações de dietas com restrição de algum alimento e/ou nutriente devem ser avaliadas e orientadas por profissional habilitado, como o nutricionista.

De acordo com a OMS, além de uma alimentação equilibrada, os adultos devem praticar pelo menos uma atividade física regular durante 150 minutos por semana.

Iniciativas do Ministério da Saúde

Ações de incentivo, apoio e proteção da saúde devem combinar iniciativas focadas em políticas públicas saudáveis, no desenvolvimento de habilidades pessoais, na criação de ambientes saudáveis e na reorientação dos serviços de saúde na perspectiva da promoção da saúde.

Em novembro de 2014, o Ministério da Saúde lançou nova edição do Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira, com cuidados e caminhos para alcançar uma alimentação saudável, saborosa e balanceada.

O documento orienta as pessoas a optarem por refeições caseiras e evitarem a alimentação em redes de fast food e produtos prontos que dispensam preparação culinária, como pratos congelados prontos para aquecer, molhos industrializados e misturas prontas para tortas, por exemplo.

Além das citadas, outras recomendações são o uso moderado de óleos, gorduras, sal e açúcar ao temperar e cozinhar alimentos, e o consumo limitado de alimentos processados (queijos, embutidos, conservas), utilizando-os, preferencialmente, como ingredientes ou parte de refeições. Na hora da sobremesa, o ideal é preferir as caseiras, dispensando as industrializadas.

Com a alimentação, é possível prevenir enfermidades em ascensão como a obesidade, o diabetes e outras doenças crônicas, como AVC, infarto e câncer.

Fonte: Portal Brasil

Publicado no Portal EcoDebate, 13/01/2015

12 sites para aprender culinária de graça

Dica do:

A cada dia, mais e mais pessoas tentam sair do básico na cozinha e aprender preparações que vão além do feijão com arroz. Ninguém nasce sabendo pilotar um fogão. E a experiência só vem com a prática mesmo.

Para muitas pessoas, cozinhar é uma tarefa simples e fácil. Para os que não têm a menor intimidade com panelas, a sugestão é acessar algum dos sites abaixo para aprender um pouco mais sobre culinária.

1 – Cozinha Para 2

O canal ideal para quem não sabe cozinhar. Receitas práticas e com poucos ingredientes para ninguém ficar perdido.

2 – Ciência e culinária

Imagine juntar pesquisadores de Harvard e chefes mundialmente conhecidos. O resultado é um curso que une ciência à gastronomia. As palestras unem conceitos das duas áreas e foram disponibilizadas no YouTube. O conteúdo é em inglês.

3 – Miolos Fritos

Para os fãs da cultura nerd em geral, o canal Miolos Fritos conta com receitas pensadas nos filmes, quadrinhos, séries e muitos mais.

4 – Receitas de Minuto

Além de práticas, no canal Receitas de Minutos você aprende receitas que são realmente rápidas de se preparar. Ideal para aqueles momentos em que a fome aperta sem avisar.

5 – Micro Sobrevivência

Aqui, o fogão fica de lado: todas as receitas são feitas utilizando o rápido e prático micro ondas. Ideal para quem começou a morar sozinho e mal sabe ferver a água.

6 – Gourmet a dois

Tem medo de se arriscar em receitas mais complexas? O canal traz pratos considerados gourmet de forma traduzida, além de dicas práticas. Você vai aprender desde como cortar um abacate até como fazer pretzels em casa.

7 – Menos de R$20

O canal perfeito para quem gosta de comer bem e gastar pouco – os pratos são preparados com menos de R$20,00

8 – Presunto Vegetariano

Aqui até os vegetarianos tem vez! Neste canal, as dicas são de comidas que não possuem carnes ou outros alimentos restritos na dieta vegetariana.

9 – BBQ em Casa

Essa dica vai para os amantes do churrasco: saiba como preparar, temperar e assar as mais diferentes carnes.

10 – Cozinha Bossa e Malagueta

Para quem não abre mão de um prato um pouco mais elaborado, neste canal você encontra deliciosas receitas além de dicas para sobreviver na cozinha.

11 – Marinando

Comandados por Marina Person, os vídeos propõem receitas saudáveis — como arroz doce integral e omelete de forno — com a presença de convidados especiais. Camila Pitanga e Alice Braga já passaram pelo canal.

12 – Cozinha de Jack

Carnes, lanches, molhos e mais um monte de coisa gostosa que vai te deixar com muita água na boca: tudo isso no canal “Cozinha de Jack”!

Link:

http://canaldoensino.com.br/blog/12-sites-para-aprender-culinaria-de-graca

High-fat diet, obesity during pregnancy harms stem cells in developing fetus

Date: December 24, 2014

Source: Oregon Health & Science University

Summary:

Physician-scientists reveal a high-fat diet and obesity during pregnancy compromise the blood-forming, or hematopoietic, stem cell system in the fetal liver responsible for creating and sustaining lifelong blood and immune system function.

Physician-scientists at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital reveal a high-fat diet and obesity during pregnancy compromise the blood-forming, or hematopoietic, stem cell system in the fetal liver responsible for creating and sustaining lifelong blood and immune system function.

The life-long burden of a western-style diet on the heart and circulatory system have long been appreciated. However, prior to this study, no one had considered whether the developing blood stem cells might be similarly vulnerable to prenatal high-fat diet and/or maternal obesity. The findings are published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.

"Our results offer a model for testing whether the effects of a high-fat diet and obesity can be repaired through dietary intervention, a key question when extrapolating this data to human populations," said Daniel L. Marks, M.D., Ph.D., co-investigator and professor of pediatric endocrinology in the OHSU School of Medicine and Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

Several years ago, Marks and colleagues developed a mouse model that closely mimics the high-fat, high-simple-sugar diet currently consumed by many young women of childbearing age. Their subsequent research demonstrated that maternal overnutrition in mice significantly reduced the size of the fetal liver.

Armed with this information, Marks partnered with another stem cell expert, Peter Kurre, M.D., co-investigator on the current study and professor of pediatric oncology in the OHSU School of Medicine and the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

Together, they discovered that the complex changes that occur as a result of maternal high-fat diet and obesity put significant constraints on the growth and expansion of blood stem cells in the fetal liver, which ultimately compromises the developing immune system.

"In light of the spreading western-style, high-fat diet and accompanying obesity epidemic, this study highlights the need to better understand the previous unrecognized susceptibility of the stem and progenitor cell system," Kurre said. "These findings may provide broad context for the rise in immune disease and allergic disposition in children."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Oregon Health & Science University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Ashley N. Kamimae-Lanning, Stephanie M. Krasnow, Natalya A. Goloviznina, Xinxia Zhu, Quinn R. Roth-Carter, Peter R. Levasseur, Sophia Jeng, Shannon K. McWeeney, Peter Kurre, Daniel L. Marks. Maternal high-fat diet and obesity compromise fetal hematopoiesis. Molecular Metabolism, 2014; DOI:10.1016/j.molmet.2014.11.001

Cite This Page:

Oregon Health & Science University. "High-fat diet, obesity during pregnancy harms stem cells in developing fetus." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 December 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141224103111.htm>.

Wild blueberries (bilberries) can help tackle adverse effects of high-fat diet

Date: December 18, 2014

Source: University of Eastern Finland

Summary: 

Eating bilberries diminishes the adverse effects of a high-fat diet, according to a recent study. For the first time, bilberries were shown to have beneficial effects on both blood pressure and nutrition-derived inflammatory responses.

Eating bilberries diminishes the adverse effects of a high-fat diet, according to a recent study at the University of Eastern Finland. For the first time, bilberries were shown to have beneficial effects on both blood pressure and nutrition-derived inflammatory responses.

Low-grade inflammation and elevated blood pressure are often associated with obesity-related diseases. The study focused on the health effects of bilberries on mice that were fed high-fat diet for a period of three months. Some of the mice were fed either 5% or 10% of freeze-dried bilberries in the diet. The researchers assessed the effects of the diets by looking at inflammatory cell and cytokine levels, systolic blood pressure, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and weight gain.

Mice on the high-fat diet experienced significant weight gain and detrimental changes in glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation factors and blood pressure. Bilberries diminished the pro-inflammatory effects of the high-fat diet, indicated by an altered cytokine profile and a reduced relative prevalence of inflammation supporting T-cells. Bilberries also prevented elevated blood pressure caused by the high-fat diet.

Bilberries constitute an integral part of the Nordic diet and they could be better utilized also elsewhere in the world. Bilberries are associated with several beneficial health effects and their use involves plenty of traditional wisdom. The beneficial health effects of bilberries are thought to be explained by polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, the levels of which are significantly higher in bilberries than in commercially cultivated blueberries.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Eastern Finland.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference: 

Otto T. Mykkänen, Anne Huotari, Karl-Heinz Herzig, Thomas W. Dunlop, Hannu Mykkänen, Pirkka V. Kirjavainen. Wild Blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) Alleviate Inflammation and Hypertension Associated with Developing Obesity in Mice Fed with a High-Fat Diet. PLoS ONE, 2014; 9 (12): e114790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114790

Cite This Page:

University of Eastern Finland. "Wild blueberries (bilberries) can help tackle adverse effects of high-fat diet." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 December 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141218081125.htm>.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry#mediaviewer/File:Blaeberry.jpeg

Vegan diet best for weight loss even with carbohydrate consumption, study finds

Date: November 6, 2014

Source: University of South Carolina

Summary:

People shed more weight on an entirely plant based diet, even if carbohydrates are also included, a study has concluded. Other benefits of eating a vegan diet include decreased levels of saturated and unsaturated fat, lower BMIs, and improved macro nutrients.

See more:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141106101732.htm

Lose the weight, not the potatoes, study says

Date: October 22, 2014

Source: Taylor & Francis

Summary:

People can eat potatoes and still lose weight, a new study demonstrates. The study sought to gain a better understanding of the role of calorie reduction and the glycemic index in weight loss when potatoes are included in the diet. “Some people have questioned the role of potatoes in a weight loss regimen because of the vegetable’s designation as a high glycemic index food,” explained the lead investigator of the study. “However, the results of this study confirm what health professionals and nutrition experts have said for years: it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups, rather, it is reducing calories that count.”

A new study demonstrates that people can eat potatoes and still lose weight. Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and Weight Loss in Free-Living Individuals: Practical Implications is now available through free access from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the official publication of the American College of Nutrition and a publication from Routledge.

The study, a collaborative effort between the University of California at Davis and the Illinois Institute of Technology, sought to gain a better understanding of the role of calorie reduction and the glycemic index in weight loss when potatoes are included in the diet. "Some people have questioned the role of potatoes in a weight loss regimen because of the vegetable's designation as a high glycemic index food," explained Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, the lead investigator of the study. "However, the results of this study confirm what health professionals and nutrition experts have said for years: it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups, rather, it is reducing calories that count," said Burton-Freeman.

Ninety overweight men and women were randomly assigned to one of three groups:

(1) reduced calorie/high GI,

(2) reduced calorie/low GI,

(3) control group with no calorie or GI restrictions. All three groups were provided potatoes, healthful recipes and instructions to consume 5-7 servings of potatoes per week. At the end of the 12-week study period, the researchers found that all three groups had lost weight and there was no significant difference in weight loss between the groups.

"There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight loss program," said Burton-Freeman.

Interestingly, even the control group reduced their caloric intake and lost weight despite not being provided with a specific calorie restriction. "The fact that all groups, even the control group, lost weight is a curious finding and provides cause for future research," said co-investigator Dr. Tissa Kappagoda, MD, PhD. The study results are good news for potato lovers and any consumer who craves the satisfaction of wholesome yet healthy meal options. One medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

This study was funded by the United States Potato Board (www.PotatoGoodness.com).

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Taylor & Francis. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Jody M. Randolph, Indika Edirisinghe, Amber M. Masoni, Tissa Kappagoda, Britt Burton-Freeman. Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and Weight Loss in Free-Living Individuals: Practical Implications. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2014; 1 DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2013.875441

Cite This Page:

Taylor & Francis. "Lose the weight, not the potatoes, study says." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 October 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141022123350.htm>.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato

Mediterranean diet, olive oil and nuts can help reverse metabolic syndrome

Date: October 14, 2014

Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal

Summary:

For people with metabolic syndrome, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts may help reverse the condition, indicate findings from a clinical trial.

For people with metabolic syndrome, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts may help reverse the condition, indicate findings from a clinical trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

About 25% of adults around the world have metabolic syndrome. The syndrome exists in the presence of three or more factors such as large waist circumference, high blood pressure, low HDL-cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides and high blood sugar concentrations that can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death.

Spanish researchers analyzed data from the PREDIMED randomized controlled trial, which included men and women aged 55-80 years old at high risk of heart disease. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three diets: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts or a low-fat diet as the control. In this secondary analysis, the research team looked at the long-term effects of the Mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome in 5801 people. Almost 64% (3707) of the participants had metabolic syndrome at the start of the study.

After a median follow up period of 4.8 years, the researchers found that people in the two Mediterranean diet groups decreased their central obesity and blood glucose levels and 958 participants (28.2%) no longer met the criteria of metabolic syndrome.

"In this large, multicentre, randomized clinical trial involving people with high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil was associated with a smaller increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared with advice on following a low-fat diet," writes Dr. Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Human Nutrition Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus, IISPV, Reus, Spain, with coauthors.

"Because there were no between-group differences in weight loss or energy expenditure, the change is likely attributable to the difference in dietary patterns."

However, the Mediterranean diets did not appear to have an effect on the number of new cases of metabolic syndrome, a finding inconsistent with some previous studies.

"Mediterranean diets supplemented with olive oil or nuts were not associated with a reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome compared with a low-fat diet; however, both diets were associated with a significant rate of reversion of metabolic syndrome," state the authors.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Canadian Medical Association Journal. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Nancy Babio, Estefanía Toledo, Ramón Estruch, Emilio Ros, Miguel A. Martínez-González, Olga Castañer, Mònica Bulló, Dolores Corella, Fernando Arós, Enrique Gómez-Gracia, Valentina Ruiz-Gutiérrez, Miquel Fiol, José Lapetra, Rosa M. Lamuela-Raventos, Lluís Serra-Majem, Xavier Pintó, Josep Basora, José V. Sorlí, Jordi Salas-Salvadó. Mediterranean diets and metabolic syndrome status in the PREDIMED randomized trial. CMAJ, October 2014 DOI:10.1503/cmaj.140764

Cite This Page:

Canadian Medical Association Journal. "Mediterranean diet, olive oil and nuts can help reverse metabolic syndrome." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 October 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141014123927.htm>.