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Be Healthy : Diets are everywhere, but could eating “negative calorie” foods, such as celery and grapefruit, help to boost weight loss? A calorie is a unit of energy, usually expressed as kilocalories (kcal) for the energy content in food. The theory behind negative calorie foods is that some foods have lower calorie (energy) content than the amount of energy it takes to digest and absorb the food into the body. This sounds plausible, in theory. But in reality, even the lowest calorie foods, such as celery, contain more calories than it takes to break down and absorb them in the body. Our energy needs are made up of three components: The energy needed to maintain a body at rest, which is the energy needed for our body to carry out its basic processes so we can live. The thermic effect of eating, which is the increase in metabolic rate after eating, while food is digested and absorbed. Additional energy needed for activity and exercise. Of these, the thermi...

Consuming low-calorie food may have a protective effect against some diseases as the number of calories a person eats directly influences the performance of various cells, researchers say. The study on mice showed that a low-calorie diet can protect the brain from neuronal cell death associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy and cerebral vascular accident (CVA). "We are looking at how changes to the diet affect metabolism and how that ends up changing the odds of having diseases associated with aging," said co-author Alicia Kowaltowski, Professor at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. For the study, presented at FAPESP Week London, taking place on February 11-13, the research team divided mice into two groups. They calculated the average number of calories the group with no caloric restrictions would eat and then fed the other group 40 per cent fewer calories. Readmore

Consuming a Western diet, low in fibre and high in fat and sugar , can put you at increased risk of developing severe sepsis, researchers say. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found mice that were fed the Western diet showed an increase in chronic inflammation, sepsis severity and higher mortality rates than mice that were fed a normal diet. Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body's response to an infection. It can lead to shock and organ failure. It is one of the most common cause of death worldwide. According to the researchers, including Brooke Napier from the Portland State University, the mice had more severe sepsis and were dying faster because of something in their diet, not because of the weight gain or microbiome, the body's community of bacteria. "The mice's immune system on the Western diet looked and functioned differently. It looks like the diet is manipulat...

While it's well-established that eating fruits and vegetables can benefit physical health. A recent study suggests that it may also benefit psychological well-being. The research showed a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed and people's self-reported mental well-being. Specifically, the findings indicate that eating just one extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day could have an equivalent effect on mental well-being as around 8 extra days of walking a month (for at least 10 minutes at a time). Findings of the study were published in the Journal of Social Science & Medicine . "It's well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health. Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychological well-being," said Peter Howley, lead author of the study. Explaining the study, Howley said, "Our research builds on previous work in Australia and New Zealand...

High-quality diet , defined by low intake of animal foods such as red meat , and high intake of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains, coupled with a reduced intake of sweetened beverages, could be associated with reduced risk of diabetes, a recent study suggests. Diet is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes . Studying the impact of individual food items, however, does not account for the synergistic effects of diverse foods consumed together. Hence, scientists have turned increasing attention to studying the overall dietary patterns in order to capture the combined effect of a variety of food groups. Finding of the study were published in the Journal of American Journal of Epidemiology Five predetermined dietary patterns originating in Western populations, i.e. the alternative Mediterranean diet (aMED, an international adaptation of the eponymous diet), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertensio...

Budget 2019 : Are you obese and worried about your excess weight? Take heart. New research suggests that with irregular fasting and a strictly controlled diet , you can lose more weight and improve your health too. The study showed that women who fasted intermittently as well as restricted their food improved their health more than those who only restricted their diet or only fasted intermittently. Obese women who followed a diet in which they ate 70 per cent of their required energy intake and fasted intermittently lost the most weight. "Continuously restricting their diet is the main way that obese women try to tackle their weight," said lead author Amy Hutchison, from the University of Adelaide in Australia. "This study is adding to evidence that intermittent fasting, at least in the short term, may provide better outcomes than daily continuous diet restriction for health and potentially for weight loss," added Leonie Heilbronn, Associate Profe...

Budget 2019 : A new study now says that the best way to live a long and healthy life is by taking up an anti-inflammatory diet. A healthline story cited a study, published in Journal of Internal Medicine that suggests a diet that includes foods like fruits and vegetables that is associated with a lower risk of death at an early age. The research, led by Joanna Kaluza, DSc, an associate professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland looked at 68,273 Swedish men and women between the ages of 45 and 83, whom they followed for 16 years. The study found that those who stuck with mostly anti-inflammatory diet had an 18 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality, 13 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer and 20 per cent lower risk of dying from heart disease. According to Ali Webster, associate director of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation, anti-inflammatory diet is a kind of diet that focuses on food that is high ...

Business Standard : Want to restore the level of antioxidants -- key to ward off heart disease and Type-2 diabetes -- that you lost due to high consumption of fat rich-food in the holiday season? Eating five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables as well as nuts, seeds, and legumes daily may help. A diet high in saturated fat results in chronic low-grade inflammation in the body that in turn leads to the development of metabolic syndrome -- a serious condition associated with cognitive dysfunction and dementia as well as being a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and Type-2 diabetes . For such patients, a higher intake of vitamin C is crucial to halt a potentially deadly cycle of antioxidant disruptions, the researchers said. "What these findings are really saying to people as we move out of the rich-food holiday season and into January is eat your fruits and vegetables," said Maret Traber, Professor at the Oregon State Universit...

Business Standard : The findings of a recent study suggest that artificial sweeteners may not help with weight loss. The research, published in the journal The BMJ, also stated that there is not enough evidence on their safety. Growing concerns about health and quality of life have encouraged many people to adopt healthier lifestyles and avoid foods rich in sugars, salt, or fat. Foods and drinks containing non-sugar sweeteners rather than regular ("free") sugars have therefore become increasingly popular. Although several non-sugar sweeteners are approved for use, less is known about their potential benefits and harms within acceptable daily intakes because the evidence is often limited and conflicting. To better understand these potential benefits and harms, a team of European researchers analysed 56 studies comparing no intake or lower intake of non-sugar sweeteners with higher intake in healthy adults and children. Measures included weight, blood sug...

Business Standard : Just 35 minutes of walking or cycling three times a week along with a healthy diet may improve cognitive skills in older adults, a new study suggests. The study, published in the journal Neurology, examined the effects of both exercise and diet on cognitive skills. For the study, the team involved 160 persons with an average age of 65 and randomly assigned them to one of the four groups -- aerobic exercise alone; DASH diet alone; both aerobic exercise and the DASH diet; or health education, which consisted of educational phone calls once every week or two. The research team found those who exercised and consumed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables , beans, nuts, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and lean meats, had greater improvements compared to health education controls. Participants who exercised showed significant improvements in cognitive skills when compared to those who did not ...

Business Standard : According to a recent study, pregnant women with higher intake of the Mediterranean diet have 32 per cent lower risk of having children with an accelerated growth pattern, as compared to offspring of women that did not follow such diet. The Mediterranean diet is characterised by a high content of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes and nuts. This healthy diet pattern has earlier been associated with lower obesity and cardiometabolic risk in adults. This study, conducted at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, aimed at evaluating the association between adherence to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and growth patterns and cardiometabolic risk in early infancy. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Pediatrics. It was performed with data of over 2,700 pregnant women, who filled in a questionnaire on dietary intake in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. In addition, the diet, weight and height of their offspring...

Business Standard : A vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and seeds, with few animal products, is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. The study explored that vegan diet is associated with improved psychological well-being in addition to reduction in the risk factors for Type-2 diabetes , and heart diseases . For the study, researchers from the University of London, examined 433 people aged mid-50s, on average. Results of the study, published in the journal BMJ, showed that while quality of life -- both physical and emotional -- improved significantly, depressive symptoms and nerve pain (neuropathic pain) also improved in people on plant-based diet. In addition to a sharp fall of blood glucose levels in those who cut out or ate very few animal products, these participants also lost nearly twice as much weight. The fall in blood fats -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease -- was also greater in those on plant-base...

Women, take note! Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of breast cancer, finds a study. Led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the study found cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and yellow and orange vegetables, had a particularly significant association with lower breast cancer risk. "Although prior studies have suggested an association, they have been limited in power, particularly for specific fruits and vegetables and aggressive subtypes of breast cancer," said first author Maryam Farvid. "This research provides the most complete picture of the importance of consuming high amounts of fruit and vegetables for breast cancer prevention." The researchers found that women who ate more than 5.5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day had an 11 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those who ate 2.5 or fewer servings. (A serving is defined as one cup of raw leafy vegetables, half a...

When eating an apple can save you from a doctor then consuming an egg will significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, including China, mostly due to ischaemic heart disease and stroke (including both haemorrhagic and ischaemic stroke). Unlike ischaemic heart disease, which is the leading cause of premature death in most Western countries, stroke is the most responsible cause in China, followed by heart disease. Eggs are a prominent source of dietary cholesterol, but they also contain high-quality protein, many vitamins and bioactive components such as phospholipids and carotenoids. Previous studies looking at associations between eating eggs and impact on health have been inconsistent, and most of them found insignificant associations between egg consumption and coronary heart disease or stroke. Therefore, a team of researchers from China and the UK led by Professor...