Category Archives: Diet And Food

Q: Can I have milk, cheese, ice cream or other dairy products if Im following the Mediterranean diet?

A: The Mediterranean diet is an evidence-backed diet that almost anyone can follow to improve their health. It emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats. It does include meat and dairy, but in smaller amounts than the standard American diet.

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When it comes to dairy, a traditional Mediterranean diet might include a few servings a week of cheese or yogurt. Opt for less processed dairy products think flavorful cheeses like Parmesan, feta or part-skim mozzarella instead of processed American slices, and plain Greek yogurt instead of high-sugar flavored varieties.

As for ice cream, you can make it an occasional treat, but keep portion size and frequency at a minimum. Or consider an all-fruit sorbet or gelato, which is a very rich Italian-style ice cream. A little goes a long way.

Milk is not traditionally part of a Mediterranean diet. If youre new to this way of eating and are struggling to cut down your dairy, you can substitute it with unsweetened almond or soy milk, since nuts and legumes are staples of the diet.

Dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD

Read more:
Can You Have Dairy on the Mediterranean Diet? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Here is why milk continues to be an important food item in children's diet  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: For each one of us, a very vivid memory from our childhood has to be the constant persuasion from our moms to finish the glass of milk. None of us can forget how they kept raving about the many nutritional and health benefits of the beverage, and how it played a very important role in helping us grow and develop. Even today, milk continues to be one of the first few foods that infants consume and remains just as important for overall health as it used to be.

National Milk Day is observed on the 26th of November, every year, in India. The day is marked to celebrate the achievement of being one of the largest producers of milk in the world, and to emphasise on the importance of the food product in our diets.

Babies are only fed breast milk for about 6 months from the time they are born. According to Dr Shalini Pandey, senior consultant, Paediatrics, Batra Hospital, New Delhi, A newborn must be given milk diet. Breast milk is the best food that a baby should be given. Feeding breast milk should be a top priority for the initial six months for parents and medical staff. Breast milk is a complete food that a baby needs for initial growth through the early months of life. Dr Pandey said that even after six months of age, even as complimentary food is given to the baby, breast milk should be continued.

Milk is one of the most nutritious food items available to us for consumption.Dr Shalini explains the nutritional contents of milk that can help your child in growth, development, and overall health.

One cup of whole milk provides

Milk proteins - Insoluble milk proteins are called casein, whereas soluble proteins are known as whey proteins. Both of these groups of milk proteins are considered to be of excellent quality, with a high proportion of essential amino acids and good digestibility. Casein forms 80% of proteins in milk. It has an important ability to increase the absorption of minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus.20% of the protein content in milk is whey protein. Its rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine.Whey protein is good for muscles so used as a supplement.

Milk fat - Cow milk has roughly 4% fat. Milk fat is a complex natural fat, containing about 400 different types of fatty acids out of which 70% is saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are in minimal amounts, around 2.3% of fat content. Monounsaturated fats make up the rest about 28% of the total fat content. In addition, trans fats are naturally found in dairy products. In contrast to trans fats in processed foods, dairy trans fats also called ruminant trans fats are considered beneficial for health. Milk contains small amounts of trans fats, such as vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

Carbohydrates - Milk mainly has simple sugar lactose, which makes up around 5% of milk. The digestive system breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose. These are absorbed into your bloodstream, at which point your liver converts galactose into glucose.

Vitamins and minerals - Milk contains most of vitamins and minerals necessary to sustain growth and development during its first years of life

Milk is a good source of nearly all the nutrients a child needs. It also helps in supplying calcium to bones and vital source of proteins and healthy fats.However, some people can suffer milk allergies also called lactose intolerance, which can lead to symptoms like upset stomach, diarrhoea, etc on the consumption of milk or milk products.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

The rest is here:
Here is why milk continues to be an important food item in children's diet - Times Now

If your GP prescribed a diet which carried twice your current risk of breaking a bone, would you happily stock up on the ingredients? Or might you wonder why on earth anyone would adopt an eating regime that requires specialist shopping and NASA levels of nutritional knowledge, whilst threatening a skeleton as brittle as winter twigs?

This week, research was published suggesting that vegans are at almost twice the risk of broken bones as meat-eaters. As yet, its unclear whether thats because vegan diets tend to lack calcium and protein, or due to the fact that vegans tend to be thinnerand have less padding to break their fall. The long-term study also began in 1993, when vegan products were less available and unfortified now, an entire industry is dedicated to adding supplements to animal-free products and the average vegan has a full supermarket aisle, rather than a dusty Tupperware stack, to choose from.

Still, to follow the science, its increasingly apparent that a vegan diet isnt necessarily healthy, unless its meticulously planned to include fortified foods and milks, added vitamins and bonus omega-3 capsules. Yes, it can help to stave off certain cancers and heart disease, but it can also cause weak bones, exhaustion, anaemia and severe vitamin B deficiencya factor in dementia.

I know all this because for three years I was a committed vegan. I was editing a vegan food magazine, and had access to all the nutritional information out there. But I was also busy, and failed to eat like a celebrity with a dedicated macrobiotic chef and a nutritional analysis app. As a result, I developed a severe nickel allergyand permanent exhaustion.

As a peri-menopausal woman, my diet was doing me no goodand, after a headmistress-y lecture from one of the many specialists I visited in search of a diagnosis, I introduced sustainable fish and dairy again. Even a pescatarian diet carries a 25 per cent higher risk of broken bones, according to the study, but as a bleeding heart animal lover who doesnt want to destroy the planet (and went vegetarian in 2005), reverting to a full meat diet feels impossible. Increasingly, however, purely for health reasons, Im wondering if I should.

Yet despite the ongoing scientific studies suggesting that pure veganism is not the nutritional holy grail, one look at social media suggests that if, we all turned vegan overnight, not only would the planet immediately be saved butwed all live to be powerfully bendy centenarians on a rainbow diet of grains and vegetables.

Over the last few years, the number of vegan recipe accounts has expanded like chia seeds in water (actually, they make a revolting gel, like slick frogspawn, despite featuring in every other recipe).

While some suggested dishes are carefully planned to include protein and vitamins, there are thousands where visual appeal is prioritized over any health benefits, with endless streams of Buddha bowls a collection of disparate grains, pulses and vegetables that have apparently achieved zen by not including meat or dairy.

Then theres ersatz vegan replicas of mainstream dishes, like tofu fish, eggless pancakes and whipped fake cream, facon sandwiches... few ever question whether a constant diet of either replacement foods or pure vegetables is healthy; the very fact of its moral goodnessis enough to garner strings of approving heart-emojis.

It would be fine if these were just useful suggestions for eating less meat (I am all for that). But many of the Insta-influencers promote themselves as nutritionists, dispensing well-meaning advice and health wisdom, which often directly contradicts qualified dietitians.

Its also a fact that most of these glowing chickpea-gobblers are under 35, and too young to feel the effects of any nutritional loss. For those of us chugging into our 50s, however, particularly women, a balanced diet has never been more vital, as menopause weakens muscles and thins bones.

When I consider what constitutes a good diet now, I often think of my grandma, who sailed through middle age slim and fit, and lived healthily to 87. Her post-war diet involved plenty of home-made chicken soup, daily fish or meat and veg, not many puddings and a gin and tonic every night. We dont yet know how the recent veganism boom will affect our health long-term, but as I age, Im inclined to listen to experts rather than a gorgeous 23-year-old grinning over a plate of roasted quinoa.

In my heart, Id love to be vegan again. But my body isnt so keen and increasingly, it seems that hoary old recommendationeverything in moderationis the best diet advice there is.

More here:
I gave up veganism and the science says other midlifers should too - Telegraph.co.uk

Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends offering or referring adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors to behavioral counseling interventions to promote a healthy diet and physical activity. Adults who adhere to national guidelines for a healthy diet and physical activity have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death than those who do not. The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This statement is mostly consistent with its 2014 recommendation, although it no longer includes adults with impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes because this population is now included in a separate USPSTF recommendation.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jama.2020.21749)

Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Note: More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.

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USPSTF recommendation on behavioral counseling to promote healthy diet, activity for adults with risk of CVD - Science Codex

There aren't many people who can do what Eddie Hall does. The British strongman broke a world record with his 1,100-pound deadlift, and was named World's Strongest Man in 2017. And while those achievements come from dedication and training full-time, that doesn't stop other fitness enthusiasts from trying out Hall's extreme diet and workout regimen for themselves.

In a recent video, YouTuber Calfreezy, a.k.a. Callum Airey, takes on Hall's daily routine, starting his day with no fewer than 10 supplements, including multivitamins, turmeric, selenium, glucosamine sulphate, fish oil, and echinacea, washed down with a super greens mix and coconut water. Then he ventures out for a power walk with an apple, as Hall does every morning, before his first hearty meal of the day: 5 eggs, scrambled, with 4 rashers of bacon and 2 slices of toast.

Breakfast is swiftly followed by a protein shake with 4 scoops of whey protein, topped up with cranberry juice for extra carbs. "It smells disgusting," he says, before taking a sip and remarking: "It actually tastes really good."

All fueled up, he heads to the gym, where he deadlifts 100 kgs (a fifth of Hall's historic 500-kg deadlift), before adding more plates and achieving a PR of 140 kgs. "I know for other people this is light work, they might even warm up with this weight," he says. "But for me, when I go to the gym, it's just about battling against myself... I'm still working on my form, trying to get better at perfecting how to do these exercises."

The deadlift is just the first exercise in an intense CrossFit workout, which also includes kettlebell swings, box jumps, barbell squats, ring muscleups, and burpees. "I'm so knackered, I'm so tired, my body's in bits," he says. "It was a good workout, though... All of that squeezed into 40 minutes."

Airey downs a post-workout protein shake at home, then takes a nap (Hall is famously fond of his naps, as they help his recovery), before eating lunch: chicken curry with rice, with strawberries and Manuka honey for dessert. This point in the day would usually be when Hall does his boxing training, but as the U.K. is currently in lockdown and no boxing gyms are open, Airey skips this portion of Hall's routine in favor of watching boxing matches on TV as a form of "analysis."

Then it's time for the final meal of the day: ribeye steak with vegetables, followed by yogurt. "I am quite full already. He is a big lad, isn't he," he says. "This is definitely the biggest meal. I do struggle with these big meals though. Some people could easily scoff this, but I just can't seem to do it."

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"Usually by now I'd be feeling very tired, especially after that crazy workout earlier," says Airey. "I don't know whether it's down to whatever pills I took in the morning, or whether it's the super greens, but I actually have a lot more energy than I usually do at the end of these videos, so he's onto something."

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Watch What Happened When This Guy Ate and Trained Like Eddie Hall - menshealth.com

Figure1 provides an overview of the SLBDS relative validation process, from face validation and pre-testing to survey administration and statistical analyses. These steps are outlined in further detail below.

Relative validation process

Face validity, a process whereby the SLBDS was subjectively viewed as covering what it purported to measure, was assessed by six researchers at the University of Colombo, Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital and Post Graduate Training Centre, and University of Oxford. This process was conducted in-person and via email and telephone interviews. The feedback and discussion generated through this process focussed on prescribed SLBDS intake units (for example, coconut spoons vs cups vs tablespoons) and how best to measure notoriously difficult to capture oil, salt, and coconut intake, with researchers divided on whether to measure intake frequency (i.e.number of times itemconsumed in a 24-h period) or intake amount. In the latter case, we decided to record both. Clarity of survey wording and format was further refined through pre-testing with 25 Sri Lankan adults aged 20 to 65 known to our research network.

The face validated and pre-tested version of the SLBDS was subsequently tested against the 24DR to determine criterion-related validity i.e. how well the new SLBDS estimated 24-h food intake and adherence to the SLFBDGs compared to the reference method (24DR). We selected this reference method because of its use in prior brief instrument validation studies and its statistically significant comparability to the gold standard self-report 7-day weighed-intake dietary record (7DWR) in the target population [19]. The 24DR has a similar objective to the SLBDS and measures intake over the same time frame (24h) whilst differing in its reliance on memory and portion size reporting format. These similarities and differences make the 24DR an appropriate reference method for this study [7, 20].

Between December 2018 and February 2019, we administered both the SLBDS and the 24DR to a sample of 94 Sri Lankan adults living in urban Colombo, and urban and rural sectors in Kalutara and Trincomalee. The Trincomalee district is located in the majority Moor and Muslim Eastern Province, whereas both Colombo and Kalutara are majority Sinhalese and Buddhist Western provinces. A sample size calculation was conducted to determine the sample size required to detect a low correlation between results from the test and reference surveys (r=0.3) with alpha and beta set to 95 and 80% respectively, and accounting for a 10% participant dropout rate. Divisional Secretaries of Colombo, Kalutara, and Trincomalee were contacted to obtain electoral lists for each Grama Niladhari Division (GND) within the district and gain permission to visit individual households for data collection. Adults aged 18years or older who were willing and able to provide informed consent were eligible for inclusion. Data collection started at a randomly selected location within the district. From that starting point, the nearest house appearing in the relevant electoral list was approached. If a consenting adult was present, the third house to the left was approached for the next interview, and so on. If more than one eligible adult was present in the household, the interviewee was selected by drawing lots. If an eligible adult was not present or did not consent, the house next door was approached. This recruitment method was followed until 56, 29, and nine participants in Colombo, Kalutara, and Trincomalee, respectively, were recruited.

Each participant completed two consecutive face-to-face interviewer-administered dietary surveys, the SLBDS (new tool) and a 24DR (reference method), in the participants preferred language: Sinhala, Tamil or English. As the surveys were administered one after the other during the same visit, administration order was randomised to avoid response-order effects. Data collection was undertaken in participants homes by two experienced female Sri Lankan researchers, with 50% of the study sample randomly allocated to each interviewer (i.e. the same interviewer applied both dietary surveys). Data collectors were consulted during the survey development phase and trained through role play and practice interviews with members of the research team to deliver the surveys uniformly, closely following the provided templates and corresponding instructions.

Both surveys are structured dietary assessment tools that ask participants to recall their food and beverage consumption during the previous 24h ashort recall period thathas proven useful for minimising recall bias [21]. The two surveys differ in length, degree of survey structure, memory requirements, recall process, detail captured, and analysis burden (Table1). The same standard household utensils were referenced to obtain information on portion sizes in both surveys and each queried whether or not the day being recalled was typical of participants' usual food intake, with interviewers prompting atypical responses for further explanation. Vegetarian status and special diets were also recorded on the paper-based templates provided.

Using the SLBDS, interviewers asked participants if they had consumed each of the following food groups: (1) Rice, bread, other cereals and yams; (2) Fruit; (3) Vegetables; (4) Fish, pulses, meat and eggs; (5) Milk or milk products; (6) Nuts and oil seeds; as well as (7) Sweetened drinks, sweets and desserts; (8) Fast food; (9) Salt; and(10) Tea and coffee in the past 24h, and if yes, what portions (in prescribed units) of specific foods (also prescribed) within each group they consumed. After a first pass of the survey, the interviewer revisited unanswered questions.

Detailed food and beverage consumption information was collected from participants using the 24DR method. Uninterrupted and in their own words, participants were asked to list everything they had consumed, including food and drink items and their corresponding quantities, the previous day (from waking to evening). The interviewer then probed this list for additional information: consumption time and location; item brand; further item description; and leftovers. To conclude the interview, respondents were given a further opportunity to provide additional information/detail on their 24-h intake.

All 188 surveys were verbatim transcribed, translated into English, and entered into Excel with 24DR data hand coded and summed to reflect SLBDS food groups/categories (1 to 10 listed above). Coding was blinded to the results of the SLBDS to avoid bias. This was achieved by coding the 24DR survey results before the researcher responsible for analysis gained access to SLBDS data. We used a chi-square test to determine whether participant characteristics differed by participant sex. As most of the dietary data were not normally distributed, we calculated the median and interquartile range (IQR) for intake of each food group and food/beverage item (based on serving size where specified in the SLFBDGs and portion size where unspecified) reported in the SLBDS and 24DR. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the statistical differences between medians. Correlation (r) between individual intakes collected by each measure was determined using Spearmans Rho tests. The use of these non-parametric tests ensures that spikes at zero consumption do not invalidate statistical assumptions. To detect differences and bias between the two methods, differences were plotted against means in Bland-Altman plots. We estimated Cohens kappa (k) with 95% confidence intervals to measure the inter-rater reliability for comparing achievement of recommended food group intake (where 0=not achieved and 1=achieved) based on the SLFBDGs between the new and reference method. For yes/no SLBDS questions: Did you consume Western or local fast food yesterday? and Did you add salt, sauce/ketchup or chutney/chilli paste to your breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack?, yes responses were assigned a score of 1 and no a zero. 24DR data were coded similarly: we assigned reporting of fast food (local and Western) and salt intake at specified meal times (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack) a score of 1 (if intake was reported) and 0 (if no intake was reported). The unweighted kappa statistic describes the level of agreement over and above chance agreement between the two measures as slight (00.20), fair (0.210.40), moderate (0.410.60), substantial (0.610.80), and almost perfect (>0.81) [22]. To assess whether the SLBDS was an equally valid measure of dietary intake for both female and male participants, we calculated the results for each of these agreement analyses separately in females and males as a secondary analysis. We considered a p value <0.05 as evidence against the null hypothesis. All statistical analyses were conducted in R version 4.0.1.

Ethics approval for this study was received from the University of Colombo (Faculty of Medicine) and the University of Oxford (Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee). Written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to data collection. Compensation for participation was not provided.

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Relative validity of a brief dietary survey to assess food intake and adherence to national dietary guidelines among Sri Lankan adults - BMC Blogs...

JACKSON - Bear biologist Mike Boyce was staked out on a road in south of Wilson for much of Tuesday keeping tabs on five grizzly bears that were napping, playing and feeding on a deer carcass.

"They devoured it in just a matter of a couple hours," Boyce said from the scene.

For three weeks and running this has been what the Wyoming Game and Fish Department employee's workdays look like: keeping tabs on grizzly 399 and her four cubs, spreading the word of their whereabouts and trying to keep both people and the bears out of harm's way.

"I've been on this full time," Boyce said. "Since they left the park - when was that?"

Grizzly 399, he recalled, first ventured south the last week of October. The 24-year-old bear did go back north to her normal territory in Grand Teton National Park, but her detour to familiar terrain lasted a single day. The valley's most well-known wild animal has recently been living in the southern valley near ranches and subdivisions.

Mostly her stay has been conflict-free. But the change in habitat has taken a potentially perilous turn recently as grizzly 399 has started to key in on human-related foods.

"It's a bit unnerving for our agency," Wyoming Game and Fish Regional Supervisor Brad Hovinga told the News&Guide.

"Here's a bear that's long habituated to being around people," he said. "Now she's in a new area that has different food sources, and some of those food sources are associated with human and residential activity."

The three known types of unnatural sustenance that bear 399 has obtained are honey from a beekeeper's hives, a grain mix meant for livestock and a residential compost pile. The sow grizzly and her large litter took advantage of all those foods over the last week to 10 days. Two of the three "food rewards" received were significant.

"They were on beehives for at least two days," Hovinga said. "They pretty much cleaned up all the food that was available."

Nobody was around to interrupt the behavior, he said, which persisted until the apiarist's colony had been wiped out.

When the grizzly family found the pelleted livestock grain they gorged for about an hour. Boyce arrived, fired firecracker-like "bird bombs" to scare the bears off - and it worked.

"Even though they did return they didn't get a food reward the second time," Hovinga said. "But they did get a significant food reward the first time."

The compost pile was raided at night in the southern valley. The grizzlies' tracks told the story of what happened.

In the aftermath of all incidents, Boyce worked with the landowners to "secure the attractants." Any subsequent attempts to access the foods were deterred.

Still, the five grizzlies remain in the area and the adage "a fed bear is a dead bear" often rings true. Grizzly bears are intelligent animals that dutifully return to what works to pack on calories. In this case it's a food supply in backyards and areas that aren't ideal for humans and grizzlies to coexist. Often the behavior isn't tolerated by wildlife managers, who haze, relocate or kill the animals to reduce the hazard.

It's unclear whether there's a plan to address the famous family group of grizzly bears that has been exploiting human-related foods.

The state of Wyoming, Hovinga said, is taking its cues from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has jurisdiction over grizzly bears, classified as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.

An interview request with the Fish and Wildlife Service was declined, and a statement the agency was preparing was not conveyed by press time. Grand Teton National Park officials also declined an interview for this story.

Hearing news of her troubles on Tuesday, longtime grizzly 399 photographer and advocate Tom Mangelsen was disheartened.

"That's not good," he said. "The beekeeper needs to take responsibility for leaving honey out that the bears might find. Same thing with compost.

"You can't just have stuff out," he said, "and expect the bears to not find it and eat it."

Lorna Miller, a longtime wildlife advocate, was also bummed to learn of the development in grizzly 399's sojourn. In her view, the community failed.

"That's really discouraging, but it was almost inevitable," Miller said. "One of the myths of Jackson Hole is that we take great care in being proactive on wildlife issues. We have the regs, but we don't enforce them."

Most of the privately owned areas where grizzly 399 has spent the month of November fall within Teton County's bear conflict priority zones, where bear-resistant trash cans are required, restaurant grease must be secured and special bird feeder rules are in effect. Enforcement has been minimal, but wildlife advocates and managers say the zoning rules have still worked to curb conflict. As they're written today, the regulations do not address beehives, livestock feed or compost.

Only time will tell how grizzly 399's precarious situation shakes out.

Rafter J Ranch residents Deb and John Kuzloski spent part of their Tuesday enjoying a nearly exclusive viewing, watching through binoculars and spotting scopes as grizzly 399's cubs roughhoused and tugged at a stripped-down mule deer carcass while their famous mother lounged under a spruce tree. The scene was "amazing," John said, but also worrisome because of its location.

"I hope this is not her demise," he said. "Why is she doing this? I think what we're observing, although at the microscopic level, is how the occupied habitat expands - but that's just my wild-ass speculation."

Hovinga pointed out that although grizzly 399 is in a new and concerning area, she's acting like herself.

"It's not like she's learning a new behavior, she's just foraging for what's available," he said. "These are bears trying to make a living in a residential area. There is different food on the ground."

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Bear's diet takes concerning turn - Green River Star

I have been on some kind of food restrictive diet for as long as I can remember (except in college, when hostel kindly did that for me): a gut-friendly diet, an asthma diet, even an auto-immune diet. Some years ago, when I read The Grain Brain I put myself on a gluten-free diet swearing that wheat was killing me, while often binge-eating bread and butter that comfort food when the emotional brain overpowers the logical one.

Sometime later, I approached a naturopath for constipation (yes, yes, I am your mothers age) who asked me to skip grain at dinner. Then I went dairy free, night-shade veggie free, red-meat free, sugar-free (wait, thats a brand name) in turn. Ironically, I never felt free. Instead, I felt bound by choices my mind had made for my body. Looking back, there were only two foods Id eliminated that helped: gluten and sugar.

Of late, I have realised that the real diet must be on screens and the screen time were fed on. How many times have we been on our laptops, while also checking our phones? How many times do we eat in front of a screen? How many times have we used an OTT platform to dull us into sleep?

A diet of online chatter, which ironically involves the eyes and mind rather than the ears and mouth, is what keeps me distracted from life through the day. I read something online and think (overthink) about it, rather than listening or speaking and feeling for the friend Im chatting with. My emotions then, are bent through the lens of what someone has posted on social media rather than what someone says to me.

Its like Chinese Whisper at a deeper level. Say someone on Instagram posts a video of an early morning run, extolling her followers to also get up and get some exercise in the park (hashtag vitamin N, hashtag vitamin D). I may perceive it (often do) as a post directed at me (because Ive been in bed sleeping until 8 am). I now feel guilt. Now imagine if a friend had called me at 7 am, asking me to join her while she stepped out for a walk in the park, Im much more likely to do that. I hear her voice, I respond to her friendship and the fact that shes reaching out to me.

Since the festive season will soon be upon us, and the pandemic has changed the way we shop mindlessly, my endeavour for the rest of this year is to have more conversations (sans judgement) with people I know, love, or like, and fewer interactions with my phone that introduces me to people I dont know and really couldnt care less about.

I will be going on a digital diet. Would you like to join me?

Continue reading here:
Should we put ourselves on a digital diet? - The Hindu

The main objective of AQUABIOPRO-FIT (Project video), a project running from 2018 to 2022, funded by the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) under the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 790956), is to promote efficient utilisation of European aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture side streams in feeds and nutritional supplement food products promoting fitness and health in humans.

Farmed and fisheries derived fish side-stream materials such as hydrolysates, possess various bioactive properties. Via enzymatic hydrolysis, fish protein is converted into free amino acids and peptides that are building blocks for growing muscles. Thus, among the various potential applications for fish protein hydrolysates are the improvement of the nutritional value of formulations for the elderly and sports nutrition.

In AQUABIOPRO-FIT we perform a long series of technical and biological studies to demonstrate the specific bioactive properties of differentially processed fish side stream fractions, in vitro and in vivo, including clinical studies with humans, to provide the necessary documentation to promote healthier food habits and enable more sustainable use of marine resources.

As part of the AQUABIOPRO-FIT works the group of Nutrition and feed technology in the AQUABIOPRO-FIT coordinating partner, Nofima wanted to investigate if growth and metabolism of muscle could be improved by fish side stream materials from salmon, mackerel and herring using salmon heart and skeletal muscle cell culture models (Figure 1).

The results showed that skeletal muscle growth (Figure 2) and metabolism were increased by supplementation of fish side stream materials from all fish species. Different fractions of the fish affected the muscle growth differently, with the head fractions being most potent. Heart cell growth and metabolism were also positively affected by the fish side stream materials especially from salmon and herring.

The processed fish side stream bioactive fractions can be up-concentrated using conventional as well as innovative food processing technologies.

Scientists in the AQUABIOPRO-FIT partner, Universitat de Valncia, studied the effect of different green extraction processes such as pulsed electric fields, accelerated solvent extraction, ultrasound and supercritical fluid extraction on the recovery of high-added-value compounds, such as protein and antioxidant compounds from fish side streams (i.e. sea bass, sea bream, salmon, rainbow trout, and sole, among others). The trial results showed that these technologies are an efficient tool to increase the yield of the protein fraction as well as compounds with antioxidant activity, as compared to conventional extraction methods (Figure 3).

The cytotoxicity, bioaccessibility and bioavailability of different protein hydrolysates obtained from side stream fractions (heads, backbones, and viscera) of mackerel, salmon, and herring processing were also evaluated. It was seen that hydrolysate extracts did not have significant effects on the mitochondrial function and total protein content of differentiated Caco-2 cells. Moreover, the tested hydrolysates prevented the propagation of membrane lipid peroxidation in differentiated Caco-2 cells, demonstrating their antioxidant activity.

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the bioaccessible fraction of the processed fish side stream materials was evaluated by the ORAC and TEAC assays, and the respective behaviour of TAC values of the bioaccessible fraction from the hydrolysates differed according to the method used, being lower than those obtained from the non-digested raw materials for ORAC, while the TEAC values of the bioaccesible fraction of the hydrolysates were higher than the non-digested. This behaviour can be explained by the different compounds TEAC and ORAC measured.

Dietary products possess several health promoting properties many of which are attributed to anti-inflammatory actions. Different minerals, proteins, vitamins, and lipids are known to possess anti-inflammatory properties, many of which are present in high amounts in fish. The scientific group from the AQUABIOPRO-FIT partner School of Medicine in the University of Crete, aimed to investigate whether processed fish side-stream ingredients possess such health promoting properties in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

In an experimental mouse model of type 2 diabetes we found that supplementation of the diet with particular hydrolysates of fish side-streams suppressed the development of diabetes as it is measured by the ability of the organism to lower glucose (glucose tolerance test) (Figure 4).

Obesity also affects the gut microbiome, which metabolises nutrients providing secondary metabolites that promote wellbeing of the organism. We, therefore, evaluated whether diet supplementation with fish side-stream products supports a healthy gut microenvironment. For this purpose we tested the effect of dietary supplementation with different extracts on the gut microbiome, focusing on the ability of these supplements to reverse the detrimental effects of a diet containing high amounts of fat that causes type 2 diabetes. We found that diet supplementation with particular fish side-streams supported growth of health-promoting probiotics, highlighting the dietary value of these extracts. In addition, we analysed the effect of the same fish side-streams in suppressing inflammatory bowel disease, a disease also associated with a healthy gut microbiome. We found that selected extracts partly suppressed development of the disease.

Collagen is a structural protein found in tendons, ligaments, bones, skin, cartilage, and teeth. Fish skin, scales and bone are rich sources of Type I collagen, frequently used in nutraceuticals, whereas type II collagen can also be isolated from fish cartilage that is often used for medicinal purposes. Using collagen supplements has shown benefits for tendon flexibility, ligament stability, muscle and bone integrity, bone metabolism1,2 and improved skin elasticity3 through increased endogenous collagen production or antioxidant function that may prevent and even repair skin and other tissue damages4. Collagen products are mostly of porcine and bovine origin marine sources are becoming more prevalent following the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (1980s) and due to religious constraints5.

In AQUABIOPRO-FIT we tested the ability of diet supplementation with selected hydrolysed fish side streams and fish-derived collagen to promote skin health. In a model of epithelial healing we found that selected side-streams, particularly those containing fish collagen and collagen rich fractions (e.g. fish heads), improved skin health. Overall, our experimental models highlighted the nutritional value of fish side-streams and their potential as nutritional supplement dietary products.

More information about the project can be found in the projects website where you will have the opportunity to sign up for our yearly newsletter to be among the first to receive the most recent project news.

Please note: This is a commercial profile

1 Schunck & Oesser (2013) Specific collagen peptides benefit the biosynthesis of matrix molecules of tendons and ligaments. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 10, P23.

2 Seagarden AS. Collagen Peptides Source, Properties and Benefits.

3 Zague et al. (2011) Collagen Hydrolysate intake increases skin collagen expression and suppresses matrix metalloproteinase 2 Activity. J. Med. Food 14, 6.

4 Kim, S. K. (2014) Marine cosmeceuticals. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 13(1), 56-67.

5 Silva et al. (2014) Marine origin collagens and its potential applications. Mar. Drugs 2014, 12, 5881-5901.

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Nutritional and health benefits of dietary products made from fish side streams - Open Access Government

One of the most hyped diets of the nineties and early noughties, the low carb diets reputation well and truly precedes it. While it all started with Dr Robert C Atkins of the eponymous Atkins diet in the sixties, it is regularly re-packaged under a new name with a slightly different spin. Recently, we've had the paleo and ketogenic diets.

Various low car diets are based on the premise that the body will burn fat when carbohydrate levels are kept relatively low, by cutting bread, pasta and sugar, and upping foods naturally high in fat and protein, such as meat, fish, cheese, nuts and seeds. It's vital to note that, as with most things, there are different ways of doing low carb. Some people might focus on, say, pork, beef and eggs, others might go hard on nut butter, avocados and sardines.

These can have different outcomes. A meta-analysis published in health journal The Lancet in 2018 found that: 'Low carbohydrate dietary patterns favouring animal-derived protein and fat sources, from sources such as lamb, beef, pork, and chicken, were associated with higher mortality,' whereas 'those that favoured plant-derived protein and fat intake, from sources such as vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, and whole-grain breads, were associated with lower mortality.'

There isnt a precise ratio, but generally below 130g carbohydrate per day, or 26% of your intake, is considered low. The keto diet is more extreme, suggesting between 20-50g per day, or under 10%. It's important to remember that the volume of carbohydrate you need to stay healthy will depend on how active you are if you train hard multiple times a week, you need more than someone who doesn't much move their body.

Something to be aware of is that carbohydrates are not a monolith. According to the he British Dietetic Association (BDA): 'Typically, carbohydrates can be divided into the following categories:

While, ultimately, all carbs break down into glucose (sugar) in your body, simple/ free sugars will do so more quickly potentially spiking your blood sugar and causing you to feel tired and hungry, quickly. Complex or starchy carbs will break down more slowly.

The organisation also notes that there is a difference between highly processed starchy carbs, such as white bread, versus less refined carbs, like wholegrain spaghetti. The latter are more nutritionally dense.

The thinking, says dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton, is that: all carbs break down in the body to form sugars which boost blood glucose levels and cause our bodies to produce insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone, so excess fat and carbs end up in our fat cells and liver for a rainy day. But, because people are typically sedentary, that rainy day never comes, so we end up overweight, or even diabetic.

The official stance from the BDA is that low carb weight loss is initially generally the result of fluid loss, rather than fat.

'Carbohydrate is stored in our muscles alongside water as glycogen. Drastic reduction in carbohydrate intake will lead to glycogen depletion and fluid loss. This is not the same as fat loss and not related to health or well-being. Drastic reduction in carbohydrate intakes can affect our gut health and lead to constipation. At the moment, there are no clear definitions on what "low carbohydrate" diets are. Some people claim this is an effective method of weight loss, however for some people they are not sustainable. Most of the initial weight loss seen is often associated with water/fluid losses.

'In general, it is a good idea to be aware of portion sizes of all foods including carbohydrate, however losing weight is complicated, and restricting any one food group (including carbohydrate) is generally not recommended for many reasons including dietary imbalance, contributing to complex relationships with food and compliance.'

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The main benefit of a low carb diet is the potential for weight loss. Research has found to be more effective in the short-term but, over longer amounts of time, its similar from other diets where intake of calories is restricted.

Low calorie diets probably work simply by restricting opportunities for consumption, says Dr Buxton.

Low carbohydrate diets have been found to potentially benefit type 2 diabetes and those at risk of developing it.

However dietitian Paul McArdle says: Theres no universal recommendation as yet for how much carbohydrate is best for type 2 diabetes which is why we should take a whole diet approach and not just focus on single nutrients.

(Don't start a low carb diet without speaking to a doctor as it can affect diabetes medication.)

A fairly new claim, its been suggested that low carb diets can improve fertility by some experts. As well as tackling obesity, which is linked to issues getting pregnant, research has shown that they can improve levels of reproductive hormones. Note: this is not advice across the board. The NHS states that in pregnancy, starchy carbs should 'make up just over a third of the food you eat. Instead of refined starchy (white) food, choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or simply leaving the skins on potatoes.'

As foods that are high in fat and protein are low in fibre, it can have a knock-on effect on gut health. 'Fibre keeps your gut healthy and you may get constipated if your diet is too low in it', says Dr Ruxton.

Though low carb diets can be effective in the short term for losing weight, which can benefit CVD, long-term theyre linked to increased levels.

Diets low in carbs have been shown, in one small study, to affect reaction time and visuospatial memory, despite reports of improved vigilance. 'Our brains actually run most efficiently on glucose, which is what all carbohydrates break down to in the body', says Panagos.

From carb-rich fruits like apples to various types of grain, avoiding carbs means forgoing a lot of nutritious foods.

The first meal of the day seems to be the one people need most inspiration for, when starting a new food routine. A low carb breakfast could be greek yoghurt with raspberries and pumpkin seeds, a mushroom omelette with grilled tomato or simply bacon and eggs.

It depends. They're always inadvisable if you're on medication, especially for diabetes, however research has seen some benefits when following in the short-term.

'Low carb diets are safe, but may not be balanced if you go too low', says Dr Ruxton. 'Carbohydrates are important sources of dietary fibre, so you would need to eat more vegetables, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds to make up for the loss.'

'Foods that contain carbohydrates are an important part of our diets and can be included in as part of a healthy balanced diet,' the BDA's take. 'It's helpful to choose wholegrain starchy carbohydrates as they contain additional important nutrients for the body. As with any food, it is important to choose the correct portion to suit your needs and less active individuals require less carbohydrate. Its useful to be aware that free sugars often provide lots of energy with very little nutritional value so these should be consumed in moderation.'

The keto diet is a low carb diet, but its just the name for an extreme restriction which causes ketosis, the process that happens when the body doesnt have enough carbohydrate to burn for energy so it burns protein and fat, and makes ketones. It happens in a less carb limited diet, but just in between meals rather than all the time.

Speak to your GP before starting a new diet and dont embark on a low carb plan if youre breastfeeding or taking medication for high blood pressure or diabetes.

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Is Following a Low Carb Diet a Safe Way to Lose Weight?