High-fat foods are often the primary target when fighting obesity, but sugar-laden "diet" foods could be contributing to unwanted weight gain as well, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.

Researchers found that rats fed a diet high in sugar but low in fat -- meant to imitate many popular diet foods -- increased body fat mass when compared to rats fed a balanced rodent diet. The high-sugar diet induced a host of other problems, including liver damage and brain inflammation.

"Most so-called diet products containing low or no fat have an increased amount of sugar and are camouflaged under fancy names, giving the impression that they are healthy, but the reality is that those foods may damage the liver and lead to obesity as well," said the study's principal investigator, Krzysztof Czaja, an associate professor of veterinary biosciences and diagnostic imaging in UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine.

"What's really troubling in our findings is that the rats consuming high-sugar, low-fat diets didn't consume significantly more calories than the rats fed a balanced diet," Czaja said. "Our research shows that in rats fed a low-fat, high-sugar diet, the efficiency of generating body fat is more than twice as high -- in other words, rats consuming low-fat high-sugar diets need less than half the number of calories to generate the same amount of body fat."

Over a four-week period, researchers monitored body weight, caloric intake, body composition and fecal samples in three groups of rats. One group of test subjects consumed a diet high in fat and sugar, another group was fed a low-fat, high-sugar diet and a third group was given a balanced or "normal" diet.

Both the low-fat, high-sugar and high-fat, high-sugar groups displayed an increase in liver fat and significant increases in body weight and body fat when compared to the balanced diet group. Liver fat accumulation was significant in the high-sugar, low-fat group, which Czaja said "is a very dangerous situation, because the liver accumulating more fat mimics the effect of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease."

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is caused by fat buildup in the liver, and serious forms of the disease can result in liver damage comparable to that caused by heavy alcohol use.

The unbalanced diets also induced chronic inflammation in the intestinal tract and brain. Former studies in rats conducted by Czaja have shown that brain inflammation alters gut-brain communication by damaging the vagus nerve, which controls sensory signals, including the brain's ability to determine when one is full.

"The brain changes resulting from these unbalanced diets seem to be long term, and it is still not known if they are reversible by balanced diets," Czaja said.

This study expands upon the researchers' previous work that determined high-fat diets alter the gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria, viruses and other microbes that live in the digestive tract. The recent study found that the unbalanced diets decreased the microbiome's bacterial diversity, and the low-fat, high-sugar diet increased gut bacteria that are associated with liver damage.

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Materials provided by University of Georgia. Original written by Elizabeth Fite. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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'Diet' products can make you fat, study shows - Science Daily

Summer is just around the corner, and for many families, that means barbecues, splashing in the pool and other activities that generally involve basking in the sun.

Unfortunately, sun safety is probably the last thing on childrens minds as theyre outside enjoying the warm weather and the results of that could be dangerous. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. One in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime.

Dr. Brenda Simpson, dermatologist at El Paso Dermatology Center, emphasized that it is imperative that parents teach their children the basics of sun safety.

Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancers, including melanoma, she said. To protect your skin, it is important to seek shade remembering that the suns rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wear sun-protective clothing, such as wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeve shirts, rash guards or wet suits, sun glasses and apply sunscreen.

UV rays explained

Simpson said that sunlight contains two types of harmful ultraviolet rays that reach the earth: UVA and UVB, both of which can lead to skin cancer.

In addition, UVA rays can prematurely age skin, causing wrinkling and age spots and can pass through window glass, she said. UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn and are blocked by window glass. The sun emits harmful UV rays year-round.

Dont think you need to apply sunscreen when its cloudy outside? Think again; even on those days, up to 80 percent of the suns rays can pass through the clouds.

The 411 on SPF

The sunscreen aisle features dozens upon dozens of different choices, so how should you know which is the best one?

Start by selecting an appropriate SPF sun protection factor, or as Simpson refers to it, sunburn protection factor.

A confusing thing about SPF is the number that follows it. This number tells you how much UVB light (the burning rays) a sunscreen can filter out. SPF 15 filters 93 percent of the suns UVB rays, SPF 30 filters 97 percent and SPF 50 filters 98 percent.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. No sunscreen can filter out 100 percent of the suns UVB rays. Thats why its important to also wear protective clothing and seek shade.

Broad-spectrum sunscreens provide protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

Sunscreens that contain the ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are recommended because they are physical blockers, meaning that they are stable molecules that literally block the suns rays, Simpson said.

There is some speculation that storing sunscreen in a hot vehicle will reduce its SPF.

Chemical blockers react when exposed to light and are also able to protect your skin by absorbing UV rays. Physical blocking sunscreens do not degrade in heat. However, high temperatures may cause the ultraviolet absorbing chemicals like avobenzone and oxybenzone to degrade in the bottle.

Protect yourself and your family

By now, many of us know to avoid tanning beds, as they can cause skin cancer and wrinkles. Teach children to use sunscreen even as theyre staying active.

Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect damaging rays of sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn, Simpson added. If you want to look tan, consider using a self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating heavily.

Remind your kids that the sun isnt completely bad. It is, after all, a source of vitamin D. Just keep in mind that we should not rely on the sun as our only source for vitamin D. That should also come from a healthy diet that includes foods rich in vitamin D or supplements.

It is important to teach children how to protect their skin, Simpson said. This is a learned skill that needs to be taught by parents, educators and doctors.

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Soak up the sun safely: sunscreen tips - El Paso Inc.

Theres been a lot of debate over the benefits of eating soy. Some think its a heart-healthy source of protein while others worry it may increase cancer risk. A new studyshows that those who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome could find relief from eating soy.

Read:What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome? The Truth On This Condition And How To Fix It

Researchers at Penn State University performed the study on mice, who were made to have a condition similar to ulcerative colitis. They discovered that issues like weight loss and swelling of the spleen werereduced when soy protein concentrate was substituted for about 12 percent of other protein sources.

While many worry about soy's safety, new study suggests it could help with IBS. Pixabay

We didnt want to get carried away with using doses that were really high and would crowd out all the other protein that was there, said Zachary Bitzer, a former graduate student in the food science program and study co-author, in a statement. Instead, we wanted to find a scenario that was going to fit into a more human-relevant situation.

While the study was only done in mice, the team believes this could be easily translatable toadults as soy protein concentrate is a very common ingredient. However, they are not yet sure whether its the actual soy protein that appears to reduce IBS symptoms as the concentrate also includes soybean fiber. The scientists will soon start a new study to determine which component accounts for the changes.

Soy has often gotten a bad reputation for increasingcancer risk in women. Its natural isoflavones actsimilarly to estrogen, which some worry could increase the risk of breast cancer. The MD Anderson Cancer Center says that soy products can be consumed safely.

The current research does not support avoiding whole soy foods, even for cancer patients or survivors, said Clare McKindley, clinical dietitian in MD Andersons Cancer Prevention Center, in a blog post.

Soy contains all the essential amino acids that play a role in supporting the bodys vital functions, said McKindley. It can be an easy way for people on a vegan or vegetarian diet and those with food allergies to get those required amino acids. But, as with any food, eating in moderation is recommended.

Read:How Many Grams Of Carbohydrates Can You Eat On A Low-Carb Diet? Health Benefits Of Replacing Sugars, Starches

Previous research shows that isoflavones might actually be good for you. Theyve been linked to reducing heart diseases, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline associated with aging, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Like anything, soy can be a part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Just be sure to opt for minimally processed foods to maximize its health benefits and lower any associated risks.

Source: Zachary T. Bitzer, Amy L. Wopperer, Benjamin J. Chrisfield, Ling Tao, Timothy K. Cooper, Jairam Vanamala, Ryan J. Elias, John E. Hayes, Joshua D. Lambert. Soy protein concentrate mitigates markers of colonic inflammation and loss of gut barrier function in vitro and in vivo. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, February 2017.

See Also:

Diet Trends 2017: How The Popular 80/10/10 Eating Plan Affects Weight Loss, Blood Sugar

Maple Syrup Health Benefits: Sweetener Could Help Inflammation In Brain, Liver, And More, According To Study

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Foods With Soy Protein May Help Treat Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Medical Daily

There are no quick fixes to be found at the grocery store.

While some nutrition plans can help you achieve your weight loss or health goals, they probably dont include foods with the word diet or low-fat on the label.

For the casual follower of nutrition trends, this may sound obvious. But data on consumer habits show were still eating this stuff, according to Zhaoping Li, the director of the Center of Human Nutrition at the University of California-Los Angeles. Just take one look at the grocery aisle and youll see beloved brands like Halo Topand Arctic Zero ice cream, for example, appearing in droves.

As dreamy as their calorie or fat contents sound, theres a catch. Many of these products are still highly processed and can encourage overeating.This is hardly healthy, but the labels subtly suggest otherwise. And it pays off for retailers: Research shows that shoppers still view low-fat markers as good for you, even though they donot guarantee nutritional quality.

Low-fat does not equal healthy, Li told HuffPost. Low-fat, high-carb [diets] may not decrease your overall calorie intake nor improve your diet quality compared to high-fat foods.

Experts like Li agree for the most part that products marketed to being low-fat or diet foods arent doing anyone any favors. Here are just a few specific reasons why we should ditch them for good:

A recent study published from the University of Georgia found that diet products that are stripped of fat and include added sugar can lead to unwanted weight gain. These foods may also damage the liver, according to the studys authors.

Its important to note that this experiment was only conducted in rats, so more research needs to be done before a definitive conclusion can be made on how it affects humans. And plenty of other studies have reached similar conclusions:Swapping fat for sugar, like in that beloved fat-free ice cream or even in cereal, is only having a detrimental impact on weight.

This doesnt just apply to food: Diet beverages can also have a poor effect on health. One study even found that diet soda drinkers have larger waistlines and more likely to have type 2 diabetes and risks associated with heart diseasethan people who didnt drink diet soda at all.

Products that feature low-fat labels in flashy text arent really doing anything for your ticker, either.This is especially true for dairy: The message that you need to buy milk thats low in fat is misleading,according to Robert Bobrow, an associate professor of clinical family medicine at Stony Brook University.

As Bobrow points out, a 2013 Harvard study even found that swapping whole milk for reduced fatlacks an evidence basis for weight management or cardiovascular disease prevention. The switch could even be detrimental to health if stuff like sugar are substituted for fat.

If you happen to like the taste of defatted milk, thats one thing, Bobrow wrote in a HuffPost contributors piece. But it wont help you lose weight or render you heart-healthy.

And fat isnt exactly something to avoid. Studies show diets rich in high and healthy fats (hello, avocados!) may raise levels of the the good cholesterol in your body, which helps with artery blockage. They also may help with other risks associated with heart disease.

Food is not the enemy. You can and should enjoy it.

Studies show that the timeless advice to consume everything in moderation may not be so useful after all, but there are workarounds: Some research suggests that a technique called intuitive eating can help. Instead of abiding by what you should or shouldnt eat, this habit relies on consuming what you want based on listening to your hunger and satisfaction cues. Those who followed this method had lower body weights, according to a 2016 study.

Sadly, there are no shortcuts for optimal well-being. When it comes to weight loss, theres no better way than the old fashioned way: Healthy whole foods and exercise.

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It's Time To Admit That 'Diet' Food Is Bogus - Huffington Post

For those who believe that the key to good health is a return to more primitive forms of eating, its a great time to be alive. The cultish Paleo method of diningwhich encourages ingesting mostly meats, fruits, vegetables, and good fats, only when you are hungryhas been the most-searched weight loss method on Google for the past four years. Many fast-casual restaurants have sprung up around the trend, and fancier spots have incorporated the ethos into their menus.

But theres a way to get even closer to ancient ways of eating: moon eating. A nascent trend that started in Hawaii, moon eating has yet to be co-opted by a profit-making enterprise like the South Beach Diet or Atkins. You can just start doing it on your own. If you want to, heres everything you need to know.

First of all, moon eating is not the same as the whack-a-doodle Lunar Diet (also known as the more frightfully named Werewolf Diet) that has graced the gossip rags, wherein aging celebs engage in strange fasting practices looking for their fountain of youth.

Crops planted and picked properly, according to ancient lunar calendar-based traditions, are better according to moon eating advocates.

Source: Grand Wailea

Basically, moon eating takes many of the tenets of clean living that are already trending around the world (eating organic, unprocessed foods that are locally grown or foraged, reviving ancient grains, etc) and adds a layer of timing based on the phases of the moon. The idea is, you eat certain foods at certain timesacknowledging something that the centuries-old civilizations recognized, which is that the human body and our behavior operate on roughly monthly loops like the menstrual cycle.

If you are able to grow your own food, even better. According to the chefs behind the movement, specific cycles of planting and harvesting will provide the best, most nutritious produce. The goal is to be healthier, feel better, and be able to prepare physically for regular changes in the environment around you.

Ultimatelyyou may lose weight by moon eating, but thats merely a welcome side effect; the primary goal of mindful consumption is truer connection to our planet and thus a heightened sense of well beingboth emotionally and physically. Its a lifestyle.

The modern-day moon eating craze is taking shape in Hawaii, where Michael Lofaro, chef at the iconic Grand Wailea, is trying to cast a culinary spotlight on Kaulana Mahina, the ancient Hawaiian lunar calendar.

Chef Mike Lofaro, an early proponent of moon eating.

Source: Grand Wailea

Although treated as mythology today, the Kaulana Mahina was grounded in scientific observation and was once a covenant of the land. The Hawaiians tracked the moons waxing and waning energies and perceived an incredible impact on two types of water: the big water (such as the tides bringing fish to shore) and small water (which encompasses everything from tree sap, to aquifers, to your testosterone levels). The influence of the calendar increasedto dictate practically every element of the quotidian, from fishing larger marine life (when the highest tides would roll in) to signing contracts among chieftains (during the waxing energies of lunar cycle.)

For the past two years, Chef Lofaro has been working with Kainoa Horcajo, the Grand Waileas cultural ambassador, to create special Ka Malama dinners during different phases of the moon throughout the year. The word malama is a double entendre meaning both "month" in Hawaiian and care for the world around us. A fully immersive experience, the intimate luaus celebrate the lunar cycles bounty while introducing participants to the moon eating lifestyle. And with the reopening of the hotels signature restaurant, Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, at the beginning of this year, Lofaro is now bringing the moon eating ethos to the masses with a series of ever-revolving menu items that adhere to the hunter-gather principles.

Last week, for example, while teaching a workshop on the Kaulana Mahina at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, he prepared a dish made of akule and ulu. Akule, bigeye scad, and ulu, breadfruit, are both downmarket items rarely seen on the gourmands plate. But the ulu was planted and picked on the full moon for maximum flavor and was paired with the akule, which are fished at the same time because thats when their population comes in close to the Maui coast.

The restauarant Humuhumunukunukuapua'a at the Grand Wailea.

Source: Grand Wailea

Dozens of other farms and seaside fish shacks in Maui are also pulling inspiration from the Kaulana Mahina. A look at the hundreds of images tagged #moonphaseproject on Instagram will reveal the neonatal stages of the food fad throughout the island. Here, moon eating affects not only how vendors serve fresh fare, but also how they grow it, when they procure it, and how they harvest it to ensure the highest, most robust quality possible.Fruits are once again a great entry point into purposeful planting by the local farmers, as many itemssuch asavocado, mango, and breadfruitnaturally mature throughout a lunar month. By starting and ending the cycle on the eve of the full moon, the produce is noticeably more plump and much more delicious and vitamin-rich when harvested in the correct season (breadfruit during Aprils lunar month, mango throughout the summer). Fishing practices are also much more methodical than simply dropping a linein addition to big fish moving closer inland at high tide, small mollusks and shellfish are most easily captured during the lowest tides of the lunar month. Believers in moon eating think that there's a reason why these foods become more available to human at these times, and that, essentially, we should be better about taking the earth's suggestions.

Kai Momona, prepared by Chef Mike Lofaro of Humunumunukunukuapua`a at Grand Wailea.

Source: Grand Wailea

Further extending their influence, Lofaro and Horcajo reach a wide audience of Hawaiian viewers with their local television program, Search Hawaii, which encourages viewers to plan their meals based on holistic place-based sourcing. They call this practice Mauka-Makaiessentially Land and Seaa local tradition of pairing proteins from the ocean with seasonal fruits on the land, such as limpets and mountain apple, and sea urchin and breadfruit. But they arent the only two champions of the movement. Off-island bloggerHank Shaw really drills down to the core of a similar culling methodologyadjusting your needs to your place, not trying to change the environment to suit your desires, and how to maximize the earths naturally occurring bounty.

You dont have to be in Hawaiior necessarily surrounded by natureto get in on moon eating.

Kealopiko's lunar journal.

Source: Kealopiko

Horcajo recommends starting with keeping a lunar journal (like the one from Kealopiko) to recognize the cyclical behaviors of our environment, from tracking the weather outside and the quality of our daily commute, to monitoring our moods and even the temperament of our bosses and friends.

Our survival depends on our ability to analyze patterns. Without understanding patterns, we would simply die, he said, pointing out historic needs (agricultural cycles; how to hunt prey) and their modern counterparts (data analysis; avoiding heavy traffic).

Horcajo adds that after keeping a diary for some time, youll start to notice uncanny patterns in nature, essentially being able to overlay events from past years on top of one anothera phenomenon long blurred by the arbitrary mathematics of the January-December calendar. When youre first starting out, Horcajo recommends documenting the days when its particularly hard to get out of bed (hangovers notwithstanding). He maintains that the bodys energies are weaker around the first and third moon quarters, which the Hawaiians call the ole phases, meaning "without."You can conceive of it as the moon eating version of Mercury being retrograde. Police officers and medical staff can corroborate the tangible upswing in erratic behavior as the moon becomes full. Planning around the moons impactextra sleep during ole, or leaving early for the office during full-moon traffic jamsis just as important as planning what to eat when.

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Then work on your green thumb by planting as much as you can, wherever you can, be it in a garden, window box, or rooftop plot. Root cropsthink sweet potatoes, carrots, beetsshould be planted around the new moon, and above-ground producesuch aslettuce, kale, and strawberriesgo in around the full moon.According to ancient Hawaiian beliefs about small water, this is the perfect system to get the fullest, most nutrient-rich harvest.

The full moon rises from behind the hills among the silhouette of palm trees in Lahaina on the island of Maui, HI.

Photographer: shootthebreeze/Getty Images/iStockphoto

For those without the time or interest in gardening, its best to start at a farmers market. While the "organic" branding is well and good, youre looking to create a base layer of knowledge aboutwhat grows when, and, according to Horcajo, it may sound like something out of a Portlandia episode, but you can quite literally feel the fullness of produce when its planted and harvested during the energetic parts of the lunar cycle. Just ask the farmer what day that week the fruits and vegetables were pickedonce youre in the swing of moon mindfulness, youll know what to make of the answer.

Ultimately, you might be surprised to find that moon eating works into your life more easily than any diet youve ever tried before. Whether it is the stock market or the farmers market, when you begin to pay attention, not just once in a while but all the time, you begin to spot the patterns, the ebb and flow. Its just the hubris of modern man to think that one is more important than the other. continues Horcajo. Most people involved in the various food industries around the worldmodern foragers, organic farmers, back-to-the-earth advocates are all already basing their lives around the moon calendar. They just dont know it.

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Tired of the Paleo Diet? Maybe It's Time to Try 'Moon Eating' - Bloomberg

New York Daily News

Sharing food pictures on Instagram can help with your diet New York Daily News Instagram is proving to be a strong tool in people's health and weight loss journeys. A new study finds that the popular social media app helps users hold themselves accountable for the quality of their diet -- like a virtual food journal. "The benefit ... and more »

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Sharing food pictures on Instagram can help with your diet - New York Daily News