Journey to a Japanese archipelago in the South Pacific and you'll find a community of island dwellers who consistently live for over 100 years. The astounding longevity of the Okinawans has prompted extensive scientific study into the particular habits that may lead to such long, healthy lives. Instead of finding a proverbial fountain of youth, researchers realized that the unique Okinawa diet and strong social networks have helped these centenarians slow the aging process.

Even if you live on other side of the globe, following a similar eating style may help promote good health. Here's what you should know about the Okinawa diet:

"The traditional Okinawan diet is very produce-rich, making it abundant in phytonutrients and antioxidants, which is the likely reason for its associated health benefits and anti-aging properties," says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN., Registered Dietitian for the Good Housekeeping Institute. "The Okinawan diet limits meat, refined grains, saturated fat, sugar, salt and full-fat dairy products, which tend to have more inflammatory properties."

The National Institute of Aging and National Geographic have identified the Okinawa diet as a Blue Zone diet, meaning it's specifically associated with longevity. "Though they arent exclusively vegan, a focus on plant-based eating is a common theme among the Blue Zone diets," Sassos says.

The vast majority of the Okinawa diet primarily consists of green and yellow vegetables, root vegetables, soy-based foods, and mushrooms. Okinawans eat fish, meat, dairy, and grains like rice in much smaller amounts. Some examples of foods common to Okinawa diet include:

The diet typically does not include beef, processed meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and processed carbohydrates like sugary sweets and snacks.

"While the Okinawan diet is low in refined carbohydrates, that doesnt mean the diet itself is low-carb," Sassos says. "In fact, Okinawans are known for their high intake of unrefined carbohydrates like root vegetables and green-yellow vegetables, a staple of their diet being sweet potatoes."

Because some Okinawan foods like salted fish and miso can contain high levels of sodium, talk to your doctor before adopting this eating plan especially if you've been instructed to follow a low-sodium diet.

Okinawans eat regular meals, but the philosophy they follow at each meal makes a key difference. "The Okinawan phrase hara hachi bu is said before meals to remind Okinawans to stop eating when they are 80% full," Sassos says. "This plays a role in weight management and fighting off obesity."

One reason that Okinawans maintain good health is due to their diet. Like the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, this particular eating style is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Researchers theorize that the low levels of saturated fat, high antioxidant intake, and low glycemic load affect multiple biological mechanisms, like reducing oxidative stress.

Okinawans also form unique social networks at age 5 called moai. One studied moai had met every day for 97 years. If one member did not show up, the other four would walk across the village to check on their friend. In addition to forming these strong friendships, Okinawans prize their families and faith communities. They also move naturally throughout the day, getting active by simply cooking, doing housework, and walking.

"You could certainly lose weight on this type of eating plan, especially with eliminating a slew of higher caloric items like sweets and processed foods and following the hara hachi bu concept," Sassos says. However, the Okinawa diet is not particularly designed for weight loss, unlike other eating plans out there.

"This type of diet can be difficult to follow if you arent living in Okinawa and dont have ready access to special foods from the region," Sassos says. "That being said, we can learn a lot from certain principles of the diet. Emphasizing more whole foods, produce, and plant-forward plates can have a slew of health benefits. Limiting refined processed foods and highly sugary items, as well as eating in moderation, are all important strategies to incorporate into your lifestyle."

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What Is the Okinawa Diet? - Okinawa Diet Plan, Benefits, and More - GoodHousekeeping.com

People who regularly include dried fruits in their diet are healthier than those who don't, according to a new study from Penn State.

Researchers found that on the days they ate dried fruits such as raisins, dates and figs, study participants consumed more key nutrients than they did on other days.

While this is good news, Valerie Sullivan, a postdoctoral researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Penn State grad student at the time of the study, saidthat this doesn't mean you should consume them in large quantities.

Dried fruit has 3.5 times the fiber, vitamins and minerals than fresh fruit. It is also higher in calories. In the study, people consumed more total calories on the days they ate dried fruit.

Another concern is sugar intake. Some dried fruits are higher in sugar than others, which is why nutritionists recommend reading labels carefully before consumption.

Dried fruit can be a great choice for a nutritious snack, but consumers might want to be sure theyre choosing unsweetened versions without added sugar, Sullivan said.

Portion sizes can also be tricky, because a serving of dried fruit is smaller than a serving of fresh since the water has been taken out. But the positive is that dried fruit can help people potentially consume more fruit because it's portable, its shelf-stable, and can even be cheaper.

Lack of fruit in the diet is a major contributor to certain health conditionslike cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, price, availability and a shorter shelf life can be obstacles for many people.

Only about 24% of females and 14% of males in the U.S. eat the recommended daily amount of fruit, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Minimally processed forms of fruit, including frozen, canned, and dried, have some advantages over fresh fruits, said Kristina Petersen, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University and assistant research professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State at the time this work was done.

They are available year round, are relatively consistent in quality, and can be stored for far longer than fresh. Many are also less expensive per serving than their fresh counterparts.

The study findings, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, are based on data from 25,590 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Participants were asked to report on all the foods they had consumed in the previous 24 hours, including dried fruit. Data was also collected on participants cardiometabolic health including body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure and their overall diet quality.

Study participants who included dried fruit in their diet were also more likely to have lower body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure than those who didn't, the researchers said.

Researchers also found that on days they ate dried fruit, participants consumed more total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, potassium, polyunsaturated fat, and overall total calories.

In our study, people who consumed dried fruits had a higher calorie intake but a lower BMI and waist circumference which suggests they were more physically active, said Penny Kris-Etherton, Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences.

So, when incorporating dried fruits, pay attention to calories and be sure to substitute out calories from low-nutrient foods for dried fruits to get the greatest benefit of eating dried fruits.

Sullivan said that she found it interesting that the participants tended to eat more total fruit on the days they ate dried fruit than on other days, suggesting that eating dried fruit could boost overall fruit consumption to recommended amounts.

Not sure how to incorporate dried fruits into your diet? Here are some tips from nutrition experts:

Simply add a variety of dried fruits to your cereal or oatmeal in the morning. While raisins and dried cranberries are popular choices, dates and apricots can also give a boost to your morning fuel.

For lunch, sprinkle some dried fruits on top of your salad or just pack a bag of assorted dried fruits to snack on along with your sandwich. A popular salad choice is a mixed green salad with walnuts and cranberries with a slight drizzle of balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette.

If dinner is a stir fry, add some golden raisins or dried cranberries in with your meat and veggies. Add plum or teriyaki sauce for extra flavor.

Dried fruit along with nuts can also be added to side dishes like rice or green beans.

Dried fruits and nuts also make great on-the-go snacks so always bring along a small serving to nibble on throughout your day

Elise Compston, a registered dietitian told Verywellthat darker-skinned dried fruits like prunes, figs and raisins are better choices when looking to cut sugar intake. Portion size is also critical, she said.

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Eating dried fruit can improve the quality of your overall diet, new study finds - PhillyVoice.com

Development & Aid, Editors' Choice, Featured, Food & Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Food Sustainability, Global, Headlines, Poverty & SDGs, Regional Categories, TerraViva United Nations

Food Security and Nutrition

A young boy cooks food at his home in Masunduza, Mbabane, Eswatini. Experts say the current food system does not promote or produce healthy diets. Credit: Mantoe Phakathi/IPS

MBABANE, Dec 3 2020 (IPS) - As the world accelerates towards achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, it is time to replace the current broken food system. With only a decade left to reach the deadline, evidence shows that the way food is produced, processed and transported is not only destructive to the environment but it is also leaving millions behind.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) The State of Food and Nutrition in the World 2019 report, over 820 million people across the world are hungry. In the meantime, the World Health Organisation states that in 2016, 1.9 billion adults were overweight and, of these, 650 million were obese.

Moreover, in 2005 the agriculture sector accounted for more than half of the global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic showed that an already fragile system was not resilient as more people were left hungry as lockdowns imposed by governments across the globe exposed a system that relies on transporting food for several miles across the world.

Farmers in African countries grow what they do not eat and eat what they do not grow. Eswatini, for instance, does not grow enough maize to feed its 1.1 million people but it exports tonnes of sugarcane to Europe each year. It does not help that more than a billion tonnes of food are wasted globally each year.

As experts observed during the one-day Resetting the Food System from Farm to Fork summit hosted by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation (BCFN), on Dec. 1, the food system is incapable of taking the world to the promised land Zero Hunger by 2030.

This is because despite the lack of access for many people and the negative impact agriculture has on the environment, most of the available food is not healthy.

According to Jeffrey Sachs,professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University and director of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the world needs a new food economy.

Food is overly processed with too much sugar added to it, leading to unhealthy diets, said Sachs. He blamed this on companies who are obsessed with profit to the point of feeding people with highly addictive processed foods and poor regulation by governments to ensure a change of behaviour.

Sachs said while diets will differ based on cultural context but, generally, healthy diets have more fruits and vegetables and are based more on plant protein rather than animal protein.

Changing the food system is a complex challenge, but the first step is to knowwhere we want to go, and thats toward a healthy diet produced with sustainableagriculture, said Sachs.

While many of the speakers during the event lamented a broken system, Chris Barrett, professor and co-editor-in-chief of Food Policy at Cornell University, said it is not all gloom and doom. He said the system has been phenomenally successful in 2020 such that the world is seeing a record high cereal harvesting despite the pandemic and climate change. He also said about 5 billion people will have access to affordable healthy diets this year.

How do we combat the challenges while acknowledging the successes? he asked.

As other speakers noted, it is a system that was designed many years ago and it has served its purpose. The current cracks to the system are a sign that it needs to be replaced with one that is compatible with the new normal.

While technological advancement and innovations are part of the proposed solutions to change the system, policy formulation and education for behavioural change are equally important. Protecting the rights of the marginalised such as indigenous people and ensuring that they have access to land are part of the game-changers.

Elly Schlein, the Vice President Emilia-Romagna, Italy, observed that political will and resources are needed to create the right incentives to change the system.

A timely discussion as the world gears for the U.N 2021 Food Systems Summit which the U.N Secretary-General, Antnio Guterres, will host on November 30 to December 04. The objectives of the U.N. Summit are:

The Resetting the Food System from Farm to Fork summit produced five recommendations for the U.N. meeting, which Dr Agnes Kalibata, the Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit, gladly accepted. She said the summit presents an opportunity to evaluate progress towards 2030 and shift things around to ensure that the SDGs are met.

A decade is enough to shift things around as suggested by Guido Barilla, the Barilla Group and BCFN Foundation chair. He said only doubters would want to languish in their comfort zone claiming a decade is too short to change the status quo.

While bringing issues to the table and discussing them during a summit it important, the real test is in the implementation of strategies that such meetings produce.

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Fixing the Food System to Produce Healthy Diets - Inter Press Service

For some people, surviving cancer can be a teachable moment, a chance to correct unhealthy habits. The wake-up call can be answered with improved dietary and other behaviors, or with denial and self-delusion, or, a little of both, noted Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at the George Mason University [email communication, November 2020].

It appears, from an analysis of food consumption, that most Americans who survived cancer did not answer the wake-up call by implementing healthy changes to their eating behaviors, but they believed they had. These findings, and their potential for clinical effects on the health of the 15.5 million cancer survivors in the United States, were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1

To assess the quality and perception of diets among cancer survivors, data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2005 and 2014 were analyzed. The NHANES assessed nutrition and health information from approximately 10,000 Americans every 2 years.

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010 score was used to quantify diet quality on the basis of 24-hour consumption recall, in which scores between 100 and 80 indicated an excellent diet and lower than 50, a diet that needed improvement. This study concentrated on the HEI subcategories of fruits (maximum 5 points), vegetables (maximum 5 points), whole grains (maximum 10 points), and empty calories (maximum 20 points). Participants were asked to self-assess the quality of their diet by rating it between 5 (excellent) and 1 (poor).

Among the 25,475 participants surveyed, 2361 were cancer survivors. Compared with the general population, those who had survived cancer were significantly older (P <.0001), more likely to be women (P <.0001), to be White (P <.0001), and to have a higher level of education (P <.0001) and income (P <.0001).

The average HEI score among cancer survivors was 52.63 (95% CI, 50.37-54.89) in 2005 and increased to 55.26 (95% CI, 52.71-57.8) in 2014. Despite this temporal increase of 0.729 (P =.0193) points per year, the diets of cancer survivors were on the whole not particularly healthful. The investigators observed that survivors were consuming more whole grains (temporal trend, 0.19; P =.0319) and empty calories (temporal trend, 0.356; P =.0179) and fewer fruits (temporal trend, 0.91; P =.1909) and vegetables (temporal trend, 0.013; P =.7958) over time.

These survivors reported their diet was excellent (11.66%), very good (29.67%), good (38.02%), fair (16.96%), and poor (3.69%). The agreement between a persons self-assessment and quantified HEI score was poor (k, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.02-0.09), and was lowest among men (k, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.08) and survivors of Hispanic ethnicity (k, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.15).

Survivors who were more likely to over-rate their diet were older (odds ratio [OR], 11.4; 95% CI, 10.01-10.2), with a higher educational attainment (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.005-1.732), and of Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.792; 95% CI, 1.062-3.024).

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Cancer Survivors Are Not Consuming A Healthful Diet, But They Believe They Are - Oncology Nurse Advisor

Did you step on the scale the morning after Thanksgiving and grimace? Yeah. In this season of indoor living and holidays, people pack on pounds that they never manage to unpack in the spring and summer. Its worse this year because of Covid-19, which can trigger worry-eating.

The rate of adult obesity in the U.S. was 42.4%in 2017-18, the most recent periodfor which figures are available, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Thats an enormous increase from 30.5% in 1999-2000. Severe obesityreached 9.2%in 2017-18. Obesity is a body mass index of 30 or more; severe obesity is a BMI of 40 or more.

The U.S. is one of the worlds fattest nations, exceeded in obesity prevalence only by 10 tinyPacific island nations and Kuwait, according to World Health Organization datafrom 2016. There are eight times as many obese people per capita in the U.S. as in Japan.

This is both a health and an economic issue.According to The State of Obesity 2020: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a new report by the Trust for Americas Health, obesity puts people at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and many types of cancers. As for economics, the report says, Obesity is estimated to increase healthcare spending by $149 billion annually (about half of which is paid for by Medicare and Medicaid) and being overweight or having obesity is the most common reason young adults are ineligible for military service.

And now, the pandemic. Obesity may triple the likelihood of hospitalization as a result of a Covid-19 infection, according to the CDC.

Freelance writer Matthew Rees, who was aspeechwriter for President George W. Bush,has been all over this issue since launching a website called Food and Health Facts. His logo isa caduceus, used in the U.S. as a symbol of medicine, in which the two snakes coiled around the staff are replaced with a carrot and a stalk of asparagus. Since October hes published bite-sized nuggets onobesity and Covid-19, restaurant portion inflation, the risk in eating processed meat, obesity in the military, advertising spending on sugary beverages, and more.

I asked Rees if he was writing a Thanksgiving-themed item. He said his friends told him to go easy on the doom and gloom on the holiday. (Didnt stop me.) When prodded, he said,There is an unhealthy and excessive amount of animal protein consumption in this country and Thanksgiving is one emblem of that. He hastened to add,Im not advocating that Thanksgivingshould end.

What to do? The report by the Trust for Americas Healthwhose funders include Michael Bloomberg, the majority owner of Bloomberg LPrecommends fighting obesity with, among other measures, free school meals and expanded access to food stamps so low-income Americans can eat healthier foods. Courting controversy, it also recommends changing incentivesby eliminating business-cost deductions related to the advertising of unhealthy food and beverages to children and by enacting sugary drink taxes where tax revenue is allocated to local efforts to reduce health and socioeconomic disparities. When Bloomberg was mayor of New York, the city limited the size of soda cups, but state courts knocked the measure down.

If you dont think those measures are good, come up with better ones, because its clear that something needs to be done.

(Corrects number of obese nations in Pacific to 10 from seven in third paragraph.)

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Today Would Be a Good Time to Start That Diet - Bloomberg

Eggs are a nutritious and affordable source of protein that humans have been eating for millions of years (1).

The most commonly consumed type of egg is the chicken egg. Still, many other types of eggs can be eaten too, including duck, quail, turkey, and goose eggs.

Duck eggs are a staple in Asian cuisines, though recently they have been gaining popularity in other places around the world (2).

You might have seen them at the grocery store, your local market, or on restaurant menus.

This article explains the differences between duck eggs and chicken eggs and compares the nutritional profiles of each. It also reviews some overall benefits and potential downsides of eating eggs.

In general, duck and chicken eggs are quite similar.

Still, there are a few specific features that set the two apart.

The most noticeable difference in physical appearance is the size of the eggs.

A duck egg can be 50100% larger than an average-sized chicken egg. Thus, eating one duck egg is like eating one and a half or two chicken eggs.

As with chicken eggs, the color of duck eggs varies based on the breed and diet of the duck, the environment its raised in, and its genetics (3).

Many duck eggs have white shells, but they also come in shades of pale gray, green, black, and blue.

The yolks also differ in both size and color. While the yolks of chicken eggs are usually a pale or bright yellow, duck egg yolks are a deeper shade of golden orange. Compared with a chicken yolk, a duck yolk tends to appear more vibrant.

Duck egg yolks are also larger, partly because duck eggs are generally larger than chicken eggs.

The vibrant yolk of a duck egg not only looks bold, but some people think it gives the egg a richer flavor as well. People often describe duck egg yolks as tasting creamier than chicken egg yolks.

Overall, duck eggs and chicken eggs taste similar. However, the flavor of duck eggs may be more intense than that of chicken eggs.

Duck eggs tend to be 50100% larger than chicken eggs. They also have a deep orange yolk that people often say is much richer and creamier than chicken egg yolk.

Duck eggs and chicken eggs both have impressive nutritional profiles.

The comparison chart below highlights the most notable nutrients in each.

Here are the nutritional profiles for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked duck and chicken eggs (4, 5).

Overall, eggs are low in carbs and fiber but a rich source of protein and good source of fat. Theyre also packed with many vitamins and minerals, particularly choline, riboflavin, selenium, vitamin A, and vitamin B12.

Although both types of eggs are nutritious, duck eggs tend to contain even higher amounts of some nutrients than chicken eggs, including folate, iron, and vitamin B12.

Duck eggs contain as much as 168% or more of the DV for vitamin B12. Your body needs vitamin B12 for certain tasks, such as building DNA and new red blood cells (6).

Yet, chicken egg whites tend to contain greater amounts of some proteins like ovalbumin, conalbumin, and lysozyme than duck egg whites. Scientists believe these proteins and others in eggs have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cancer-inhibiting properties (2, 7, 8, 9).

Some people mistakenly believe that only egg whites contain protein. However, the yolks are actually packed with protein, although slightly less than the whites (10).

Both the egg whites and yolks of duck and chicken eggs are rich in beneficial bioactive peptides. These peptides are protein particles that may promote optimal health in humans (1, 11, 12, 13).

Duck eggs and chicken eggs are both packed with protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and bioactive peptides that contribute in numerous ways to optimal human health.

Due to the large amounts of health-promoting nutrients that duck eggs and chicken eggs contain, occasionally consuming either type of egg may have health benefits.

Here are some particular benefits of both types of eggs.

Duck eggs and chicken eggs contain similar amounts of vitamin D. Each delivers between 89% of the DV in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving.

Furthermore, some animal research from the past few years suggests that egg consumption may prevent vitamin D deficiency (14).

One 8-week study fed rats with diabetes a whole-egg diet and found a 130% increase in vitamin D levels, compared with rats fed a protein-based diet.

Rats that ate the whole-egg diet also had higher vitamin D levels than rats that were supplemented with vitamin D on the protein-based diet (15).

Still, research on how duck eggs and chicken eggs affect vitamin D status is limited, and scientists need to do many more high quality studies in humans to investigate this.

Regularly eating lean sources of protein, such as eggs, may provide important health benefits. High protein diets have been linked to several health benefits, including (16, 17):

One small study even found that egg proteins specifically may have benefits for weight loss.

The study observed that rats consuming diets comprising 1020% protein from chicken eggs experienced 2930% greater reductions in weight than rats that consumed a diet rich in the dairy protein casein (14).

However, this study was small, limited, and conducted in animals. Scientists would need to conduct human studies on isolated egg proteins to understand how their effects differ from those of other types of proteins.

Still, eggs are a low calorie protein source that may contribute to an overall healthy diet and even help some people manage their weight.

Eggs may be an important source of nutrition for pregnant people and their babies.

In recent years, studies have found an association between egg consumption and a number of benefits, including greater production of breast milk. Whats more, the nutrient choline found in eggs may support brain health and development in newborns (18).

Infants who consume eggs also tend to have higher intakes of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin B12, selenium, and phosphorus (19).

For pregnant people, the benefits may be less clear. One study found that higher egg consumption was associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Meanwhile, another study found it was associated with increased risk (20, 21).

Thus, scientists need to conduct more research to investigate the effects of eggs on pregnant people, their unborn children, and newborns.

Duck eggs and chicken eggs may be important sources of nutrition for young children, pregnant and lactating women, people trying to lose weight, and those at risk of vitamin D deficiency. However, scientists need to do more research on these topics.

Though eggs are certainly a nutritious food, consuming duck or chicken eggs too often could also carry certain risks.

Some nutrients increase or decrease when eggs are cooked. Its common for the nutrient content of foods to be altered by heat and other cooking methods.

For example, the protein content differs between raw eggs and soft or hard-boiled eggs (22).

Other nutrient levels can change with cooking, too. One study found that cooking chicken eggs may decrease their vitamin A content by as much as 20%.

Other studies suggest that various antioxidants in eggs may be altered by heat and cooking. In some cases, cooking increases the amount of nutrients present in eggs (23, 24, 25, 26).

That said, eggs still provide plenty of nutrients. You can use the table above to estimate your nutrient intake from cooked duck or chicken eggs.

Salmonella is a bacterium capable of causing a foodborne illness called salmonellosis. Its symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, headaches, and fever.

Usually, salmonellosis is not life threatening. However, it can be deadly in certain high-risk populations, such as children, pregnant people, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems.

Both duck and chicken eggs can occasionally be contaminated with the bacteria (27, 28, 29, 30).

To avoid developing a foodborne illness from duck or chicken eggs, always rinse the outside of your eggs under running water before cracking them open. Make sure to cook the egg whites and yolks to at least 160F (71C) (31, 32).

Heavy metals are a chemical element classification.

They may occur in some foods as a result of their presence in the soil, water, and air that the food is grown with. The amount in eggs can vary significantly depending on how and where the ducks or chickens were raised.

Animal feed contaminated with heavy metals may also contribute to the amount of heavy metals in the animals eggs (33, 34).

Heavy metals are generally harmless. In fact, some, such as iron, are actually essential nutrients the body needs to function properly.

However, some heavy metals may be toxic in large amounts.

Unfortunately, studies on both duck and chicken eggs have found that some eggs may contain significant amounts of heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, and copper (35, 36, 37, 38).

Thus, consuming too many duck or chicken eggs high in heavy metals could harm your health over the long term (39).

Eggs have been at the center of a controversy surrounding cholesterol and heart disease for years.

Egg yolks contain a significant amount of fats, including more than 100% of the DV for cholesterol in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving. For this reason, people have suggested that eggs may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease (40).

However, since these claims about eggs became mainstream, multiple research studies have suggested that eggs may actually help promote health (41, 42, 43, 44).

Particularly, eating eggs in moderation may help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases like stroke (45).

Still, other studies have found that eggs may elevate your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, which could, in theory, increase the risk of chronic disease (46, 47).

As such, the best way to include duck eggs or chicken eggs as part of a healthy diet is to consume them in moderation and use healthier preparation methods, such as poaching, boiling, and baking.

Duck and chicken eggs can occasionally contain foodborne-illness-causing bacteria or higher than normal levels of heavy metals.

Whether duck eggs or chicken eggs are better comes down to personal choice. Theres no right answer for everyone.

A few factors you may want to consider when choosing between duck eggs and chicken eggs are:

Whether you choose duck or chicken eggs is a personal preference. When youre deciding between the two, you may want to consider allergies, availability, personal taste, and price.

Eggs of all types contain an impressive number of healthy nutrients.

Plus, theyre affordable, versatile, and relatively easy to find.

However, consuming too many may have risks, although scientists need to conduct more research on this.

Thus, consuming duck or chicken eggs in moderation easily fits into a healthy diet.

If youve never had them, try duck eggs next time youre feeling bored with chicken eggs.

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Duck Eggs vs. Chicken Eggs: Nutrition, Benefits, and More - Healthline

Dear Doctors: Our 16-year-old daughter wants to become a vegan. Her father and I think that may be a bit extreme, so we've compromised, and first she's going to try being a vegetarian. What's a good way for a growing teen to safely make the transition?

Dear Reader: We're both parents ourselves, so we understand your concerns about meeting your daughter's nutritional needs. A vegan diet, which cuts out all foods derived from living creatures -- including eggs, dairy products, gelatin and honey -- can send you on a steep learning curve. Even the more lenient parameters of a vegetarian diet take care and planning to be healthful and well-balanced.

As with any diet, the goal is to get enough calories, protein, vitamins and minerals from a wide array of fresh and healthful foods. The good news is that vegetarian and vegan diets are quite popular. That means the information and products your daughter needs to be a healthy vegetarian are widely available.

When following a vegetarian diet, your daughter will no longer eat red meat, poultry, fish or other seafood. Vegetarians may choose whether or not to eat eggs and dairy products. (Some, referred to as pescatarians, include fish in their diets.)

Although it can be tempting to dive into the deep end with a new lifestyle choice, we suggest a gradual transition. Instead of eliminating meat, start by adding an array of foods to your daughter's existing diet. This includes the tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains that will become staples of her new way of eating. Once she's familiar and comfortable with these new foods, she can start eating them instead of the meat-based meal the rest of the family is having. A vegetarian we know made an easy transition by eliminating one category of meat at a time. She started with beef and, every few weeks, stopped eating another type of meat. Within a few months, she had achieved her goal of becoming a vegetarian.

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Ask the Doctors: Transition to vegan diet should be gradual - Lompoc Record

Sardines are oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, and they may have less mercury contamination than larger fish.

Sardines are small, soft-boned fish that belong to the herring family. The name sardine may come from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, where these fish were once abundant.

Sardines are available fresh, canned, smoked, or pickled.

In this article, we look at how to include sardines in the diet and the possible health benefits. We also explain what to consider when buying sardines and how many a person should eat.

Sardines are oily fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are fats often present in plants and marine organisms. The fish are also a good source of protein, vitamins, selenium, and calcium.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential components of cell membranes. A person must get these fatty acids from food because the human body cannot make them.

There are three main omega-3 fatty acids, two of which occur naturally in fish including sardines and other seafood. These are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which fish get from the algae they eat, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is in many parts of the human body, including the eyes, brain, and heart.

According to the 20152020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, consuming 8 ounces (oz) per week of a variety of seafood provides, on average, 250 milligrams (mg) per day of EPA and DHA.

The guidelines point out that consuming this amount during pregnancy and breastfeeding is associated with improved infant health outcomes. However, pregnant and breastfeeding people should choose seafood with lower mercury levels.

This intake of seafood also has a link with reduced cardiac deaths in people with and without preexisting heart disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), omega-3s provide other possible benefits, although further research is necessary to establish the exact forms and dosages. The omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for preventing cancer and alleviating the effects of other conditions, including:

The authors of a 2014 meta-analysis of studies in which participants took EPA and DHA supplements concluded that omega-3 fatty acids are effective in reducing symptoms of depression.

Learn more about the possible health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids here.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for adults is 4656 grams (g) per day, depending on age and sex. Sardines are a good source of protein, with one cup of canned sardines in oil containing 36.7 g of this macronutrient.

Selenium is an important antioxidant that affects reproduction, thyroid function, and DNA production. An adults RDA is 55 micrograms (mcg) per day, and a 100-g portion of canned sardines in oil contains 52.7 mcg of this mineral.

Sardines are also an excellent source of vitamin B12. A 100-g serving of canned sardines in oil contains 8.94 mcg of vitamin B12, which is almost four times an adults RDA of 2.4 mcg per day. Vitamin B12 helps keep the blood and nervous system healthy.

People need calcium for healthy bones, and a drained cup of canned sardines in oil contains 569 mg of calcium, which is more than half the 1,000 mg that experts recommend for adults aged 1950 years.

Sardines also contain other nutrients that are essential for healthy bones, such as vitamin D, magnesium, and phosphorus.

According to a 2018 review, omega-3 fatty acids may aid weight loss by altering metabolic processes. Some of these processes include appetite suppression, inflammation, and gene expression.

The same review suggests that omega-3 may regulate leptin, a hormone that tells a person that they are full.

The researchers conclude that while studies have not yet shown omega-3 to have consistent benefits for weight loss, they have demonstrated improvements in metabolic profile among people with obesity.

Regularly eating sardines can help people meet guidelines for the consumption of oily fish. For example, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend eating two servings of fish (particularly fatty fish) per week, with one serving consisting of 3.5 oz of cooked fish.

However, some fish may have high levels of contaminants, such as mercury, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider sardines to be one of the best choices due to their lower mercury levels.

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise that fish that is lower in mercury is important for developmental and health benefits in the following groups of people:

The FDA recommend consuming no more than 3 g per day of EPA and DHA combined. Omega-3 can also interact with anticoagulant medications, such as warfarin.

People can choose to eat fresh or canned sardines as part of a healthful diet.

According to a not-for-profit organization, fresh sardines should smell fresh, be firm to the touch, and have bright eyes and shiny skin.

Sardines canned in oil have similar amounts of omega-3 to canned sardines in tomato sauce. Choosing a product with tomato sauce provides the additional heart health benefits of lycopene, a carotenoid present in tomatoes.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommend that people avoid eating the European pilchard, which people often refer to as a sardine, as it may not be ecologically sustainable.

Sardines make a healthful quick lunch when people add them to a salad, serve them on toast, or put them in a pasta dish.

However, sardines require preparation before they are ready to eat.

People should gut fresh sardines and rinse them under cold running water.

If the sardines are in a can, a person can remove the excess oil by rinsing the fish under running water.

People can eat sardines canned in tomato sauce straight from the can or warm them on the stovetop.

It is also possible to incorporate sardines into a meal. The following recipes provide some examples of how to do this:

Sardines are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and may have anti-inflammatory properties. They are also a good source of protein, as well as some vitamins and minerals.

People can safely eat sardines regularly as part of a healthful diet, although a person taking anticoagulant medications may need to control their intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Sardines can provide a quick and healthful meal, and people can eat them fresh or canned.

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Are sardines good for you? Nutritional benefits and more - Medical News Today

Please read this document in full before you decide whether to opt in and before you start taking the vitamin D supplements that have been provided to you.

Please make sure you read and comply with the instructions set out on the product label.

Each 1-A-Day vitamin D supplement contains 10 micrograms (g) of vitamin D. This is equivalent to 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D. This is the daily amount recommended for the general population by government for general health and in particular to protect bone and muscle health.

If your GP has recommended that you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow your GPs advice.

Do not exceed the recommended dose (1 supplement per day containing 10 micrograms (g) equivalent to 400 international units). This is a safe level of intake, designed to meet your nutritional needs. Taking more is not currently recommended.

For most people taking up to 100 micrograms (g) equivalent to 4,000 international units) per day is considered safe. In a few people, taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart. NHS.UK has more information about vitamin D, including advice on intakes.

While some medications may interact with high doses of vitamin D, there are no issues associated with the 10 microgram vitamin D supplement. They are intended to supplement the diet and should not be substituted for a varied diet.

You should not opt in to receive the vitamin D supplement if:

If you are one of the following groups or have any of the following medical conditions, you should not opt in through this process and you should speak to your GP or healthcare professional at your next appointment. There are some groups who need to be particularly careful including those under the care of a renal, endocrinology or cancer specialist. This could include people with high vitamin D levels, kidney stones(now or in the past), too much parathyroid hormone(hyperparathyroidism), cancer (some cancers can lead to high calcium levels), severe kidney disease and a rare illness calledsarcoidosis.

Store the supplements out of the reach of young children.

The supplements should be kept away from pets. Consult with a vet if you are concerned that your pet has consumed any of the vitamin D supplements provided.

Check the product seal is still in place on delivery and do not take the supplements if the seal has been broken.

Read more here:
Vitamin D supplements: how to take them safely - GOV.UK