The consumer shift to a more plant-based diet is marching ever forward, with more and more plant-based products coming onto the market to meet new levels of demand.

Research released by Roy Morgan in April 2019 found just over 12 per cent of the population (2.5 million) follow a plant-based diet, up 14.2 per cent from 2014.

Cargill Texturising Solutions Australia & New Zealand national sales manager Brian Pert told Food & Drink Business that Cargills recently launched pea protein Radipure was developed in response to this growing consumer demand for plant-based proteins.

Pert says consumer interest spans beverages and food. Soy drinks have been around for a long time but research by Euromonitor International showed its 2014-19 compound annual growth rate was down to minus one per cent. Meanwhile, growth in other plant protein beverages was 11 per cent.

Plant-based beverages often suffer from a poor taste profile, texture, flavour and sedimentation compared to dairy beverages, but Radipure is a highly soluble and clean-tasting protein, Pert says.

Cargill also has a wide range of specialty ingredients and texturising solutions to help manufacturers bridge that last mile in terms of mouthfeel, specifically simulating the creaminess and fullness of dairy beverages.

Pert says its C*PolarTex range of highly stable texturising hydroxypropylated starches delivers excellent viscosity and mouthfeel. It means we can help manufacturers bridge the sensory gap between plant-based beverages and dairy.

Technical director for Cargills Food Ingredients and Bio-Industrial business in Asia Gaetan Heynderickx toldFood & Drink Businessabout the challenges manufacturers face in terms of texture, taste and solubility when working with plant-based ingredients.

With the breadth of our offerings for plant-based food and drinks we are in a strong position to deliver a complete solution to our customers.

We have thirteen innovation centres and applications labs globally, with five in Asia Pacific, so we are well equipped to partner with customers from concept to solution.

Starches for stability

Pert says plant-based meat products can also suffer from textural challenges. He says Cargills C*CreamAx range of modified tapioca starches can play a critical role in achieving the desired springiness as well as stability in plant-based meat.

Cargill also has a wide range of other starches in its arsenal. Botanicals such as corn, waxy corn, tapioca and potato come from its 12 modified starch manufacturing plants around the world. Its plants in Indonesia, Thailand and China provide shorter lead times and competitive pricing for Australian customers.

It also has hydrocolloids, stabiliser systems, and other texturising ingredients.

Packaging trends also need to be taken into account. Pert says: Not just from a food safety standpoint but aesthetically, water needs to be held inside the product for an increased amount of time and appearance has to be bright and pleasing. Its another reason modified starches play an important role in this burgeoning category is they denote food safety as well as providing the desirable texture and appearance.

For Pert, Cargill has double-barrelled expertise to work with manufacturers in or wanting to enter the plant-based food and beverage market.

For plant protein beverages we can provide our highly versatile Radipure pea protein and work closely with customers to optimise their recipes using our wide array of texturisers such as modified starches and stabiliser systems.

When working with plant-based meat products, our extensive range of modified, clean label and native starches, together with our hydrocolloids knowledge, means we can help our customers develop a complete textural solution to optimise the texture and improve the eating experience of their product, he says.

As the popularity of plant-based diets continues to grow, Pert says Cargill is determined to be the go-to partner for companies keen to take a bite of the market.

See the original post here:
Harvesting value from the rise of plant-based diets - Food & Drink Business

Five behaviors are associated with a lower risk for Alzheimers disease, a new study in Neurology suggests, and the more of them you follow, the lower your risk.

Researchers used detailed diet and lifestyle information from two databases, one of 1,845 people whose average age was 73, the other of 920 people whose average age was 81. All were free of Alzheimers disease at the start of the study. They followed them for an average of about six years, during which 608 developed Alzheimers disease.

The researchers scored the participants on their adherence to five behaviors: not smoking, consistent moderate or intense physical activity, light to moderate alcohol consumption, a high-quality Mediterranean-style diet, and engagement in late-life cognitively challenging activity.

Compared to those with none or one of the healthy lifestyle factors, those with two or three had a 37 percent reduced risk for Alzheimer dementia, and those with four or five had a 60 percent reduced risk.

The lead author, Dr. Klodian Dhana, an assistant professor of medicine at Rush Medical College, said that the paper focuses on modifiable risk factors. All five of these factors are related to each other, he added, and work best in combination.

My top recommendations are to engage in cognitively stimulating activities such as reading books and newspapers and playing brain-stimulating games, like chess and checkers, he said. Also, exercising regularly and following a diet for a healthy brain that includes green leafy vegetables every day, berries, nuts, poultry, fish, and limited fried food.

See more here:
5 Measures That May Lower Your Alzheimers Risk - The New York Times

THE RESEARCH, led by nutrition and exercise scientists at Nottingham Trent University, aims to better understand how peoples habits have changed since social distancing measures were put in place.

The researchers are appealing for participants for the study, who will be required to answer a series of questions about their habits pre and post lockdown via an online survey.

There have been suggestions that obesity and obesity-related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes increase the severity of Covid-19 symptoms and the likelihood of hospitalisation.

Part of the work will involve investigating how meal timing impacts the effectiveness of physical activity. This follows evidence which suggests that fasted exercise when people exercise on an empty stomach provides greater health benefits than fed exercise.

The questionnaire will reveal what times of day people eat and exercise, which will enable the researchers to identify the most appropriate time of day to implement a fasted exercise intervention for the next stage of the work.

Lack of physical activity and poor nutrition are the driving factors behind obesity, so we want to see how behaviours and patterns have altered from what people were doing pre-social distancing, said Tommy Slater, a PhD researcher in NTUs School of Science and Technology who is leading the study.

He said: The uncertainty around Covid-19 and the duration of social distancing measures means that we need to be prepared for longer periods of time at home and understand how this might influence our behaviour.

Given the potential link between obesity and the severity of the disease, it is important to identify how our behaviour has changed since social distancing was put in place. We then hope that this will lead to the development of interventions to reduce the impact long-term.

Go here to see the original:
Study to explore how diet and exercise are affected by social distancing - The Voice Online

HERBALIFE NUTRITION is all about giving consumers choice: their meal replacement shakes come in a variety of flavours, and they even have vegetarian, kosher, and soy-free versions of their popular meal replacement shake. The company now offers a vegan protein shake in select markets.

With forty years experience providing science-driven creations (that happen to be taste-bud approved, too), Herbalife is a leading force in the world of nutrition and proud to share its Tri Blend Select product.

Why vegan? Herbalife prides itself on providing customers with options. Nearly 5 million of the companys protein shakes are consumed every day, pointing toward a steady demand for tasty and health-conscious products.

Herbalifes Tri Blend Select is another opportunity to provide customers with a variety of healthy options. Consumer practices are shifting. More and more shoppers want clean labels products with ethical manufacturing processes and animal welfare in mind.

While veganism is on the rise, many people still correlate vegan food with poor taste or quality.

Not Herbalifes Tri Blend Select.

Its what the nutrition company likes to call uncompromising. Each ingredient is sourced from generational farmers and producers that have a proven track record for quality. These farming communities have been around for years and years, treating their services as a way of life. Expert knowledge, quality first, and environmentally friendly processes. They understand and appreciate local habitats. Their agricultural work doesnt take precedence it coexists with plants and animals, yielding sustainable growth, as well as the organic and delicious ingredients that make up Tri Blend Select.

Herbalifes mission in creating Tri Blend Select has always been people-focused: the right people creating the right drink for the right consumers those who enjoy a health-conscious, vegan-friendly protein shake.

What separates Tri Blend Select from other vegan protein shakes is not only its attention to taste, but also the carefully calculated blend of Herbalife ingredients that make it so pure.

First, of course, is the companys commitment to sourcing organic and wholefood ingredients. Tri Blend Selects formula has been designed to increase fiber and protein intake while still providing other essential vitamins and minerals.

Then theres the tri of the blend: pea, quinoa, and flaxseed.

Did you know? Pea proteins are friends of the digestion system and dont pose as much of an allergy risk as soy or dairy. Herbalife Nutrition sources its pea proteins from France, which acts as a sort of Mecca of pea agriculture. Seriously, theyve been grown there for hundreds of years!

As for flaxseed, its another pal of the digestive system. You may have used it before to cure an upset stomach, but its also high in a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid.

Mix in its protein, fiber, and phosphorous for bone strength, and its impossible to deny the healthy punch that flaxseed packs. Herbalifes product comes from Canada, which, due to its northern climate, helps strengthen the alpha-linolenic acid and iodine content.

And last but not least, theres quinoa. Non-vegans (or recent converts) tend to be most familiar with this incredibly healthy ingredient. Quinoa comes loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

Herbalifes quinoa is sourced from Colombia, a country well-versed in its cultivation. Also worth mentioningquinoa is gluten-free yet another advantage pending diet restrictions.

Pea, flaxseed, and quinoa make up the main base of Tri Blend Select. In fact, pea accounts for about 50 per cent of the formula, flaxseed roughly 11 per cent, and quinoa approximately 5 per cent.

In addition to pea, flaxseed, and quinoa, Tri Blend Select incorporates organic rice fibre, organic coconut blossom nectar powder, rice protein isolate, inulin (chicory), gluten-free oat fibre, natural flavourings, sweetener (steviol glycosides), and acerola cherry extract.

The banana flavour in particular is high in protein and low in sugar, without jeopardising taste. Each serving offers 20g of protein, along with 6g of fibre, as well as Vitamin C and 7 other key minerals.

While Tri Blend Select is most commonly consumed as a meal replacement shake, it has a variety of usage at any point in the day. Consider it a post-workout recovery drink or protein shake to accompany your meal or even as a mix for overnight oats. Stir it up with oats, seeds, berries, and yogurt the night before and wake up to a nutritious drink.

Tri Blend Select is also well suited for baking. Herbalifes high-quality ingredients lend themselves to being baked, whether thats as a crunch bar, protein ball, or some other delicious recipe.

Herbalife Nutrition makes products for anyone and everyone looking to live a more healthy lifestyle. However, not all products can be applied to a strict vegan diet. If veganism is of interest, its important to understand what it is and the benefits of following the demands of the lifestyle.

Not only does veganism shift ones eating to a plant-based diet, but it also removes dairy products, eggs, and honey. While a vegan diet can prove quite healthy (more on this below), theres also a moral force behind the plan.

Those who practice veganism do so to exclude the exploitation and cruelty of animals, be it for food, clothing, or other products.

From a health standpoint, plant-based diets offer much value. They shift focus to very specific food groups: fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients, despite their low-calorie count. So, consumers get a lot more bang for their buck.

Vegan diets often have less saturated fats and cholesterol, which results in less risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and various cancers. Plus, theres the added humanistic value of having a social impact.

A challenge with veganism can be finding enough good protein every day. Protein is essential to a healthy human body, especially with a rigorous exercise regimen since protein is necessary to help restore and build muscle.

Dietary proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. There are 21 amino acids in various foods, with 9 deemed essential because theyre acids that the body doesnt produce.

Except for soybeans, the majority of plant-based foods lack at least one of the essential amino acids.

The answer? Not only a variety of plant-based foods, but protein shakes. Using vegan protein powder is a great way to hit daily protein goals without consuming a large amount of calories. Herbalifes Tri Blend Select is intended to help consumers do just that.

The need for more vegan-friendly shakes that dont make consumers scrunch their noses when drinking isnt going away. Think back to the conscientious consumeras people buy more stock in their own health routines, more options are beneficial.

Above all else, Herbalife Nutrition is committed to creating healthy products that work for a diverse community of people. The company employs over 300 scientists whose work begins with Herbalifes ingredients. Every product goes through rigorous testing to ensure quality and to comply with government regulations in the 94 countries they operate in.

Diet is a ubiquitous term thats often misused. A lot of focus seems to be put on the lose side of a diet, when, in reality, your diet can be much more generalised. What are you eating? How? When?

Dieting isnt just about losing weight. Its about finding a healthy nutritional balance and developing strong goals that are both realistic and measurable.

Herbalifes nutritional philosophy rests upon three pillars:

1. Balanced nutrition

2. Healthy, active lifestyle

3. Personalised programming

In crafting its products, the Herbalife Nutrition team looks to create opportunities for consumers to engage in a healthy lifestyle that is driven by balanced nutrition. Whether its Herbalifes new Tri Blend Select for practicing vegans, or its flagship product like the Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix, there is a common theme of high-quality and high-priority.

That priority is helping people live healthier lives by giving them better choices. In todays world of options (both good and bad), health is something that demands attention. Herbalife remains committed to providing its large consumer base with products that adapt to shifting demand and emerging trends.

This commitment led to the creation of Tri Blend Select. As people explore their health options and adopt different diets, Herbalife Nutrition plans to be there every step of the way, utilising its talented team of scientists and dieticians to create products that help people live their best lives.

View original post here:
Introducing Herbalife Nutrition's vegan protein shake - Voice Online - The Voice Online

Want to add some fun to your meal at home? How about throwing some fun into the fresh fruit juices that you serve? Just create a few fun ice cubes to go with it. These are easy to mae and need just a few ingredients. Here's what to do...Floral ice cubes Here's something colourful that kids are sure to love. Just wash a few edible flowers and freeze them in the cube moulds. You can use anything from lavender to roses. Herbs on iceHere's a smart way to keep herbs fresh for your next cooking day. Choose herbs such as parsley, oregano, mint, rosemary, basil or thyme. Break then up and add them to boiling water which helps preserve their taste. Cool and fill into the moulds and pop them out whenever you are ready to use them.Caramelised onions when you need themThe same thing can be done for caramelised onions where you caramelise the onion and add them to the ice cube trays with a little oil or melted better. Freeze. Remove the cubes when you need them. Coffee on the rocks Hey this one gives a pep to your cold coffee! Brew the java, semi-cool and pour it into the trays. You may add milk or keep it plain. Freeze and dunk it into the iced coffee glass whenever required.

See the rest here:
Hey busy cooks, try these foodie hacks with ice cubes! - Times of India

The Prime Minister listed the things he looked forward to most as he announced significant changes to lockdown restrictions, including getting a haircut and dining at a restaurant.

From July 4, pubs, restaurants and hair salons in England will be allowed to reopen - and indoor gatherings involving two separate households will be permitted.

At the Downing Street press briefing on Tuesday, Boris Johnson said he had a "very long list" of things he was looking forward to.

"I think it's great to see people out shopping again and frankly I can't wait to go to a pub or a restaurant, even if it may not be compatible with the new diet that I'm on," he said.

"I'd love to go to the theatre again, I'd like to go and see The Globe.

"I'd like to go to a restaurant, frankly. I would love to get my hair cut."

He added that he would "love to play village cricket again", although he described a cricket ball as a "natural vector of disease" at the Commons on Tuesday as he confirmed the sport remains banned outside the elite level.

But he assured that work was continuing with the likes of the performing arts and sports sector to ensure more activities could be given the green light in the future.

Mr Johnson added: "Don't think that this package represents the summit of our ambitions.

"It is as far as we can go for now but I want to stress again that we won't be able to make further progress unless we continue to work together to keep this virus under control."

Other venues that are set to open their doors include hotels, B&Bs and campsites along with most leisure facilities and attractions such as theme parks.

Outdoor gyms and playgrounds will be returned to use, and cinemas, museums and galleries will also be allowed to open their doors again.

However, live performances at concert halls and theatres are still banned, partly due to the risk posed by singing in spreading the virus.

"Close proximity" businesses including nightclubs, soft play centres, indoor gyms, nail bars and beauty salons will also remain shut, as will bowling alleys and water parks.

Read the rest here:
Boris: I can't wait to get my hair cut and have a meal out (despite his diet) - Echo

One in five 17-year-olds consume high levels of alcohol, are daily or occasional smokers and have poor diets, new research on clusters of health behaviour in adolescents shows.

A new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the States independent think tank, published on Tuesday, found three distinct health clusters among young adults.

A group comprising 21 per cent of 17-year-olds - described as unhealthy smokers and drinkers - were found to have the highest level of alcohol consumption, were daily or occasional smokers, had moderate to low levels of physical activity and poor to moderate dietary quality.

Another group described as the unhealthy diet and physical activity group made up 36 per cent of this age group and did not smoke or drank alcohol rarely, once a month or less, but had the worst levels of physical activity and had the poorest diets.

A healthy group representing 43 per cent of 17-year-olds were non-smokers, drank rarely, engaged in exercise in six or more occasions in the previous fortnight and had the best diet.

The research, drawing on data from the Growing Up in Ireland 98 Cohort and funded by HSE Health and Wellbeing, found that young women are more likely to fall into the unhealthy smoker and drinker group and especially the unhealthy diet and activity groups.

Young people from working-class backgrounds were more likely to be a smoker and drink and those whose mothers had lower levels of education - Leaving Certificate or lower - were more likely to have poor diet and physical activity levels.

There were higher rates of drinking and smoking among young people whose parents are occasional or regular smokes, reflecting the impact of parental health behaviour on children.

The socioeconomic background of students and the school climate had a more significant effect than school policy on the membership of the various groups.

Negative interaction with teachers and disaffection from school was found to lead to greater levels of smoking and drinking.

The research findings show that measures to promote both school engagement and a more positive school climate, while important for educational outcomes, are likely to have positive spillovers for other aspects of young peoples lives, including health behaviours, said Anne Nolan, one of the authors of the report.

View post:
One in five 17-year-olds are unhealthy smokers and drinkers - ESRI report - The Irish Times

There's no question that modern, processed diets are bad for the gut. Due to the vast majority of farming subsidies going to producers of corn, wheat, and soy, prices for the foods containing these crops (many of which are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates and low in meaningful vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and fiber) have droppedmaking them cheap and readily accessible for consumers.

Fiberfound in vegetables, fruits, and a variety of whole grainspromotes microbial biodiversity and feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which these "good" bugs then use to produce gut-healing, anti-inflammatory compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). But the average American gets just 15 grams of fiber per day, when we should be getting at least 25 to 30 grams. "Part of the problem we're seeing today could be due to three to four generations of progressively diminished fiber consumption," says gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., referencing a groundbreaking 2016 study inNatureby Stanford University microbiome researcher Justin Sonnenburg, Ph.D.

For the study, researchers fed mice a low-fiber diet over multiple generations. After one generation, there was a decline in microbial biodiversity in the gut, which was reversible when fiber-rich foods were returned to the diet. But with each subsequent generation, there was a progressive loss of biodiversity that was harder to reverse (and impossible tocompletelyreverse).

"Compared to the Hadza of Tanzania, some of the last remaining communities of hunter-gatherers, people in the U.S. have about 40% less microbial diversity in the gut," says Bulsiewicz. "This leads us to believe that we've essentially lost 40% of what we're supposed to have as humans. To an extent it's reversible, but this study shows that we might be in a place where we're impaired from the get-go."

Excessive consumption of animal products (particularly in the absence of fiber-rich foods) may also have a negative impact on the gut microbiome. This was illustrated in a 2014 study by Harvard researchers in which they put the same group of people on two drastically different dietsan animal-based diet of foods like bacon, eggs, salami, and pork rinds; and a vegan diet of foods like rice, tomatoes, lentils, squash, and fruitand measured the effects of each. What they found: On the animal-based diet, there were significant increases in the bile-tolerant gut microbes, which are necessary for breaking down fat but also associated with inflammation.

Additionally, excessive refined carbohydrate and sugar intake has been shown to reduce the microbial biodiversity and feed bad microbes. "Someone who's eating way too much sugar is going to become a fertile ground for yeast to grow in their gut, and they can get candida overgrowth," says Vincent Pedre, M.D., integrative physician and author ofHappy Gut.

Read the original here:
5 Things That Are Seriously Messing With Your Gut And What You Can Do - mindbodygreen.com

Have you ever felt cramps in your stomach right before you enter an exam hall or meet an interviewer? Well, this is one of the simplest signs that indicate a connection between your brain and your gut. But what you might not know is that some diseases or microbes related to your gut could result in neurological diseases such as Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers and dementia.

Can gut microbes result in brain diseases?

Many studies in the past have suggested that the microorganisms in the gut can affect the brain. A study published in the Journal of Parkinsons Disease stated that Parkinsons disease (a chronic illness affecting the nerve cells in the brain) can also begin from your gut and can affect the entire brain function. The scientists found Lewy bodies in the gut and the nose which are abnormal protein bodies that form inside nerve cells and are responsible for Parkinsons disease. These Lewy bodies were seen to affect the peripheral nervous system (the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord) first and then the brain.

Inflammatory bowel disease can lead to dementia

A new study, published in the journal Gut on 23 June 2020, stated that people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) may have an increased risk of developing dementia in later stages of life. IBD is the chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. The study included data of around three million people from the Taiwan National Health Insurance programme, out of which 3,744 patients above the age of 45 years were reported to have IBD and 17,420 people were included in the control group.

After 3 to 5 years, scientists found that out of all those subjects 1,742 people with IBD developed dementia. With this study, the scientists concluded that people with IBD have significantly higher lifetime dementia risk than those included in the control group.

How to keep your gut healthy?

You can keep your gut healthy by following ways:

1. Probiotics and prebiotics: Include probiotic foods such as curd, cheese and kimchi and prebiotic foods such as asparagus, bananas, garlic, onions and whole grains in your diet as they promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

2. Reduce stress: Psychological stress can disturb the colony of good microorganisms in the intestines. Keep stress at bay by practising deep breathing exercises, meditation and listening to soothing music.

3. Exercise daily: Studies reveal that exercising 15 minutes a day or 90 minutes a week can help in improving the gut microbes and also add on three years to your life.

4. Maintain your oral health: Various inflammation-causing bacteria can travel from down from your mouth to your gut. Maintain oral hygiene by brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue regularly.

5. Cut down sugar: Studies reveal that sugar and artificial sweeteners can result in dysbiosis, which is the medical term for an imbalance in the gut microbiomes.

6. Sleep well: According to various animal studies, irregular sleeping patterns can damage gut microflora, thus leading to inflammatory diseases. Sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours a day.

7. High fibre diet:Food rich in fibre such as legumes, beans, peas, oats, bananas and asparagus help in improving gut health.

8. Quit smoking: Chronic smoking can damage the good microbes present in the gut and also gives rise to the harmful microorganisms which can lead to intestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease.

9. Add polyphenols in your diet: Foods like dark chocolate and black tea contain polyphenols which are plant-based molecules known to enhance the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

For more information, read our article on Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Jun 24, 2020 16:13:06 IST

Tags : Alzheimer's Disease, Brain, Dementia, Health, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Lewy Bodies, Myupchar, Nervous System, NewsTracker, Parkinson's Disease, Reuters, Spinal Cord

View post:
Gut microbes are connected to brain diseases; probiotic foods, high fibre, low sugar diet key in keeping... - Firstpost

Fatty foods, dairy, and sweetened treats can raise the risk of acne in adults.

A study by French researchers found that foods such as milk chocolate or sugary drinks could trigger acne in adults.

The results of our study appear to support the hypothesis that the Western diet (rich in animal products and fatty and sugary foods) is associated with the presence of acne in adulthood, the authors wrote.

More than 24,000 adults in France took part in the study. They were asked to keep a 24-hour dietary record over a 2-week period.

The participants were asked to note everything they ate and drank as well as the amounts consumed.

The researchers concluded that fatty, dairy-based, and sugary foods can trigger an acne outbreak.

Drinking five glasses a day of either milk or a sugary drink increased risk of acne by more than 50 percent.

One portion of fatty foods such as french fries or a sugary food like a doughnut increased the risk of acne by 54 percent, the researchers reported.

Dr. Joseph Zahn, an assistant professor of dermatology at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., says the study results arent surprising.

The fact that fatty foods, sugary foods (those foods that are high glycemic), as well as dairy foods (particularly low fat dairy) cause acne doesnt surprise me in the least, Zahn told Healthline.

There have been a number of studies in the recent past which have suggested this particular link, and many of my patients have personally noted acne flares when eating such foods, he said.

Though the exact reasons arent clear at this time, the current school of thought regarding why these particular foods may cause acne to flare is that they may play a role in regulating certain hormones, such as insulin or androgens, which we already know cause acne to flare, Zahn explained.

The researchers suggest a diet high in sugar as well as the consumption of milk causes a rise in levels of circulating insulin.

This, in turn, stimulates cell production while also inhibiting cell death, promoting inflammation and the development of acne.

In addition, an increase in insulin levels also encourages the production of hormones that produce sebum, which can cause acne.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by our pancreas to address glucose levels in our blood. It would make sense that having a high sugar diet or one that is processed would affect insulin levels and other hormones within our bodies as well, some of which also apparently regulate acne, said Dana Hunnes, PhD, a senior dietitian at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center.

Dairy has its own innate hormones, estrogens, progesterones, likely even some testosterone (as even human females produce some testosterone) that is likely exacerbating our own endogenous hormones and increasing the likelihood of a breakout, Hunnes told Healthline.

Study participants who reported having current acne consumed significantly more milk, sugary beverages, milk chocolate, and fast foods than the participants who reported never having acne.

The group with current acne also ate significantly less meat, vegetables, and dark chocolate.

Lauri Wright, PhD, an assistant professor in public health at the University of South Florida, says if dairy foods trigger an individuals acne, they can find their calcium elsewhere.

Dairy is an important source of calcium and protein, and generally can be a part of a healthy diet. If individuals with acne find dairy to be a trigger food, they can substitute nut milks instead, Wright told Healthline.

She argues that more research needs to be done to determine a diet that could help prevent acne, but she says cutting back on sugar is a good place to start.

​A diet low in sugar and saturated/trans fats is protective against many diseases. For health, limiting sugar and saturated/trans fats while incorporating healthy fats, lean meats, whole grains with a foundation of fruits and vegetables is optimal, she said.

Milk chocolate increased the risk of an acne outbreak by 28 percent, while dark chocolate was linked to a 10 percent reduction in the risk.

Experts say theres some truth to the claim that chocolate can cause breakouts.

Milk chocolate contains whey, a milk-derived protein. Intake of whey protein has been associated with increased levels of acne. Some individuals will be more sensitive to whey, dairy, and sugar (no matter the amount) than others. When we look at the composition of chocolate, it also contains sugar, Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian and manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Ohio, told Healthline.

Zahn agrees that people can respond differently to foods like chocolate, and not everyone will experience acne if they eat it.

Acne can be flared by many different foods, and each person has their own unique triggers. Im not surprised that some people flare in response to milk chocolate or any kind of chocolate, he said.

We just arent sure yet what part of the food causes the outbreak, if its the food itself or a secondary effect of the food, such as increasing levels of certain hormones, Zahn added.

Zahn says acne in adults appears to be on the rise, although the reasons why are yet to be determined.

Its possibly related to rising amounts of stress, fluctuating hormone levels, or new medications, or even other reasons we dont fully understand yet, he said. Its a common problem, and many adults aged 30 to 50 still have acne.

See the original post:
Adult Acne Is Real: Here Are the Foods That Can Cause It - Healthline