Animal care

The study followed all procedures approved by the University of Florida Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol #201810218) and all methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. This manuscript is reported in accordance with ARRIVE guidelines.

The experiment was conducted at North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), from University of Florida, located in Marianna, FL (3052N, 8511 W, 35m a.s.l.) in a pasture of Pensacola bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flgg). The soil at the experimental site is classified as an Orangeburg loamy sand (fine-loamy-kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kandiudults), with an average pH of 6.5. Average Mehlich-I extractable P, K, Mg, and Ca concentrations were 13, 45, 31, and 245mgkg1, respectively. Soil organic matter was 6.3gkg1, and the estimated cation-exchange capacity was 2.8meq 100g1. The study was carried out for two experimental periods of 32days each, separated by a 15-day interval (Period 1: from 06/08/2018 to 07/10/2018; Period 2: from 07/25/2018 to 08/27/2018). The average, maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall for the experimental periods are represented in Fig.5.

Marianna (FL) station of the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) data of (a) weekly rainfall and temperature data from two experimental periods and (b) accumulated monthly rainfall (mm) and average temperature (C). Period 1: from 06/08/2018 to 07/10/2018; Period 2: from 07/25/2018 to 08/27/2018.

Fifteen BrahmanAngus crossbred steers [Period 1: 32426kg initial body weight (BW); Period 2: 33630kg BW] were randomly distributed into three experimental diets: 0, 50, or 100% (as fed) inclusion of AU Grazer sericea lespedeza hay [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don] into Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay (BG; Cynodon spp.) diets (Table 3) and used as donors of excreta (urine and feces). Steers were fed for 21days for two feeding periods in a concomitant study17 and excreta used in the current study was collected in the last two experimental days of each. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.

Emissions of GHG were evaluated using the static chamber (non-steady state) technique14. Chambers were circular with 30cm radius and made of a base and a lid, both built out of PVC47. The lids were wrapped with reflective tape to provide insulation and a rubber septum was added for gas sampling48. The base was fitted with a 10-cm length copper venting tube to ensure adequate air pressure inside the chamber during measurements49,50. Lids and bases were kept closed for gas sampling by fitting a bicycle tire inner tube that tightly sealed the parts together.

Bases of chambers were installed in the non-grazed pasture of bahiagrass twoweeks prior to excreta application to avoid any effect of soil disturbance on GHG emissions51. Bases were installed at 8-cm depth, with 5cm extending above ground level. Depth for installation was determined based on Clough et al.48. Chamber tops were 22cm height, which when summed with 5cm of base totaled 27cm, in agreement with the indication of40cm of chamber height per hour of deployment48. New bases were installed in a near location of the same pasture for the second experimental period, also twoweeks prior to starting new gas sampling.

Treatments applied to the chambers consisted of either feces or urine within one of the three levels of inclusion of SL hay fed to the beef steers and were distributed as a complete randomized block design. Urine and feces were collected directly from each animal by spontaneous or stimulated urinations and defecations and applied at a rate of 2 L of urine and 2kg of feces, as typical amounts excreted by cattle for the area of the chamber5,52. To obtain quantities required of excreta, sampling occurred twice a day (700 and 1500h) and samples were kept refrigerated at 4C until next morning (day 0 of gas sampling). Samples of each excreta type were composited across all five animals within each SL diet resulting in three final subsamples (urine and feces from each of three SL diets). Excreta samples were kept at room temperature 2h prior to application to the chambers and their chemical composition is described on Table 1.

Application of excreta to the chambers was made one time in each experimental period on the soil surface inside the area determined by the base of the chamber (0.28 m253). Grass inside the chamber area was cut at ground level before each sampling day, when appropriate. Gas sampling occurred between 0900 and 1100h, when temperature is considered more representative of the daily average47 on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 18, 25, and 32 after excreta application for both experimental periods. One subsample was taken per deployment time per chamber, separated by 15-min intervals (T0, T15, and T30). At T0, a sample was collected from the area directly above the soil surface54. Immediately thereafter, chambers were tightly closed by fitting the lid to the base with the bicycle inner tube, followed by the next sample deployment times. All samples were collected with the use of a 60-mL syringe and immediately flushed into a pre-vacuumed 30-mL glass vial. The vial was equipped with a butyl rubber stopper and sealed with an aluminum septum. Samples were analyzed immediately after finishing each experimental period.

Gas sample analyses were conducted using a gas chromatograph (Trace 1310 Gas Chromatograph, Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA). For N2O, an electron capture detector (350C) and a capillary column (J&W GC packed column in stainless steel tubing, length 6.56 ft (2M), 1/8 in. OD, 2mm ID, Hayesep D packing, mesh size 80/100, pre-conditioned, Agilent Technologies) were used. Methane was analyzed using a flame ionization detector (250C) and a capillary column (J&W PoraBOND Q GC Column, Agilent Technologies). For CO2, a thermal conductivity detector (200C) and capillary column [J&W GC packed column in stainless steel tubing, length 7 ft (2.13M), 1/8 in. OD, 2mm ID, Haysep N packing, mesh size 60/80, pre-conditioned, Agilent Technologies] were used. Temperature of the injector and columns were 80 and 200C, respectively.

The hourly gases fluxes (mg of N2O or CH4 or CO2 per m2h1) were calculated according to Cardoso et al.55:

$${text{F}}_{{{text{GHG}}}} = left( {updelta {text{C }}/ updelta {text{t}}} right) , times , left( {{text{V}}/{text{A}}} right) , times , left( {{text{M}}/{text{Vm}}} right),$$

where C/t is the change in gas concentration in the chamber during the deployment time; V and A are the chamber volume and soil area covered by the chamber, respectively; M is the molecular weight of the gas; and Vm is the molecular volume of gas. The Vm parameter was corrected to the standard conditions of temperature and pressure as Vm=0.02241(273.15+Tc/273.15)p0/p1, where 0.02241 is the molar volume (m3), Tc is the chamber headspace temperature at sampling time (C), p0 is the air pressure at sea level, and p1 is the local pressure calculated using the barometric equation. The minimal detectable flux was 0.012ppbmin1 for N2O, 0.004ppmmin1 for CH4, and 1.40ppmmin1 for CO2.

Daily N2O, CO2, and CH4 emissions were calculated by multiplying the fluxes by 24h and cumulative emissions were estimated by integrating the fluxes over each day (area under the curve) and averaged per period. The fraction of N applied in the excreta lost as N2O, named as emission factor (EF), was calculated according to the equation:

$${text{EF}}_{{{text{N}}_{{2}} {text{O}}}} left( % right) , = , left[ {left( {{text{N}}_{{2}} {text{O}} - {text{N}}_{{{text{emitted}}}} } right) , - , left( {{text{N}}_{{2}} {text{O}} - {text{N}}_{{{text{blank}}}} } right)} right]/{text{N}}_{{{text{applied}}}} times { 1}00,$$

where ({text{EF}}_{{{text{N}}_{{2}} {text{O}}}}) is the emission factor of N2O; N2O-Nemitted is the cumulative N2O-N emissions from the chamber with excreta (mgm2); N2O-Nblank is the cumulative N2O-N emissions from the blanks (chamber with no excreta deposited; mgm2); and Napplied is the urine or feces N application rate (mgm2).

A subsample (12ml) of the collected gas was transferred to evacuated exetainers (Labco, UK). Exetainers were pierced with a double needle and flushed with an ultrapure stream of He (12mLmin1) for 6min using an autosampler (Gilson GX-271, Gilson Inc, WI). During flushing, samples were transferred to a preconcentration unit (Trace Gas, Hanau, Germany) equipped with glass traps (OD 10mm, length 20cm) filled with Ascarite, Sofnocat and Mg(ClO4)2to scavenge CO2, CO, and water, respectively. Remaining N2O was cryo-focused on a capillary column submerged in liquid nitrogen for 12min and transferred to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IsoPrime 100, IsoPrime, Manchester, UK) for 15N analysis, using He (2mlmin1)as a carrier. The isotope ratio for 15N/14N was calculated as:

$$updelta^{{{15}}} {text{N }} = , left( {^{{{15}}} {text{N}}/^{{{14}}} {text{N}}_{{{text{sample}}}} -^{{{15}}} {text{N}}/^{{{14}}} {text{N}}_{{{text{reference}}}} } right)/left( {^{{{15}}} {text{N}}/^{{{14}}} {text{N}}_{{{text{reference}}}} times { 1}000} right),$$

where 15N is the N isotope ratio of the sample relative to atmospheric nitrogen, 15N/14Nsample is the N isotope ratio of the sample, and 15N/14Nreference is the N isotope ratio of atmospheric N (standard). The stable isotopic composition of nitrogen was reported using the conventional delta per mill notation. 15N values are expressed relative to the international standard (AIR-N2).

The experiment was analyzed as a completely randomized block design, with feces and urine data computed separately due to differences in the magnitude of responses53. There were three replicates (chamber) of each treatment, and day was considered the repeated measurement for all variables. Glimmix procedure of SAS (SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC, version 9.4) was used, in which the chamber was considered the experimental unit. Graphs were drawn using Microsoft Excel (version 16.61). Normality of distribution and homogeneity of variances were evaluated using the Univariate procedure of SAS. Covariance structures were based upon the smallest Akaike Information Criterion value. The model included the fixed effect of level of SL inclusion and day after excreta application and their interaction, and the random effects of block, period, and their interactions. Means were compared using the PDIFF adjusted by Tukeys test at 5% significance.

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Inclusion of a tannin-rich legume in the diet of beef steers reduces greenhouse gas emissions from their excreta | Scientific Reports - Nature.com

Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian had a good run. The two were head over heels for each other. For the nine months they were together, they made a lot of headlines and were the couple everyone was talking about. But fast-forward to the present, it has all come to an end for the former SNL member and the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star. But that is not something one of them is sad about. Apparently, Pete Davidson had had enough of Kim K consistently pestering him for his diet that is.

Pete Davidson had been with Kim Kardashian for less than a year. But that period was enough for him to get an idea of how a relationship with her could turn out to be. According to insider reports, he had gotten an idea of how trying a relationship with her would have been for him, with her consistently obsessing (and trying to gain control) over different aspects of his life.

This has most fervently manifested itself in her obsession with Davidsons diet. Kim K is known for following rather intense weight loss methods. If a woman says that shell eat p**p to stay fit, then we can all estimate how persistent shell be when it comes to her partners health.

The insider said, He (Davidson) had to keep up with her weight loss regime get in shape, stay off the junk food and look the part of her future husband.

This constant obsession meant that Pete Davidson had grown weary of their relationship. His time with her was enough and as time progressed, Davidson wanted to bring things to a close. And he was soon presented with the perfect opportunity to do so.

Davidson had to shoot in Australia for his upcoming project Wizards! And it couldnt have come at a better time for him.

The insider also said, By the time the Australia shoot came up, Pete was thrilled to be away from all Kims diet and exercise obsessing, but he still had to contend with her being on his case 24/7 about what he was up to.

No doubt, the two ending things would have directly worked in his favor. But Kim K has plenty of dating options left.

Also Read: After Breaking Pete Davidsons Heart, Kim Kardashian Sparks New Relationship Rumour With Orlando Bloom, Spotted Intensely Chatting Him Up

Source: GeoTV

Excerpt from:
Get in Shape, Stay off the Junk Food: Pete Davidson Was Tired of Kim Kardashians Obsession as Kim Allegedly Forced Him to Lose Weight and Follow Her...

Similarly to replacing your favorite candy with fruit, nixing your favorite soda and replacing it with water is another step toward a healthier diet. Healthline explains that of all the things you can drink, sugary beverages are by far the worst. These drinks contain added sugars, which have been linked to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. They can also lead you to consume excess calories, as the calories from the sugar do not satiate the same way calories from food do. The plus side is that if flat water doesn't excite you, there are plenty of alternatives you can incorporate into your diet to quench your thirst. For example, sparkling water provides the fizziness you'd get from soda, and if you add natural fruit juices like lemon or lime, you get additional flavor as well.

However, experts at Eat This, Not That! suggest staying away from diet sodas, as they may contain carcinogens, and can actually lead to weight gain. Registered dietitian Miriam Jacobson, spoke to the site and explained, "Even though diet drinks are calorie-free, they cause insulin to be released in your gut because their artificial sweeteners are sweet like sugar. Insulin is your body's primary fat-storage hormone, so consuming it will cause the body to hold onto any extra fat."

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Tips To Help You Move Toward A Healthier Diet - Health Digest

Several media outlets reported on a new study from Cornell University this month research that looked at the consequences for wide adoption of plant-based beef alternatives across the U.S.

The stories reported alarming meat industry job losses. Yahoo News warned that beef alternatives could cost 440,000 jobs in the UK. The Hill reported how plant-based beef helps climate change but hurts jobs. The Express used the title vegan beef threatens 1.5 million farming jobs as woke ditch meat to save planet.

The problem is all of these stories got the numbers wrong. What the study authors actually found is that a more plant-based food system would create more than enough jobs to offset beef industry losses. Worse, the media coverage ignored the disastrous working conditions and human rights abuses that workers face in the current meat-centered food system.

Using a national model for analysis, the study authors found that a shift to plant-based beef alternatives could reduce the number of cows raised for beef by up to 12 million animals and the carbon footprint of food production in the U.S. by as much as 13.5 percent. Thats consistent with the latest recommendations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC), which called for a global shift to more plant-rich diets to slash emissions from food production and animal agriculture in particular. The food system contributes up to 37 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

The authors estimate that more than 1.5 million people employed in beef value chains in the U.S. could lose their jobs due to the shift to a more plant-based food system. However, they also expect that these job losses will be offset by growth in other sectors, including flour milling, maize processing and oilseed farming. Yet those critical offsets were left out of virtually all news reports on the research.

According to study author Mario Herrero, there are good reasons for regulators and policymakers to encourage these up-and-coming technologies.

Herrero also urges politicians to remain aware of unintended negative consequences and commit to supporting disadvantaged workers and hard-hit local communities and small producers.

A joint study by the International Labour Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank in 2020 looked at how to achieve a just transition climate action that centers workers and frontline communities and found that a shift to plant-based diets could result in a loss of 4.3 million jobs, but a potential gain of 19 million jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition to omitting the positive effects a new food system would have on jobs, no outlet mentioned the biggest population who would be impacted by this move animals.

The study itself did consider the potential of plant-based alternatives to reduce the total number of animals raised for meat. However, the authors only cautioned that taking beef off the menu could result in more chickens and pigs being farmed, species that are more often raised in confined feeding operations.

That the media failed to take into account how food system change would impact animals is not surprising. But outlets also failed to fully consider the impacts on the human species.

As undercover investigators, human rights organizations and psychologists have pointed out, again and again, the human costs of animal agriculture are devastating. Reporting on the future of food should include these costs along with the bare job numbers.

Most news reports also failed to mention that the shift to a more sustainable food system is absolutely necessary to prevent the climate crisis from devastating economies worldwide. The ILO and IDB study estimates that 2.5 million jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean could be lost to heat stress alone by 2030, affecting farm workers and other outdoor workers, and that damages caused by the climate crisis could cost the region $100 billion (in USD) yearly.

When reporting on meat processing and packing workers, journalists should know that turning animals into food is one of the most demanding jobs in existence. Workers typically stand shoulder to shoulder in cold and dark spaces surrounded by knives, saws, grinders and other dangerous machines. In the U.S., meat workers have the highest workplace injury rates in all manufacturing industries, and are three times more likely to experience severe injuries, such as burns and amputations, than the average worker.

Hearing loss caused by extreme noise, hypothermia, musculoskeletal disorders and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals and viruses are also factors that add to the physical stress experienced by meat workers.

Beyond the physical harm, many workers report the most challenging physical aspect is the act of killing the animals. Meat workers on the kill floor kill hundreds to thousands of animals daily, most of whom are young, in poor physical condition and, in some cases, even pregnant. This kind of work takes its toll on the psyche of slaughterhouse workers.

A 2021 review of 14 studies found that meat workers have a higher rate of mental health issues, especially depression and anxiety. Further, slaughterhouse work is associated with traumatic disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and perpetrator-induced traumatic stress (PITS) syndrome, which leads to PTSD symptoms in individuals who participated in causing a traumatic situation.

Some psychologists point out that slaughterhouse worker trauma is the result of company policies and public demand for meat, preferring to characterize their experiences as participation-induced trauma (also abbreviated PITS) instead. The disorder can manifest as depression, hostility, panic, paranoia, psychosis and violent dreams.

Despite the highly demanding work conditions, meat packers around the world receive low wages. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, slaughterers and meat packers received a mean hourly wage of $15.53 per hour in 2021. In the European Union, meat companies often avoid legal liability by hiring workers through intermediaries, a Guardian investigation revealed last year. Another Guardian report found that migrant workers in the Netherlands meat sector often face underpayment, long working hours and poor housing.

Unsurprisingly, as fewer people are willing to work in slaughterhouses, the meat industry has begun to lament labor shortages in recent years. Meat companies are more likely to recruit members of vulnerable communities, including undocumented immigrants and prisoners, to fill these positions.

More than half 51.5 percent of frontline meatpacking workers in the U.S. are immigrants, 25.2 percent are Black, 44.4 percent Hispanic, with nearly half living in families who are below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, according to a report by The Center for Economic and Policy Research.

In the E.U., the situation is similar, with a large proportion of slaughterhouse workers coming from migrant communities. This year, after Russias invasion of Ukraine, German pork producer Tnnies sent employees to the Polish-Ukrainian border to offer refugees a ride to Germany if they agreed to work for the company.

The production of plant-based ingredients eliminates the most physically and emotionally grueling elements of meat production dissecting animal bodies and taking their lives. Workers employed by plant-based producers create food products by mixing ingredients together or overseeing other steps of the production process, such as forming, breading and packaging.

Its unlikely that everyone currently working in the meat industry will find a new job in a plant-based food system, however. Retraining might not be an option for everyone, and some workers may want to pursue jobs outside of the agriculture industry entirely. Also, experts point out that the production of plant-based alternatives may be more automated than meat processing, resulting in fewer factory jobs for human employees. Workers in a plant-based system would also not be immune from many other workplace challenges, as a shift in ingredients does not necessarily improve management.

Yet all of these constraints should not stand in the way of climate action that reduces food system emissions, avoids animal slaughter and creates jobs where workers dont have to engage in traumatic activities on a daily basis. Considering the trauma and damage caused by slaughterhouse work, fewer jobs in that industry are hardly bad news.

Read More

New Study Confirms Again Plant-Based Is Better for the Planet

How the U.S. Poultry Industry Is Crushing Contract Chicken Farmers

From Livestock to Plants: Why Some Farmers Are Making the Switch to More Sustainable Agriculture

More here:
No, Shifting to Plant-Based Diets Will Not Cause Massive Job Cuts - Sentient Media

(LanaStock/iStock via Getty Images)

If you know anything about healthy eating, you've probably heard that the benefits of Mediterranean-style eating are as clear as the crystal sea at a Greek island getaway.

But for someone just testing the waters of heart-healthy eating, the specifics of such a diet can get a little murky. That's because its definition can vary.

Mediterranean-style eating is not necessarily about eating so many servings of a particular food at each meal, said Catherine M. Champagne, professor of nutritional epidemiology and dietary assessment and nutrition counseling at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. "It's more of a pattern."

In general, that pattern includes:

Fresh fruits and vegetables.

Nuts, beans and whole grains.

Olive oil as the principal source of fats, as opposed to butter or margarine.

Fish and other seafood.

Limiting consumption of red and processed meat, sugary sweets, processed foods and some dairy.

It's an eating pattern rooted in the traditional habits of people in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, where rates of heart disease tend to be lower and life expectancies after age 45 have been among the highest in the world.

The details of what makes a Mediterranean diet can shift from country to country, Champagne said. But repeated studies have linked it to lower cardiovascular risk. One study, published in 2018 in JAMA Network Open, found that among nearly 26,000 U.S. women followed for up to 12 years, adherence to such a diet was associated with a one-quarter lower risk of any of four cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

Mediterranean-style eating was incorporated into the recent update of an American Heart Association tool for evaluating heart health. The tool, Life's Essential 8, produces a score based on eight easily measured assessments: diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body weight, blood lipids (cholesterol and other fats), blood glucose and blood pressure. easily measured assessments: diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body weight, blood lipids (cholesterol and other fats), blood glucose and blood pressure.

The experts behind Life's Essential 8 supported both Mediterranean-style eating patterns and DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which have many similar components. In individuals, Life's Essential 8 rates diet based on a screening tool for what's called the Mediterranean Eating Pattern for Americans.

Christy Tangney, a professor of clinical nutrition and preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, helped create that 16-question screening tool.

One of the hallmarks of Mediterranean-style eating is its flexibility, she said. Research done in Spain on Mediterranean eating, for example, includes sofrito, a sauce made of olive oil and vegetables commonly eaten there. Tangney's "Americanized" screener leaves sofrito out, because it's rarely seen in U.S. diets, but adds berries.

Mediterranean-style eating works, Champagne said, in part because of how it affects cholesterol in the bloodstream. The Mediterranean diet lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol, and research suggests it either doesn't affect "good" HDL or slightly increases it, she said.

The bottom line, Champagne said, is simply: "We've seen lots of heart health benefits with a Mediterranean diet."

That does not mean it's perfect. People trying to lose weight will still need to cut back on calories. And Tangney said it can be a challenge for Americans to embrace whole grains, walk away from processed foods and ease up on dairy products such as cheese.

Also, access to the fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods in a Mediterranean eating pattern can be a challenge for people with low incomes, said Dr. Annabelle Santos Volgman, a professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center and medical director of the Rush Heart Center for Women.

Understanding the role of wine can also be tricky. Moderate wine drinking one to two drinks a day has been considered part of the diet. But Volgman, who worked with Tangney to develop the screening tool, said the possible benefits from wine are outweighed by the potential harms. Federal guidelines recommend that people who don't drink alcohol should not start, and for those who do drink, less is better for health.

Such caveats aside, adopting aspects of Mediterranean eating can be easy.

Embracing extra virgin olive oil for cooking or in salad dressings is one place to start, Tangney said. Eat leafy greens daily. "When you look at your plate, the largest part of your plate should be vegetables," she said.

For protein, a Mediterranean eating plan would have you cut back on red meat, so try fatty fish such as anchovies, salmon, mackerel, tuna or sardines once or twice a week. Beans are also a good protein source; Tangney suggests having them three times a week. Eat nuts or fresh fruit instead of sweets for dessert.

Champagne said breakfast could include an olive oil spread on whole-wheat toast, and possibly an egg. A dinner of salmon with pilaf and a large portion of stir-fried vegetables could work, she said. Pastas should be whole grain. And people who don't enjoy lots of olive oil can find healthy fats in nuts or avocados instead.

Diet isn't the only part of Mediterranean living that's important for heart health. The eating pattern is historically associated with lifestyles that include exercise and social activity.

But the flexibility that makes Mediterranean-style eating hard to define can make it easy to embrace.

"People love choice," Tangney said. "Nobody wants to be dictated to."

If you have questions or comments about this American Heart Association News story, please email [emailprotected].

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What goes into a Mediterranean diet, and how to get started - American Heart Association News

HelloFresh launches special diet Green Chef brand in the Netherlands where 35% of consumers follow a nutrition rule

Meal kit provider HelloFreshhas launched its special diet Green Chef brand in the Netherlands after spotting strong interest in special diets among consumers in the country.

The Berlin-based business operates in the UK, US, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Franceand Denmark. Its weekly meal kits come with pre-packaged fresh ingredients and cooking instructions and take typically 30 minutes to prepare.

Green Chef, which plans meals to fit around customers healthy eating goals, was founded in the US and later acquired by HelloFresh in early 2018. It has since been scaled up.

Following Green Chef's success in the US, and a successfulexpansion to the United Kingdomin 2021, the company is now introducing the brand for health-conscious customers to the Netherlands.

Green Chefs value proposition provides the perfect opportunity to target distinct customer segments, said HelloFresh. For this purpose HelloFresh has tailored the brand and product proposition to a health-savvy Dutch consumer. Green Chef will offer a variety of plans to cater to different lifestyles and dietary preferences, such as vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, lower carb and keto. All of Green Chef's recipes are created by a team of certified dieticians with a big focus on flavour, quality ingredients and variety to create inspiration for every dish. Their work will offer health conscious consumers greater convenience, and peace of mind while following their preferred diet.

Green Chef Netherlands offers six popular diets: keto, vegan, vegetarian, lower carb, flexitarian and pescatarian.

Having been active in the Netherlands for more than ten years, HelloFresh said it wasdetermined that it was missing out on a very attractive customer segment which cares deeply about their food and dietary choices and frequently cooks at home. Sticking to healthy eating goals can be seen as restrictive and even confusing, leaving people feeling overwhelmed and despondent, it said. Researching recipes, shopping, and reading labels to find the ideal ingredients takes a lot of time. That is why people either dont even try or quit, while trying to achieve their health goals. Green Chef is the perfect solution for these customers and the 35% of Dutch consumers who follow at least one nutrition rule in their daily life.

HelloFresh added this latest launch is consistent with its growth strategy. It announced: It will help cement the companys market dominance in the Dutch meal kit sector through appealing to an even wider pool of prospective customers and to reach those in the Netherlands who are currently not catered for through HelloFreshs current offering. It will also help HelloFresh to reach its ambition to scale its business significantly over the next few years.

A spokesperson added:We are very excited to bring Green Chef to the Netherlands following the brands success in the US and the UK. As a business, we remain in a period of high-growth, and it is essential that we are continually diversifying our offer to bring new and exciting choices to both our existing customer base and those who are yet to experience what meal kits have to offer.

To date, the health and diet conscious segment of the market, such as those following keto, lower carb or vegan diets, have been underserved by the food and drink industry. Thats why we are especially pleased to be launching Green Chef in the Netherlands, and which we are sure will bring greater convenience, peace of mind, and variety to these customers.

The move is also part of HelloFreshs plan to become world-leading food solutions group.

Its second-quarter results released last week revealed that while earnings dropped as expected in the inflation-mired period, the company's active customer base increased by 4.1% year-on-year to eight million in the second quarter, while the average order value increased by 11% year-on-year on a constant currency basis. "Our product offering continues to come at an attractive and competitive pricing and brings additional benefits to our customers, such as having fresh food delivered to their homes, reducing food waste and taking away the hassle of having to think about what to shop and cook, said HelloFresh CEO Dominik Richter.

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'Keto and lower carb diets have been underserved by the food and drink industry': HelloFresh launches special diet brand in the Netherlands where '35%...

Research finds that eating grapes regularly leads to unique gene expression patterns, reduces fatty liver, and extends the lifespan of mice consuming a high-fat western-style diet.

In comprehensive studies published recently in the journal Foods, it was reported that the long-term addition of grapes to the diet of mice leads to unique gene expression patterns, reduces fatty liver, and extends the lifespan of animals consuming a high-fat western style diet. The research team was led by Dr. John Pezzuto of Western New England University.

Pezzuto, who is an author of over 600 papers in the scientific literature, said he was especially amazed by these results. We have all heard the saying you are what you eat which is obviously true since we all start out as a fetus and end up being an adult by eating food. But these studies add an entirely new dimension to that old saying. Not only is food converted to our body parts, but as shown by our work with dietary grapes, it actually changes our genetic expression. That is truly remarkable.

What is the effect of this alteration of gene expression? As shown in this paper, fatty liver is prevented or delayed. Fatty liver is a condition that affects around 25% of the worlds population and can eventually lead to untoward effects, including liver cancer. The genes responsible for the development of fatty liver were altered in a beneficial way by consuming grapes. In ancillary work, not only is the expression of genes altered, but metabolism is also changed by dietary grapes. This study was recently published by a collaborative team led by Dr. Jeffrey Idle in the journal Food & Function.

Studies of grapes add an entirely new dimension to the saying you are what you eat.

In addition to genes related to fatty liver, the work found that the grape-supplemented diets increased levels of antioxidant genes. According to Pezzuto, Many people think about taking dietary supplements that boast high antioxidant activity. In actual fact, though, you cannot consume enough of an antioxidant to make a big difference. But if you change the level of antioxidant gene expression, as we observed with grapes added to the diet, the result is a catalytic response that can make a real difference.

Another remarkable effect demonstrated in this research was the ability of grapes to extend the lifespan of mice given a high-fat western pattern diet. The high-fat western pattern diet is known to be associated with adverse conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer, and Alzheimers disease. Adding grapes to the diet, which did not affect the rate of consumption or body weight, delayed natural death. Although translating years of lifespan from a mouse to a human is not an exact science, Pezzuto notes that his best estimate is the change observed in the study would correspond to an additional 4-5 years in the life of a human.

Precisely how all of this relates to humans remains to be seen, but it is clear that adding grapes to the diet changes gene expression in more than just the liver. In studies recently published in the journal Antioxidants by Pezzuto and his team of researchers, it was found that grape consumption alters gene expression in the brain. At the same time, grape consumption had positive effects on behavior and cognition that were impaired by a high-fat diet, suggesting that the alteration of gene expression was what produced this beneficial response. More studies are needed, but it is notable that a team led by Silverman at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reported that the daily administration of grapes had a protective effect on brain metabolism. This new research indicates that this is due to alteration of gene expression.

References:

Consumption of Grapes Modulates Gene Expression, Reduces Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Extends Longevity in Female C57BL/6J Mice Provided with a High-Fat Western-Pattern Diet by Asim Dave, Eun-Jung Park, Avinash Kumar, Falguni Parande, Diren Beyolu, Jeffrey R. Idle and John M. Pezzuto, 5 July 2022, Foods.DOI: 10.3390/foods11131984

Addition of grapes to both a standard and a high-fat Western pattern diet modifies hepatic and urinary metabolite profiles in the mouse by Diren Beyolu, Eun-Jung Park, Adolfo Quiones-Lombraa, Asim Dave, Falguni Parande, John M. Pezzuto and Jeffrey R. Idle, 20 July 2022, Food & Function.DOI: 10.1039/D2FO00961G

Effect of Dietary Grapes on Female C57BL6/J Mice Consuming a High-Fat Diet: Behavioral and Genetic Changes by Falguni Parande, Asim Dave, Eun-Jung Park, Christopher McAllister and John M. Pezzuto, 18 February 2022, Antioxidants.DOI: 10.3390/antiox11020414

The grapes used in these studies were provided by the California Table Grape Commission, who partially supported the work as well. Kathleen Nave, president of the commission, noted that the grape growers of California are proud to have supported grape research at over 70 institutions throughout the US and the world for over 20 years. She stated that Grape growers in California have had the privilege of supporting scores of projects over the years. Some studies have shown positive effects on health, and others have not been as promising. The results reported by John Pezzuto and his team are exciting and rewarding on many levels. The potential for improvements in human health is significant as is the strength of the data which logically supports the need for follow-up work in human clinical trials. All of this is rewarding to the growers who have funded research year after year with the sole objective of following the science and learning what we could from high caliber peer-reviewed research. Studies like the ones reported here are not only rewarding to grape growers and of interest to the scientific community, but are of value to everyone who wants to optimize their health and understands that what we eat matters. We cant ask for more than that.

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Research Shows Remarkable Impacts of Grape Consumption on Health and Lifespans - SciTechDaily

Prostate canceris one of the most common types of cancer for men and according to the American Cancer Society, "About 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer and 34,500 deaths from prostate cancer," are estimated for this year. While nobody wants a cancer diagnosis, the good news is prostate cancer is very treatable, especially when caught early and there are ways to help lower the risk. Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with experts who share how to help prevent prostate cancer and signs to look out for. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

The American Cancer Society states, "About 1 man in 8 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer is more likely to develop in older men and in non-Hispanic Black men. About 6 cases in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and it is rare in men under 40. The average age of men at diagnosis is about 66."

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Prostate cancer may cause no signs or symptoms in its early stages. Prostate cancer that's more advanced may cause signs and symptoms such as:

Dr. Jonathan Stegall, MD, Integrative Oncologist, Medical Director for The Center for Advanced Medicine and bestselling author of Cancer Secrets gives us the following tips:6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

-Control your weight. Being obese increases the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

-Eat a healthy diet, consisting of plenty of fruits and vegetables, Of note, healthy omega-3s found in nuts, seeds, and fish have been shown to play a role in preventing prostate cancer.

-Reduce oxidative stress, a hallmark of aging. One theory is that the increased incidence of prostate cancer we see with aging is a result of oxidative stress on cells. This can be thought of as increased irritation on cells, and can result from a wide variety of exposures including processed foods, sugary drinks, and occupational/environmental exposures."

Dr. Stegall says, "Prostate cancer detected early, when it is still confined to the prostate, is easily treated with excellent outcomes. Thus, routine screening is imperative. I believe men should start having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level checked yearly starting by age 40. It is important to keep in mind that PSA can increase due to non-cancerous reasons as well, but PSA provides a good starting point and is easily measured on routine blood work."

Adam Ramin, MD, urologic surgeon and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles tells us, "In general, what we eat affects every part of our bodies, and the prostate is no exception. Numerous studies indicate that there are some foods, consumed frequently, that can be detrimental to or may increase a man's prostate cancer risk. Some of these foods include red meat, alcohol, dairy products, and foods that have a high amount of saturated fats.

Red meat, specifically hot dogs, beef, pork, and sausage contains a chemical compound known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These chemicals develop during the red meat cooking process. Researchers suggest that it is these HCAs that are responsible for an increased risk of prostate cancer. Though these types of meat are often a primary source of protein, which is a necessary fuel for the body, there are alternatives. Consider fish, white meats like turkey, chicken, and other poultry, as well as non-meat sources like tofu and beans. Although many of today's dairy products are the go-to source of calcium for lots of people, large amounts of dairy should not be consumed regularly. The reason is that many dairy products have very high-fat content which studies have shown to be associated with the progression of prostate cancer cells and lethality from the disease. A good goal is to keep daily intake of whole milk products, fatty cheeses, yogurt, butter, and ice cream to a minimum and eat them in small portions. As an alternative, switch to non-dairy products like soy, oat or almond milk, fat-free yogurts, and low-fat ice creams. There are a variety of non-dairy options at most grocery chains today.

Now that we've outlined which foods may increase the risk of prostate cancer, let's explore those that may reduce the risk. By incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our diets, the risk of developing prostate cancer may be significantly reduced. And there are certain foods to consume that may accomplish this better than others. These include tomatoes, various berries, nuts, coffee (in moderation), and carrots. But truthfully, diets that are rich in whole foods (foods that have not been overly processed or altered beyond their natural state with manufactured ingredients or preservatives), like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, may help to slow the progression or even possibly prevent prostate and other types of cancer.

Proper nutrition can also help ward off the recurrence of disease while boosting the immune system. The key is knowing the right food ratios to consume, which foods to avoid, and which are suitable in moderation. Following a heart-healthy diet is one of the best ways to prevent a variety of health issues, including cancer. If you're looking at this from a meal-by-meal perspective, it means that any given plate of food is going to contain mostly veggies and fruits, and a small helping of lean protein (avoiding red meat when possible). Dessert should be an on-occasion treat (preferably not daily) and tend toward a less sugary and fatty option, like sugar-free almond yogurt topped with fruit and a small drizzle of honey. As beneficial as a healthy diet is, it cannot replace routine health checkups or screenings for prostate cancer. If you've been putting off that annual physical, make the appointment. You'll be glad you did."

Heather Newgen

Excerpt from:
Sure Signs You Have Prostate Cancer, Say Physicians Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Arugula has in it Vitamin A, C and folic acid along with antioxidants and carotenoids, all of which are healthy for the skin and can also aid in weight loss. It also provides the body with essential nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium which help to keep the body healthy.

Photo : iStock

New Delhi: Fruits and vegetables are an extremely important part of our diets as they provide the body with the required amount of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These nutrients help to keep the body healthy. Certain vegetables are good for certain parts of the body like carrots are known to be good for the eyes. Similarly, there are vegetables that work to help you lose your belly.

Green vegetables are known to be great sources of essential vitamins and minerals and they also help to keep certain diseases at bay. Consuming these vegetables can help you lose some belly fat and not just that, it can also help you slow ageing. Here, take a look at the leafy green vegetables that can help you slow down ageing and also shed some belly fat.

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

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Trying to lose belly fat? Add THESE vegetables to your diet that can also slow ageing - Times Now

Musical artist Billie Eilish, together with her mother Maggie Baird, have been working hard to inspire fans to engage in environmentally friendly practices such as plant-based eating, and their efforts will be recognized during the 32nd annual Environmental Media Association (EMA) Awards. Eilish and Baird were chosen as honorees for their combined work to mitigate the climate crisis.

Im thrilled to accept the EMA Missions in Music Award this year alongside my daughter, Baird told The Hollywood Reporter, which is one of the sponsors of the awards ceremony. Im so proud that Billie uses her voice to inspire a younger audience and advocate for change. Its a dream come true that Billie and I share the same passion in tackling the climatecrisis. We are stronger together and I know that shell continue to make a tremendous impact onthis earth for the next generation.

Scheduled to take place on October 8, the EMA Awards will also honor vegan actress Nikki Reed with an innovator award for her eco-friendly jewelry brand BaYou With Love.

Eilish went vegan at age 12 and has been vocal about her decision to do so for ethical and environmental reasons. In addition to sharing her vegan lifestyle with fans on social media, the 20-year-old often joins and organizes campaigns to effect change.

Last year, Eilish joined fellow celebritiesincluding Moby,Joaquin Phoenix, Alan Cumming, Evanna Lynch, and Alicia Silverstoneto urge Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma, the president of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), to include the role of animal agriculture in all discussions about the climate crisis at the world-renowned event.

For her Happier Than Ever, The World Tour, Eilish put her words into practice with initiatives that help fans adopt a plant-based lifestyle while learning about the damaging effect of animal agriculture on the climate crisis. The tour, which began in February and ends in September of this year, includes The Billie Eilish Eco-Village activation on the concourse of every show for concert ticket holders. The activation showcases Support + Feedan initiative started by her mother at the onset of COVID-19along with other local environmental nonprofits. Additionally, at every show during her tour, visitors have been introduced to The Pledge, a campaign sponsored by Wicked Foods and created by Support + Feed to inspire Eilishs fans to eat a plant-based meal every day for 30 days.

Nike/BillieEilish

In addition to advocating for a plant-based diet to curb the climate crisis, Eilish made strides in advocating for animals and the climate in other ways. In the fashion industry, Eilish convinced luxury brand Oscar de la Renta to ditch fur and has worked with Nike on vegan and environmentally friendly versions of its iconic sneaker styles, including the AirForce One, Alpha Force Low, and Air Trainer 3.

A longtime climate activist and vegan, Baird has not only raised two influential vegan childrenEilish and her brother, and music producer Finneasbut has been instrumental in supporting plant-based businesses, frontline workers, and people experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic with her initiative Support + Feed. Baird started the initiative at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 as a vehicle for supporting struggling vegan restaurants by purchasing their food and sending it to those in need. Since its inception, Baird has expanded the Support + Feed initiative to several regions, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia, and has taken the initiative on tour with her daughter to bring it to an international audience.

Support + Feed

On her Happier than Ever, The World Tour, Eilish and Baird joined forces to make an even bigger impact. During the London leg of the tour in June, the citys famed O2 arena removed animal products from the venue for Overheated, a six-day, climate-action event hosted by the musical artist together with environmental nonprofit Reverb and her mothers nonprofit Support + Feed. Instead of animal products, sponsor Impossible Foods stepped in with a menu of plant-based alternatives such as Impossible Sausage Kofta and Impossible Chicken Parmigiana.

Stateside, the mother-daughter duo are vocal supporters of making plant-based food more accessible to all. In February, Eilish took to Capitol Hill with Baird by her side to voice her support of the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act (H.R.4108), proposed federal legislation that would give school children access to plant-based meals nationwide. Providing nourishing, plant-based school meals is crucial to improving the health of our kids and protecting the planet that they will inherit from us, Baird said in a statement at the time. With climate catastrophe looming and racial health disparities worsening, Congress must prioritize passing the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act.

For the latest vegan news, read:Cutting Meat Consumption by 80 Percent Means Canada Could Hit Net ZeroHow This Crop-Matching Company Is Improving Plant-Based FoodSouth Koreas New Vegan Meat Startup Was Born From Hyundai

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.

JUST LAUNCHED!Vote in the 2022 Best Vegan Ice Cream in America Awards.

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JUST LAUNCHED!Vote in the 2022 Best Vegan Ice Cream in America Awards.

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Billie Eilish and Mom Maggie Baird to Receive Environmental Award for Vegan Work - VegNews