Archive for category: Health & Nutrition

Can Skin Cancer Risk Be Reduced By Vitamin A?

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Are you ready for the answer? Straight from the researcher’s findings and as published in JAMA Dermatology:

“We found an inverse association between intake of vitamin A and carotenoids and risk of cutaneous [squamous cell carcinoma], supporting the protective role of vitamin A against [squamous cell carcinoma] development. Our data further support the contention that supplemental and dietary vitamin A may be beneficial in preventing [squamous cell carcinoma].”

When written in medical terminology, it all sounds like mumbo-jumbo. Why can’t they just answer the question with a straightforward yes or no? Simple, because in a live species and constantly changing the world and environmental factors there’s a lot of things that need to be considered. Let’s take the first step to make it easy to understand.

What is Vitamin A?

It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for sustaining a variety of life processes within our body. It is crucial for skin health, reproductive health, and eye health. Although a variety of study has shown the benefits of vitamin A in keeping the skin supple and young, there is no direct evidence to support its ability to boost skin health.

When sourced from animals, vitamin A is known as retinol and is found in beef liver, turkey, chicken, and eggs. In vegetables, it is known as beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta carotene. Good plant sources of vitamin A are papaya, apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, butternut squash, kale, carrots, and sweet potatoes to name a few.

Vitamin A can also be consumed from supplements. For females, the maximum daily dose recommended is not more than 700mcg daily and for men no more than 900mcg a day.

The Link Between Skin Cancer and Vitamin A

In the US alone, there are 1 million new cases of skin cancer each year. And the most prevalent type is the squamous cell carcinoma, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Due to its frequency, healthcare practitioners are urged to find better ways to lower people’s risk of getting skin cancer.

The results were based on a study of 48,400 men with an average age of 54.3 years old and 75,170 women with a mean age of 50.4 years old. The study took 26 years and resulted in a total of 3,978 documented skin cancer within the study population.

Analysis of subsequent follow-up showed that individuals who had a higher vitamin A intake showed to have a decreased risk for acquiring squamous cell carcinoma or skin cancer.

Key Findings of the Study

  • Yes, the study found that individuals who had a high intake of vitamin A showed an equally lower risk for skin cancer, specifically the squamous cell carcinoma type.
  • Is the form or source of vitamin A in the diet important? Yes, the source of vitamin A matters. According to the study, in the population studied, those who got their vitamin A sources from whole food and most especially those sourced from vegetables have a lower risk for cell cancer. Thus, vitamin A sourced from vegetables are better than the ones sourced from animals. And vitamin A sourced from whole food trumps the ones from dietary supplements.

Inspired by www.medicalnewstoday.com

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Coping With A Cancer Diagnosis Through Diet Changes

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A cancer diagnosis is typically a life-changing event. Along with preparing for the rigors of treatment, patients have to find ways to stay balanced mentally and physically. A diet change is often one of the top lifestyle adjustments recommended by doctors. Some diet changes can help recovery and make it easier to eat during treatment.

The Importance of Diet at Different Cancer Stages

Cancer is staged during diagnosis to indicate how far the original tumor has grown and spread. In stage one cancers, for instance, the cancerous cells are largely confined to the original tumor or very nearby tissues. By stage four, the most advanced type of cancer, cells have spread to more distant parts of the body, to other tissues and organs.

Some cancers are easy to catch early, like skin cancer, and then require minimal treatment to cure or for remission. Others, like mesothelioma, which is the cancer of the tissue layer surrounding the lungs, is very difficult to diagnose and is often only caught in later stages. For these late-stage cancers, treatment is usually more aggressive and damaging.

A good diet is important at any stage but eating well becomes more difficult in later-stage cancers. Multiple rounds of chemotherapy, doses of radiation and aggressive surgeries can cause appetite loss. Eating foods that are both nourishing and appetizing can be difficult. Patients at later stages can benefit from the services of a registered dietician.

Foods To Avoid During Cancer Treatment

During cancer treatment, it may become difficult to eat certain types of food. The body is often unable to process certain foods, and some foods are also detrimental to treatment. Meat, excluding fish, tends to be very difficult for the body to process during cancer treatment. This is especially true of meat that has been deep-fried, grilled or broiled. Carcinogenic byproducts result from cooking animal protein at high heat, which is problematic for cancer patients. Salty, sugary and oily foods are also not good for cancer patients as they require a lot of effort from the liver to process. Similarly, cancer patients should limit their consumption of alcohol. Another type of food to watch out for is raw and undercooked food. Cancer treatment results in a lowered immune system, which means the body can’t easily deal with pathogens found in raw and undercooked food. Even raw fruit and vegetables can be suspect if they haven’t been fully and properly washed.

Anti-Cancer Superfoods to Eat Instead

Avoiding meat during cancer treatment and recovery means focusing on a more plant-based diet. Patients should aim for between five and nine servings of fruit and vegetables per day. The following six plant superfoods are especially helpful:

– Broccoli
– Berries
– Tomatoes
– Walnuts
– Garlic
– Beans

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable like cauliflower and kale among others. However, broccoli contains a large amount of a compound called sulforaphane. This compound flushes out chemicals that cause cancer while also attacking cancer stem cells. It’s helpful for nearly any type of cancer, including lung, breast, prostate and skin cancer. The fiber content in broccoli is also filling, which is helpful to diets with limited protein. Also helpful in this regard are beans. They contain a fatty acid called butyrate, which can protect against cancer growth. The high fiber and plant protein provide a filling meal. As sugar is a food to avoid in cancer treatment, the natural sweetness of berries can help fill this void. They also contain high amounts of phytonutrients, which target cancer cells.

Even though cancer treatment tends to be very uncomfortable, patients can help their physical condition through a proper diet and the addition of various superfoods.

Vegan, Vegetarian, And Plant-Based: What Are The Differences?

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Different types of diet have emerged over the past 30 years, and it’s mainly because of people’s intentions to stay healthy. Diets such as vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based are the buzzwords when it comes to healthy eating. However, did you know that these three terms are never the same? Understanding the differences between these three diets will help you appreciate what these diets are all about.

Plant-Based Are Vegans Who Cheat

Although there is no single definition for a plant-based diet, the general idea of this diet is to eat plants, but they do allow themselves to eat small amounts of animal products in rare situations. They are termed as “vegans who cheat” or in some circles, flexitarians. Eating less meat is on the rise due to its many health benefits, including reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, better heart health, and longevity. More people are embracing this diet because they believe that it is doable compared to completely restricting the consumption of animal products. However, due to the popularity of this diet regimen, some industries were affected. The 2018 report released by Cargill showed that there was a decline in the dairy industry from 22% to 16% as more people decide to cut back on their dairy intake.  On the other hand, this particular diet regimen is popular among people who want to jumpstart with either the vegetarian or the vegan diet because it is less stringent so that most people can adopt this particular diet.

The Vegetarian Diet Comes in So Many Forms

Many people think that being a vegetarian means only eating fruits and vegetables. However, there are several categories of vegetarian diets, including (1) ovo-vegetarians who eat eggs, (2) lacto-vegetarian who eat dairy, and (3) pescatarians who eat seafood and plant food. Some people would also combine other categories, such as lacto-ovo-vegetarians who eat both dairy and eggs. Unlike the plant-based diet, vegetarianism is more restrictive in the types of animal protein sources they consume. This type of diet offers so many health benefits such as weight loss and generally reduced risk for metabolic diseases. It can benefit all kinds of people. However, the caveat is that because it is restrictive, supplementation may be required to avoid nutrient deficiencies. Moreover, careful meal planning should be considered, especially those who are new to this diet.

Vegan Diet Is the Strictest, Purist Veggie Diet

Unlike both plant-based and vegetarian diet, the vegan diet excludes or restricts all types of animal products including dairy, eggs, and seafood.  Anything coming from animals is banned from this diet. But more than a diet, veganism is also a lifestyle because people who follow this diet do not only restrict themselves from eating animal products but also using them. This includes not wearing fur, wool, as well as using products that have been tested on animals. Studies show that this particular diet lowers the risk of cancer development. It is also eco-friendly considering that the livestock industry produces tons of greenhouse gases and consumes too much water to produce for consumption. Since this diet is very restrictive, some people might find it difficult to adjust to the limited food choices that they have. Moreover, they may need to take supplements to avoid nutrient deficiency.

Inspired by www.livestrong.com

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Junk Food May be the Culprit Behind Food Allergies

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The European Society has noted for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition that kids these days have a higher incidence of food allergies. Scientists believe that this is due to the high junk food content of their diet, which is referred to as AGEs or Advanced Glycation End products.

Statistics on Food Allergies in Kids

Steadily, food allergies have been rising in numbers over the past few decades, worldwide. In fact, in some countries, food allergies in children rose by 10 percent, which is an alarming number and places our kids’ health in danger. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1997 and 2011, the incidence of food allergies in kids in the US rose by a whopping 50 percent. In the United Kingdom, a 500 percent increase in hospital admissions for food allergies has been noted since 1990.

What’s the Driving Force Behind These Food Allergies?

Due to the uptick in food allergy cases, scientists are in hot pursuit of the culprit. Lots of theories have floated which all boils down to early exposure to bacteria and certain foods.

According to Dr. Roberto Berni Canani, a professor at the University of Naples said that “As of yet, existing hypothesis and models of food allergies do not adequately explain the dramatic increase observed in the last few years—so dietary AGEs may be the missing link.” In layman’s terms, these words mean that the spike in food allergies is connected to the increased prevalence of processed food consumption.

It has been reported that the general American population gets half their calories from processed foods that contain AGEs. AGEs are lipids or proteins that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetes that are chiefly found in some barbecues or roasted meats, microwaved foods, processed foods, and sugars.

Linking AGE products

To test the link between AGEs and food allergies, a study was conducted on children between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. As much as 61 pieces of data were collected and divided into groups of kids who have no allergy as the control, kids with respiratory allergies and kids with food allergies. The results of the study showed a strong connection between food allergies and AGE consumption.

The study positively supports the link between AGEs being a driving factor on the increasing incidence rates of food allergies. However, further research is needed to cement the proof. But with the strong link shown by the test, it is hoped that government agencies can provide health preventive interventions that will restrict junk food consumption. Especially knowing that these junk foods are highly palatable and enjoyable for kids, the sense of urgency to this work is nonetheless emphasized as it will dramatically impact our kids quality of life.

Inspired by www.yahoo.com/lifestyle

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Everything You Need to Know About Sugar in Fruits

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There is so much nutrition advice found online today. A lot of these online advisors offer sound advice; however, like all data and information—interpretation leads to differing understanding, just like sugars found in fruits. The world has deemed sugar as a whole as something evil, but sugar in fruits are metabolized differently than table sugar.

Sugar in Fruits Come in a Variety of Forms

To get a better handle on fruit sugars, let’s take a look at the different varieties. Commonly, sugar in fruits come in two forms, and these are glucose and fructose. Glucose is the simple sugar that most of our complex carb foods are broken down in the body and which needs insulin to push it into our cells for each cell to process and use it as fuel. Fructose, on the other hand, uses a different mechanism, it is metabolized in the liver and hence does not affect sugar levels in the blood, unlike its counterpart, glucose.

Fruit Sugars vs. Sugars in Processed Foods

The majority of processed foods contain sugar in various forms. Corn syrup is 100% glucose and is used in making fruit snack bars, soda products, and a whole lot more. Sucrose or table sugar is made with equal amounts of glucose and fructose. Galactose is a type of sugar found in milk which can be broken down to glucose and lactose. All of these sugars differ from the sugar in fruits because they are refined sugar, which means that the body can break them down fast and hence spiking blood sugar levels.

Sugar and Health Problems

We already know the evils of sugar like predisposing us to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and others. But what is not emphasized is that these sugars being studied and linked to these health problems are added fructose and refined sugars. Thus, you can see a lot of mainstream and fad diets eliminating fruit totally. However, there are no conclusive studies made yet to prove that fruit is harmful.

Increasing Our Awareness

Hands down, consumption of whole fruit trumps processed or packaged fruits. For instance, fruit juices are highly processed and sweetened heavily, which leads to higher amounts of added sugar in their nutrition data. Thus, we can generalize that these juices are not a substitute for whole fruit consumption and will only increase an individual’s sugar intake.

Something to ponder, just like with anything, overeating fruit can lead to obesity, but this can be a bit hard to achieve. Example, in a daily 2,000-calorie diet, this would mean eating more than 15 apples or 18 bananas a day to be considered overeating fruits. The truth to the matter is, fewer people can even achieve their five servings of fruits in a day.

All in all, fruits and its sugar as a whole provide a lot of health benefits to the body. It helps in lowering your risk for obesity, optimizes your health, helps reduce your sugar intake, and above all adds bulk and fiber to your diet.

Inspired by www.medicalnewstoday.com

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Do You Need Vitamin D Supplements?

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There has been a spike in the number of people taking high-dose Vitamin D supplements and when we say high dose, this means intake of more than 1,000 IU. Deficiency in vitamin D can be a factor for increasing your risk to various health issues like depression, type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and bone fractures to name a few. And due to these worrisome risks, there has been a reported increase in vitamin D screening and use of the supplement for older adults beyond the age of 60.

A Doctor’s Take on Vitamin D

According to an associate professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine, Dr. Audrey Chun, “Having low or deficient levels is not part of normal aging, however, it is very common.” She says that the reason behind it is that as people grow older, the less time they spend under the sun which helps to stimulate specialized cells underneath the skin to create vitamin D. Add to this, as we grow older, these specialized cells also become less efficient in the production of vitamin D.

What Scientific Evidence Suggests

Ok, so we have an increasing number of people who have low vitamin D levels which leads to supplementing their diet with said nutrient. This boils down to the ever-important question, is it working? How do we know it’s working? How can we say it’s working?

So, let’s go back to the reasons why people who are deficient in said vitamin want to supplement it in their diet. Essentially, they want their risk factor for diabetes, depression, bone fractures, and other health issues related to low vitamin D to go down, right? Right!

In a review of a variety of clinical trials that studied more than 80,000 individuals with an average age of 66, they found that intake of vitamin D consecutively for a year did not lead to a significant decrease in their risk for low vitamin D related health issues—no significant decrease in risk for stroke or heart attack. And these studies were published in JAMA cardiology.

In another study on 25,000 people, 50 years and older, who had continuously supplemented with Vitamin D for over 5 years did not show any correlation with a decreased incidence of cardiovascular problems or cancer. More importantly, even those people who had low vitamin D levels to start off did not reap any benefit from supplementation.

The majority of people take vitamin D supplements to promote bone health. Sadly, in an analysis of 81 studies published in 2018 showed no evidence that intake of vitamin D supplements led to fracture and fall prevention.

Get Your Vitamin D Naturally

The population can meet normal vitamin D levels without having to supplement. Natural vitamin D can come from a 15-minute sunshine exposure or it can also come from yummy sources like canned tuna, sardines, egg, salmon, and fortified foods like orange juice, cereal, and milk.

Lastly, too much vitamin D is not good or recommended because it may make you more prone to kidney stones.

Inspired by www.consumerreports.org

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Supplements or Whole Foods: Which Has Best Long-Term Health Benefits?

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People turn to supplements because they contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals in a single dose or pill form. And with just one gulp, whether they are hungry or not hungry, have an appetite or not, can still enjoy their daily dose of vitamins and minerals. Another reason for supplements is they that contain all the potent phytophenol that vegetables and fruits of all colors can contain, and this is undeniably more “palatable” for people who don’t like their veggies.

However, emerging research shows that nutrients coming from whole foods have better long-term health benefits. In fact, vitamins in a pill form may not have as many protective benefits as its whole food counterpart.

Supplements vs. Whole Foods

Hands down, supplements DO give health benefits and may have a positive effect on all-cause mortality primarily due to the nutrients they contain. However, all the positive health benefits may partly or largely depend on where you get these nutrients.

In fact, a cancer epidemiologist of Tufts University, Fang Fang Zhang cited that “while supplement use contributes to an increased level of total nutrient intake, there are beneficial associations with nutrients from foods that aren’t seen with supplements.”

Whole Foods for The Win With The Best Long-Term Health Benefits

It was seen that minerals and vitamins coming from whole food sources were linked to a lowered risk of death and heart-related problems.

In the study conducted by Zhang, it was done on a total of 30,000 plus people whose vitamin intake were recorded. Proper levels of copper, zinc, vitamin K, and A were linked to a decreased risk of heart diseases. But the huge eye-opener for them came when the sources for these vitamins were traced, and the results hinged on the sources of these nutrients.

Finally, Zhang concluded that those individuals who got their vitamins from supplements resulted in no reductions to their risk of heart disease. But, for those who got their nutrients from whole foods, enjoyed a lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as all-cause mortality risk. Therefore, where you get your vitamins is crucial to your long-term health benefits.

It Pays to Be Health Conscious

According to Zhang’s analysis of the data from a Gallup 2013 poll, showed that as much as 51.2% of Americans take dietary supplements and as much as 38.3% took them within the last 30 days. Although supplements may not have equal nutritive value to its whole food counterpart, the regimen of taking it is linked to positive traits like the person’s high level of health consciousness. As a result, they are less likely to be obese, drink heavily, or smoke—meaning they are conscious when it comes to lifestyle choices.

Zhang reported that those people who do take supplements generally had a higher baseline nutrient intake than those who did not supplement their diets.

To drive the point of the study once again, multivitamins may be convenient, but they fall short on providing the needed long-term health benefits—as hoped. Thus, there are no shortcuts when it comes to eating right, but the health benefits do accumulate even when you start with a vegetable or two.

Inspired by www.consumerreports.org

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NutriFusion® developed our fruit and vegetable powders to specifically concentrate and stabilize the naturally occurring vitamins in minerals in fruits and vegetables. We knew that this ingredient would be incredibly important to the health of our future generations as more and more people opt for quick, convenient, and packaged options. Food, beverage, and supplement companies have now been adding our fruit and vegetable powders to their products for over 10 years. Interested in learning more about our GrandFusion fruit and vegetable powders? Download our guide to creating fuctional foods and beverages.

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Do Consumers Know Where Almond Milk Comes From?

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Sounds like a silly question but the word milk is commonly associated with cows, like cow’s milk. And herein lies the confusion.

When grocery shoppers are out and about trying to meet their grocery list, they are faced with more choices than ever. Groceries now have a variety of milk to choose from, like plant-based milk alternatives, 1% cow’s milk to whole cow’s milk or even goat milk. This huge selection can be confusing to buyers, and thus the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) put up a poll to see if buyers want their plant-based food labeled using dairy terms.

The Results

There were over 7,000 respondents to the poll and almost 75% of them communicated that they do want the plant-based substitutes to be labeled in traditional dairy terms so that it is easier for them to compare and contrast.

In an earlier version of the poll, the data showed that 40% of households in the US do consume and buy both plant-based milk and dairy-based milk. Those people who drink only cow’s milk, 78% of them chose to use the word milk when describing the plant-based version. However, others who do not consume cow’s milk preferred a more descriptive term when it comes to labeling these plant-based milk alternatives. They preferred to use words like non-dairy or dairy-free compared to milk substitute or milk alternative.

Voluntary Standards for Labeling Plant-Based Dairy

And from these polls grew the voluntary standards for labeling plant-based dairy products. It helped companies to name their products using the plant ingredient used as a base. For instance, soy milk comes from soy products; almond milk comes from almonds; coconut milk comes from coconuts, and so on.

The voluntary standards also recommend companies to use labels that include non-dairy, dairy-free, or plant-based milk. However, in current times, the more significant trend tended to take on the plant’s name like soymilk, almond milk, and the likes. But if you read further, it will contain the phrases dairy-free or its alternative in smaller font.

Some people in the plant-based community are not satisfied with the current label trends because they believe that all milk should be accurately labeled like milk from cows should be cow’s milk or milk from goats should be labeled as goat milk. This is what they deem as descriptive and accurate labeling.

The Future of Labeling Almond Milk and Other Plant-Based Milk

Traditional dairy is declining while on the other hand, plant-based dairy continues to gain traction. 2,700 dairies in the US closed last year, and the whole dairy industry lost more than a billion dollars’ worth of sales. The slowing demand brought dairy prices down and consequently, its overall sales.

Between the years of 2012 and 2017, plant-based milk grew in leaps and bounds. Although data has shown that buyers are not confused about where their bought milk come from, lawmakers have proposed the Dairy PRIDE act which bars companies from using dairy-related words to their plant-based alternatives.

Inspired by www.forbes.com

Plant-Based Beverage Companies are Fortifying with Real Vitamins From Plants

Traditional dairy milk has always been fortified with Vitamin D and even Omegas in some cases. Plant-based beverage companies are looking to GrandFusion® to fortify their products with real, plant-based vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. GrandFusion® fruit and vegetable powders are 100% dispersible and add a natural plant-based solution to vitamins in plant-based beverages. Interested in learning more? Check out our guide to creating functional foods and beverages.

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