Archive for category: Kid’s Health

Study: Excess Body Fat Correlates to Low Vitamin D Levels

in ,

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is a fat-soluble nutrient produced the body naturally through regular exposure to the sun. Aside from sunshine, Vitamin D is also sourced from tuna, salmon, eggs, and sardines. While it is known that Vitamin D helps the body absorb Calcium effectively, recent studies suggest that it has a critical role in protecting the body against diabetes, heart failure, bone health, cancer, and respiratory tract infection.

The Link Between Vitamin D and Health

Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center and VU University Medical Center presented their findings regarding the link between Vitamin D and excess fat. The study examined the data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity involving men and women between the ages of 45 and 65. The researchers noted that the lower levels of Vitamin D are correlated with the total body fat and liver fat among men and abdominal fat among women. The research suggests that individuals who have higher amounts of abdominal fat are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency; thus they should consider getting their Vitamin D levels checked.

Americans Suffer from Low Vitamin D Levels

While Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins that the body needs, many studies noted that a large percentage of the population is deficient. In the survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about 8.1% of the people in the United States suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. This equates to a gap in one out of 10 Americans. For the body to carry its natural physiological function, it is crucial to take in between 400 and 800 IU (10 to 20 micrograms) per day. Higher intake of Vitamin D will also benefit the body.

This is the reason why the Food and Drug Administration has approved the fortification of milk and other beverages with Vitamin D. In fact, fortifying milk with Vitamin D has been done since the 1930s, but it is only now that people are taking heed. While many food companies are strengthening their products with Vitamin D, there is still a challenge when it comes to introducing more of it on products.

Food Manufacturers Jumping on Vitamin D Bandwagon

The deficiency of Vitamin D among the broader American population has led to the manufacturers to create products that are infused with Vitamin D. Products that are fortified with Vitamin D should be labeled appropriately.

Vitamin D provides an off-taste to the product; thus ingredients place importance on creating custom premixes and employing the right blending techniques to avoid the lousy mouthfeel of Vitamin D. This is to ensure that milk products still taste the same, especially among children. What many food companies do not know about is GrandFusion…NutriFusion developed GrandFusion blends to concentrate naturally occurring, plant-based vitamins. GrandFusion blends include plant-based versions of Vitamin D, Vitamin D2, and Vitamin D3. The blends are so concentrated that the consumer will never taste the product when adequately blended into the product.

But with the food and beverage manufacturers advertising that their products are fortified with Vitamin D, are the consumers paying attention to the labels or not? We are still not sure, and after almost 100 years of enriching milk, we still see low vitamin D levels. Only time will tell if these new Vitamin D infused products well attract attention and grow into essential products for consumers.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

More Research Points to Botanicals as Important to Brain Health

in ,

There is growing evidence that associates a better cognitive function with the Mediterranean diet. In fact, different studies have identified plant extracts that can help maintain good brain health among older adults and these include resveratrol, Ginkgo biloba, Bacopa monnieri, Theobroma cacao, ashwagandha, Crocus sativus, ginseng, curcumin, and rosemary. These plant extracts do delay not only the cognitive decline but also have protective effects against neurodegenerative disorders.

No Available Studies to Pin the Claim

While the botanical extracts have vast potential, research regarding their efficacy is still in its early stage, and even organizations that support complementary therapies have not yet endorsed the potential role of botanicals in improving cognitive health. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) noted that no available and convincing evidence suggests that a particular supplement can prevent cognitive impairment particularly those that are associated with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Small Hints Found in Literature

Finding the exact mechanism and correlation still presents a challenge but the International Food Information Council noted that there are slight hints found in the literature regarding the links between food and brain health. The organization noted that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain. As such, promising plant extracts such as resveratrol, curcumin, and theobromine are not only good for the heart but also for the brain.

But this does not mean that this is the end of the line for plant extracts. It might take some time for companies who work with such ingredients to find the missing link to validate their claims for a reliable clinical result. Thus, the primary challenge for those working in the field of pharmaceuticals is to pin down on a particular measurable improvement among the human subjects so that the cause and effect can be proven.

 

Continuous Research Needed on Botanicals

Pharmaceutical companies have been working to pin down the mechanism of action of certain plant extracts. For instance, the company Evolva is looking at the potential of resveratrol to improve cognitive function. Working with the Brain, Performance, and Nutrition Research Center of Northumbria University in the UK, both organizations are working on how resveratrol influences the gut health concerning brain health.

On the other hand, other companies are working with other plant extracts. For instance, Ixoreal that sells both ashwagandha and curcumin supplements focus on the history and effects while, at the same time, undertake clinical trials to support their claims.

The research regarding the efficacy of plant extracts is paying off as it continues to attract the development of new products. While there is a rise in plant extracts used to promote better brain health, market researchers indicate that the growth of this niche is only 0.4%. Thus there are still many issues that should be addressed before this niche can reach its full market potential. Having said this, there is still more work to do by the researchers, food manufacturers, or pharmaceutical companies before products that can boost cognitive function will be favored in the market.

Inspired by www.ingredientsnetwork.com

The 13 Vitamins Essential for Survival

in ,

While many pharmaceutical companies stress the importance of taking vitamins and supplements, scientific evidence shows that you don’t need vitamins in pill form especially when you can get them from the food you eat.

A review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology noted that there are only 13 essential vitamins that the body needs to function correctly. These vitamins are obtained from your diet. Curious about what these vitamins are? Read on below.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps to maintain healthy teeth, bones, skin, and mucous membrane. Get them dark green leafy vegetables, dark-colored fruits, egg yolks, liver, fish, and beef.

Vitamin B1

Also called thiamine, this converts carbohydrates into energy and helps regulate proper heart function. You can get them from lean meats, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and organ meats.

Vitamin B2

Riboflavin promotes the production of red blood cells. Moreover, it also helps other B vitamins to function properly. Get them from organ meats, eggs, milk, green vegetables, and whole grains.

Vitamin B3

Niacin helps maintain healthy nerve and skin cells. It can also help lower the cholesterol levels in the body. It can be sourced from avocado, fish, eggs, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, and poultry.

Vitamin B5

Pantothenic acid breaks down the food and helps the body produce hormone and cholesterol that your body needs to function correctly. You can get them from kale, avocado, legumes, mushrooms, organ meats, sweet potatoes, milk, and poultry.

Vitamin B6

Also called pyridoxine, Vitamin B6 helps in the production of red blood cells. It also helps maintain the brain function and with protein synthesis. Get them from meats, poultry, nuts, avocado, banana, legumes, and whole grains.

Vitamin B7

Biotin helps break down carbs and protein. It also helps with the production of hormones. Source them from egg yolks, nuts, legumes, pork, yeast, cereals, and chocolate.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for metabolism, and it helps with the production of red blood cells. It also lowers the levels of homocysteine that has damaging effects on the body. Source them from eggs, milk, organ meats, seafood and fortified foods. NutriFusion has found concentrated plant-based B12 that many companies are adding to their products as well.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant that promotes healthy gums and teeth. It also encourages the body for healthy wound healing. Source them from broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, spinach, berries, and tomatoes.

Vitamin D

This vitamin aids in the efficient absorption of Calcium. We get it from exposure to the sun for at least 15 minutes, but they can also be sourced from fatty fish, fish liver oil, and cereals.

Vitamin E

This vitamin helps in the production of red blood cells. It also helps the body use Vitamin K effectively. Get them from green leafy vegetables, avocado, papaya, seeds, nuts, wheat, and mango.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K helps promote bone health and clot the blood. Get them from green leafy vegetables, fish, beef, eggs, and liver.

Folate:

Folate works well with Vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells. It is also required for the production of DNA thus making it an essential vitamin for pregnant women. Source them from beans, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, peanut butter, wheat, and brewer’s yeast.

13 Vitamins Make The Difference to a Point

Intake of vitamins is significant to get your body’s physiological function running. But it is critical to take note that too many vitamins can cause toxic build-up in the body and too many antioxidants can lead to the development of certain cancers. Take your vitamins at adequate levels.

Inspired by www.popsci.com

Infographic: A Guide to Vitamin Rich Foods

in , ,

Vitamins are essential to regulating the body and protecting us from oxidative stress. This is the primary reason that NutriFusion developed the GrandFusion powdered blends to help food manufacturers easily add robust combinations of vitamins and minerals all from fruits and vegetables. Check out this infographic on vitamin rich foods and how to keep your diet full of them.

Read more

Study: Junk Food Cravings Are Bad For Your Wallet and Health

in , ,

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When people are stressed out, they tend to crave certain types of food. When it comes to cravings, people don’t seek healthy food. It is natural for people to opt for fat-filled or sugar-laden junk food to satisfy their cravings.

While many health advocates discourage people from snacking on too much junk food because of the health repercussions they present, did you know that your junk food craving is not only hurting your health, but also your wallet? A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that people are willing to pay more when they are craving for junk food.

The Two Research Studies

In their experiment, they surveyed 44 non-dieters who had not eaten for a few hours and asked them how much they wanted to eat snack foods and how much they were willing to pay if they are given a $5 budget. They also underwent a multi-sensory experience and were asked how much they wanted to eat a particular junk food item and how much they were willing to pay.

The study revealed that the respondents desire increased. And the participants are willing to pay $0.66 more for items that they want and only $0.26 for similar snack items. When presented with less-similar yet healthy food items such as pretzels or granola bars, they were not willing to pay that much.

A second experiment repeated the process using 45 people. However, the respondents can pay for one, two or until eight “units” of whatever that made them crave food. The second study noted that people are willing to pay more for snacks with larger quantities.

The two studies demonstrated the power of cravings. And even if people live healthier lifestyles, their cravings can overshadow the value of their health. The most common reason why health is dominated by craving is that it can be hard to control craving unless intervention on their eating habits is done.

Junk Food Cravings Can Dissipate After A Few Hours

It may be a psychological thing, and craving is all about satisfying the brain and not the gut. This is the reason why people make the wrong food decisions when they are in the middle of their cravings. Even people who live healthy lifestyles are prone to consuming junk foods when they are craving. When asked why they revert to eating junk food, they reason out that craving is different from hunger. Perhaps there is something about cravings that make people forget about their health.

While cravings for junk food can be intense for people who are hungry, it can dissipate within a few hours. And no, you don’t have to eat food to stop the craving. You can do self-regulation to naturally dispel cravings or wait it out so that you can resist the lure of consuming junk food. By the time your cravings are gone, that’s the time when you decide to eat. And when you eat, try to consume healthier food options.

Inspired by fortune.com

Antioxidants Decrease Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Young Female Diabetics

in ,

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Diabetic patients are at risk of developing different types of diseases including cardiovascular problems. This is especially true among those who have Type 1 diabetes. As a chronic condition, Type 1 diabetes has deleterious effects. Since the pancreas produces little to no insulin that forces the sugar to enter the cells to be used as a source of energy. Recent studies suggest that women who suffer from Type 1 diabetes have two or three times the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to men with the same condition.

The Role Of Antioxidants

While antioxidants are among the most popular dietary ingredients for people who suffer from different types of diseases, new studies have found out that there is indeed a reason why they are considered as a magic bullet.

antioxidants free radicals oxidative stress vitamins fruits vegetables mineralsAntioxidants play an essential role in the well-being of female patients who have diabetes. Aside from acting as a free-radical sponge, its mechanism of action helps protect the vascular functions specifically among diabetic patients.

Associate professor Ryan Harris from Augusta University focused on the protective effects of antioxidants to the heart. As the lead researcher at Augusta’s Medical College, they looked into how antioxidants can affect the health of the heart especially among women who have Type 1 diabetes.

Estrogen And Diabetes Among Women

Estrogen plays a vital role in the onset of cardiovascular diseases among female Type 1 diabetic patients.  This particular sex hormone is also found to increase the levels of oxidative stress on the blood vessels–specifically its ability to dilate.

Harris noted that “when you have diabetes, estrogen turns into a bad guy as it constricts the blood vessels when you have too much of it.” So how can this be addressed?

The Study Design

The study involved 90 premenopausal women with Type 1 diabetes and 30 healthy premenopausal women at 45 years old.  The researchers gave some women with an antioxidant cocktail consisting of Vitamins C and E as well as alpha lipoic acid. The studies noted that women who were given the antioxidant cocktail have positive impacts not only women with Type 1 diabetes but as well as those who suffer from COPD.

Aside from the antioxidant cocktail, the researchers also used resveratrol and found out that it also decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases among women with Type 1 diabetes as it activates the protein Sirt1 thereby lowering the reactive oxygen produced by the endothelial cells along the blood vessels.

Aside from identifying the different antioxidants that can be potentially used to improve the well-being of diabetic patients, the researchers are looking into understanding the different pathways responsible for improving the cardiovascular health of patients who are at risk or suffering from diabetes. However, studies may take longer to finish but it does offer promising data and results.

Inspired by www.nutraingredients-usa.com

Consumers Going All In On Allergy Free Foods

in , , , , ,

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Over the past 20 years, there has been an increase in the number of people who suffer from food allergies. The increasing number of individuals with food allergies is one of the top reasons why most people develop specialized diets with preference to clean eating and non-GMO foods.

With consumers suffering from food allergies, more people want access to allergy free foods. In the 2004 passage of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, all food manufacturers in the United States are required to label their products with ingredients that may contain top allergens such as dairy, soy, gluten, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. This is the reason why you will see these ingredients in the label list in plain language. Thus, if the product contains “soy lecithin,” it should still indicate “Soy” on the package.

Allergy Free Food is on the Rise

Katherine Allmandinger, manager of strategic insight for Nielsen’s health and wellness practice, noted that there is a growth of allergy free foods in the market today. About 46% of consumers say that the allergy free claims of food manufacturers influence their purchase decisions.

In fact, there are two types of consumers who buy allergy free products–the worriers and wonderers. While worriers have medical bases to avoid a particular kind of ingredient due to adverse reactions, this only reflects a low percentage of the actual consumers who want allergy-free foods.

It is essential to take note that average consumers are not necessarily looking for allergy-friendly foods because they suffer from specific allergic reactions. Instead, they look for these foods because they want to cut out on too much dairy or they want to jump in on the bandwagon of eating healthy.

How Food Manufacturers Make Allergy-Free Products

Before the popularity of allergy-free foods, people only ate naturally allergy-free food. For instance, Enjoy Life, a food company in the United States, has been making allergen-free products for over a decade. Their factories were some of the first to have no cross-contamination with other products.

 

On the other hand, other food manufacturers are developing products that use alternative yet non-allergen ingredients. For instance, snack company Quinn uses sorghum instead of other gluten-containing grains to create their products. They also tested other ancient grains to be able to develop allergy-free products for their customers.

Allergy-Free Foods are a Trendy Niche in the Market

As food allergies continue to rise all over the world, the allergy-free food trend will likely flourish as more and more people want food products that are healthier. In fact, there are many noticeable booths and shops that showcase allergen-free options. Moreover, many food manufacturers are innovating their products so that they are not only healthy but that they also pass the taste test.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

Ad Industry: The Missing Link in Getting Children to Eat More Veggies

in , , ,

Reading Time: 3 minutes

It is the job of advertisers to convince ordinary people to buy a particular product. And with advertisements featuring crisps, burgers, and fizzy drinks, it is no wonder why it is so easy for people to indulge in unhealthy eating habits. But what if ads can turn around the eating habits of people and convince them to eat healthily?

The Popeye Moment

Well, this has happened in the past. Remember the iconic cartoon character Popeye? The spinach-gulping sailor boosted the rise of spinach sales during the Great Depression of 1930. In fact, regions that grow spinach erected status of the sailor out of gratitude. This was also the generation when people consumed more vitamins because they ate healthily.

This is the reason why ad man Dan Parker thinks that it is time for the marketing industry to deploy ads depicting healthier eating habits to entice viewers particularly children to eat healthily. Currently, many children perceive vegetables as the bad guys and this is the reason why they don’t eat vegetables. But if this perception can be changed, it will encourage children to eat more veggies.

Dan Parker worked with the campaign group Peas Please that is backed by famous chefs like Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in order to roll out a campaign to alter our perceptions on vegetables and eating healthily.

Normalizing Veggies Consumption for Children

One of the most important methods of changing the perception of people towards eating vegetables is to normalize it. The thing is that the food industry has played with our desire to fit in. For instance, we have been persuaded that eating a snack during mid-morning and mid-afternoon is normal and that eating large portions of meals is normal.

If advertisers can perceive eating healthy as normal, then this can work for everyone. Frozen food company Birds Eye, for example, spends money on marketing vegetables and is supporting the Peas Please campaign. The core message of the company is to normalize frozen vegetables.

How the Internet Can Encourage Everyone to Love Vegetables

Showing infomercials about eating healthy is also helpful. Today, this can be easily done by using the social media to promote eating healthy among people. Campaigns should be effective enough such that it can make people feel and think differently about vegetables. The holy grail is how to raise the idea that eating vegetables can be fun.

This can be easily done by seeking help from celebrities whom children and people, in general, look up to. For instance, school children from the Pentrefoelas Community School in Wales posted pictures on social media together with chefs and football players while having fun holding carrots and cabbages. This can be done anywhere to show to everyone that eating vegetables is not boring.

The thing is that effective advertising can stir emotions. Dan Parker noted that if you are in an emotional state, then you become more susceptible to subliminal messages which makes it is easier to influence you to do something… in this case, buy and eat healthier foods.

Inspired by www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org