Archive for category: Health & Nutrition

90% of Millennials Have Suboptimal Vitamin E Intake

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A study from DSM Nutritional Products and Cornell University show that more than 90% of millennials or people that are in their twenties have inadequate levels of vitamin E. What does this mean?

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003 – 2006) also confirm that 87% of people that are 20 to 30 years of age and 68% of 31 to 50-year-old Americans are unable to maintain their ideal serum alpha- tocopherol concentrations which is defined as 30 micromoles per liter. Also, the study from the Public Library of Science (PLOS) ONE reported that 93% of 20 to 30-year-old Americans have very low levels of vitamin E along with 80% of people older than 30 years of age with minimal levels of the vitamin. In line with these studies are the benefits of serum alpha – tocopherol that helps in developing a healthy reproductive system, brain and liver functions.

Dr. McBurney Investigates Vitamin E Deficiency

According to Michael McBurney, Ph.D. VP Science, Communications, and Advocacy, Nutrition Science & Advocacy at DSM Nutritional Products LLC, more data is needed in determining the overall status of vitamin E in Americans. The fact is that vitamin E follows vitamin D scientifically. Research has to be done about vitamin D deficiency since it affects bone health, immune system health, muscle function and so many more. McBurney also mentions that minuscule levels of vitamin E may affect the many biological functions. He also stated that vitamin E was discovered because of its impact on normal reproductive function. Some couples delay having children in life because of the difficulty to conceive or even managing pregnancy up to full term. He asked if subtropical vitamin E could be responsible for this condition and if measuring the status of vitamin E would help.

Researchers utilized data from NHANES 2003 to 2005 which is limited to alpha and gamma- tocopherol since vitamin E requirements are based on alpha- tocopherol. The data yielded results that said only 1% of the total population have very low vitamin E levels and that alpha-tocopherol are even lower in people who us non-dietary supplements. Individuals that may have participated in the study have on average a better status when it comes to nutrition, or vitamin E levels of Americans are now lower compared to when the studies were conduction. Therefore, one can anticipate that the recent data (2015) may even be lower than the lowest levels.

New studies are underway using the pharmacologic doses of vitamin E in respondents that are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and changes in cognitive dysfunction as well as the development of fatty liver disease because of evidence that the vitamin is necessary for the maintenance of brain and liver function.

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Pregnant Women Not Eating Daily Value of Fruits and Veggies

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According to a report by American Baby called “What Pregnant Women Really Eat,” around 80 percent of pregnant women take chances in eating hazardous foods while more than 60 percent are not able to meet daily nutritional requirements for fruits and vegetables.

70 percent of respondents say that they ate healthier when they became pregnant while a large number are not following the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. There are a lot of reasons for these nutritional deficiencies. For one, women suffer from a variety of medical conditions during pregnancy leading to food aversions during this period.

Mindy Walker, Executive Editor of American Baby, said that factors such as time constraints, food aversions and convenience in shopping for healthy foods are top reasons why pregnant women are missing out on eating healthy. She also cited some good news, though.

Even with these changes in nutrition, around 90 percent of pregnant women say no to drinking alcohol, 80 percent begin their day by eating breakfast and about 85 percent follow caffeine restriction guidelines. All of these are vital in a healthy pregnancy.

 

Food Cravings in Pregnant Women

A high percentage of respondents revealed that they suffer from food cravings. More than 80 percent prefer to eat foods such as ice cream, chocolates, pretzels, cookies, chips and candy. Although these are very common, a lot of women also admit to eating foods that could place them at risk such as uncooked food, unpasteurized cheeses and premade deli salads. These foods could be dangerous since these may contain listeria that could lead to terrible complications during pregnancy.

The survey also reported that around 60 percent of the respondents are aware of weight gain during pregnancy and over a third said that they have suffered from obesity or being overweight. From the number of women that became obese during their pregnancies, they revealed that their physicians did not explain the possibilities of gestational diabetes, hypertension and caesarian delivery. Both the mother and her child are at risk for a lot of life-threatening medical conditions. We should devise a strategy to enhance the nutritional education of pregnant women.

NutriFusion® Can Boost Nutrition for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is a long nine months for women, and it’s difficult to stick to a healthy diet. As mentioned in the study, many women face the urge of food cravings for processed snack foods like cookies, ice cream, chips, pretzels, and candy. We think it’s unreasonable to expect women to resist those urges all of the time. Our products can help processed food companies make “better for you” snacks with the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. We urge pregnant women and other consumers to push your favorite brands to switch to NutriFusion® and start boosting your nutrition today!

Beyond Meat CEO Says Plant-Based Protein is the Future

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Beyond Meat is a privately held company based El Segundo, California. Its CEO, Ethan Brown, believes plants are the future of protein. Beyond Meat is on the cutting edge of plant protein research and development. The company’s aim is to drive progress and innovation; it provides plant-based protein foods – without compromising the satisfaction, chew, or taste of meat. The company makes all its meat substitutes with pea or soy protein and without bioengineered ingredients, gluten, trans fats, dairy, or cholesterol. It’s all about creating a product that is completely indistinguishable from animal protein but with health benefits. They believe the future of protein is increasingly plant-based. Cattle farming is responsible for between 18 and 51 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and is also land and water–intensive. That’s why Beyond Meat is racing to diversify protein sources so as to be able to feed the world’s population for as long as possible.

Why Beyond Meat and Plant-Based Protein?

While talking to Food Business News, Brown said they’re not there yet, but every day they do get closer, and they do know that it’s scientifically possible. To support its growth, the company recently hired three food industry veterans: Jerry Joye, as the COO of Beyond Meat – he is the former COO of Fiji Water; Mark Mortimer, as the chief commercial officer of Beyond Meat – he is the former chief customer officer and president of Annie’s, Inc.; Mark Nelson, as the CFO of Beyond Meat – he was most recently the treasurer and CFO at Farmer Brothers Co.

A report by Markets and Markets, released in August 2015, lists Beyond Meat as one of the leading players in the global meat substitutes market, and projects that by 2020 that market will reach $5.17 billion, representing a CAGR of 6.4 percent from 2015. The company uses protein from plants to create products ranging from meatballs and burgers to chicken poppers. It has partnered with elite athletes to promote the benefits of plant-based protein. Specific partners include Tia Blanco, J.J. Redick, Maya Moore, David Wright, Eric Bledsoe, April Ross, and Maggie Vessey. The athlete partners come from the AVP, WNBA, MLB, NBA, and World Surf League.

At Beyond Meat, their plant-based meats let consumers continue to eat what they love, from vegetables to chili to Bolognese to burgers to hemp, without the downsides of animal protein. Beyond Meat’s, convenient and tasty products can be found at Safeway, Whole Foods, Target Publix, and in over 7,500 stores across the US and growing. Beyond Meat realized that many plant proteins contain components that promote overall bodily health and can help protect against chronic disease. Nuts, soy beans and legumes are three plant-based sources of protein that possess such beneficial properties.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com/news and www.foodbusinessnews.com

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Doctor Opens “Farmacy” to use Food as Medicine

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We are beginning to reconnect with the knowledge of plant based, whole food as medicine was neglected with the onset of big pharma. Dr. Robert Weiss believes that a change is coming in the way we approach medicine and health. He states that plant-based whole foods are more powerful as disease-modifying tools than any drugs or surgeries. Weiss, a doctor of 25 years in Hudson County, has sold his practice in New York for quite a long time. He has been researching how food can be used as a medicine and has established the first farm-based medical practice in Long Valley, New Jersey. The 348-acre farm can be referred to as “farmacy,” since it is a place where the doctor explores and utilizes plant-based “food as medicine.”

Plant Based, Whole Food as Medicine

Research on plant-based medicine has taken a back seat, yet billions are being spent on the production of synthetic chemicals to treat the symptoms of diseases; this happens despite the fact that ancient history has already known the potential of plant-based medicine. A substantial amount of money can be saved by prioritizing a proper diet comprising of seeds, grains, beans, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. It’s interesting to note that a strict diet regimen can also be used to treat those already afflicted with ailments. This doesn’t mean that when one breaks an ankle, they can fix it by salve of mugwort on it. They will definitely need someone to fix it. The issue here is that a proper diet can be used to prevent and treat chronic diseases – the cancers, the cardiovascular diseases, the strokes, the heart attacks, etc. – the illnesses that are destroying people’s lives.

Fruits and Vegetables Combat Inflammation

Dr. Weiss says that the nutrients in vegetables and fruits prevent inflammation, which is the cause of many chronic diseases, or so it is believed. A recent study from Dr. Mark Kindy at the Medical University of South Carolina showed that inflammation was reduced with a concentrated fruit and vegetable powder called GrandFusion®.  Weiss believes a plant-based diet can help us reduce the reliance on pharmaceutical drugs that are dangerous and are known to bring on a host of negative side-effects. He also strives to avoid, where possible, unnecessary surgeries that are painful and dangerous.

 

The farmacy already has 90 families that volunteer time harvesting vegetables and picking weeds. The families pay a membership fee, and their goal is to get as many people as possible to be interested in their diet. The farmacy is then able to sustain itself and involve all the consumers in the food production. The doctor adds that there are studies that have shown working in the garden and making contact with soil bacteria can make one happier and smarter, by triggering the release of serotonin in the brains.

Article Inspired by www.cornucopia.org

 

Only 4% of Americans are Eating Enough Vegetables

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Americans are still not having enough vegetables despite the widely publicized benefits of eating them. According to a recent report released by the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, only 4 percent of Americans meet their daily required consumption of veggies. The National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance’s 2015 Report Card has given the marketing of vegetables an F grade while the consumption of vegetables among kids has received a D grade. Meaning most Americans are no healthier than an average school kid.

 

People who eat fruits and vegetables as part of their daily diet have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. Health experts encourage people to make half their plate fruits and vegetables.  But even with the growing popularity of vegetable-inspired meals and veggie-forward restaurants, people still don’t consume enough vegetables at home. The Alliance’s 2015 Report Card says that the problem is moving from bad to worse. During the past five years, the average consumption of veggies declined by 6 percent.

Fruits and Vegetables are Important for Health

Veggies are a vital part of healthy eating and provide a source of many nutrients, including folate (folic acid), fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, E and C. Garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli are superfoods because they provide additional benefits. Potassium helps to maintain healthy blood pressure while fiber in vegetables contributes to lower risk of heart disease and reduces blood cholesterol levels. Folate (folic acid) on the other hand helps the body form healthy red blood cells.

But why are Americans not eating enough veggies? The Alliance’s report offers some reasons as to why. First, it says that dinner looks different these days with the growing popularity of one-dish meals and convenience items such as sandwiches and pizzas. These have pushed the vegetable side off the plate. Secondly, when it comes to preparing meals at home, parents are not as strict on making sure their kids have enough fruits and veggies. “Parents don’t want to make tailored meals for everyone at home and be line cooks” explains Elizabeth Pivonka, the CEO and president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, and a registered dietitian. About 35 percent of parents view getting their kids to eat veggies as a battle, just behind getting them to stop bickering and to clean their room.

The National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance has developed a plan that will increase accessibility of vegetables in schools, communities, on menus and worksites. The organization will promote efforts that will give people the motivation and nutrition education to eat more veggies.

NutriFusion® Can Increase Daily Vegetable Consumption

We have consistently seen this problem in nutrition and healthy eating over the past 5 years. We developed our stabilized whole fruit and vegetable powders to help packaged food companies deliver better nutrition. Our formulas can give foods as much as 50% of the daily value of complex vitamins from vegetables. Our goal is to help children and adults eat healthier packaged foods made from natural ingredients like fruits and vegetables. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the consumer packaged food page.

Belly Fat is More Dangerous For Heart Than Obesity

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Do you consider yourself healthy? In the context of body fat most people will answer by their BMI, and if their BMI is normal, their response will be positive too. Recent research has proved that this is not the case. Even if you have a normal BMI, it doesn’t mean you are healthy and especially if you have fat residing in the middle of your body i.e. belly, it may prove more harmful than obesity.

In a 14-year long research study conducted by health scientists, it was found that men who have an average weight and BMI (body mass index) but carry fat around their bellies are twice as likely to die as compared to the obese men. The study proved that women are also affected by this harmful fat, but their numbers are slightly lower than men, i.e. women having belly fat are 32% more likely to die than their obese counterparts.

This is an alarming situation as normal BMI was considered as a standard measure for one’s health, but the recent research has proved otherwise. This leads us to the question, why is belly fat more dangerous than obesity?

Belly Fat, Not Obesity Is The Silent Killer

All fats do not behave alike. For instance, you need a layer of fat called subcutaneous fat to protect your vital organs from the external environment. The other bad kind of fat that we are talking about here is called visceral fat, and it encircles your organs. It does not just sit there; it secretes harmful toxins and chemicals that increase inflammation throughout your body. Due to its proximity to your heart, it severely affects your cardiovascular system.

Visceral fat secretes a chemical called Interleukin 6 which further increases the inflammation. Ultimately, the metabolism of your body is governed by excess body fats that affect adiponectin – a protein that regulates sugar levels and breaks down fatty acids. When the body doesn’t have enough of adiponectin, it tells the system to store more fat that leads to more and more accumulation of visceral fat and this vicious cycle continues. The body is overwhelmed with cholesterol that leads to building up of plaque in your arteries causing the arteries to clog. With the passage of time, the arteries narrow down further causing hindrance in blood transport, increasing blood pressure and ultimately leading to a fatal heart attack.

There is Hope…

Fortunately getting rid of visceral fat is very easy. The key is healthy diet complemented with exercise. A sound nutrition plan will help you to stop this toxic fat from increasing, and rigorous exercise will help you burn it. Having said that, this is the only option if you want to stay healthy because surgeries like liposuction are not an option for visceral fat. Health is a lifestyle change so get ready to set up a nutrition plan and workout. Your dedication will keep your belly trimmed and your heart happy.

Inspired by: USA Today

FDA Proposes Sugar Limits in New Nutritional Guidelines

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Sugar is the sweet poison in almost everything that we eat. When we eat an excessive amount of sugar every day, it not only adds extra inches to the waist but it is also slowly killing us. A recent study shows that a sugar loaded diet can be a source of a heart attack even if you are not overweight. Another study was carried out to see the drastic effects caused by sugar to a healthy person, and the results were disturbing. Over the span of the 15-year study, members who took in 25% or a greater amount of their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as prone to death from heart failure as those whose eating habits included under 10% dose of sugar. In general, the odds of dying from coronary illness increased as the rate of sugar increased in the diet regardless of person’s age, gender, and physical activity level.

An average American citizen’s diet consisting of beverages including sodas and energy drinks. These beverages are one of the leading causes of extra sugar intake. Other sugar sources include cakes, baked goods, and pastries; ice-creams, solidified yogurt; sweets; and prepared-to-eat cereals. American researchers took the notice of this epidemic. Over the past ten years, they came to the conclusion that Americans are exceeding their sugar limits. Now the advocates are taking steps to ensure the health and safety of the American people.

F.D.A. Says Added Sugar Guidelines Must Change

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 24, 2015, passed a resolution that stated: in addition to the labeled nutrition facts; food packages should also contain a percentage daily value (%DV) for added sugar present in that item and should change the current footnote of the nutritional label. The percent daily value would specify how much of nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet and would help consumers make an educated decision for their and their families’ health. The initiated guideline is an adjunct to the March 3, 2014, proposed principle on overhauling the Nutrition Facts name, under which the FDA recommended that food companies incorporate included sugars on the Nutrition Facts label. The proposed policy did exclude the statement of the percent everyday value for added sugars.

The FDA’s initial proposal to include the amount of added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label is presently further upheld by recently reviewed studies recommending sound dietary examples, including lower measures of sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, are firmly connected with a decreased danger of cardiac disorders. In addition to providing sweetness to the foods and beverages, sugar only appends calories having no nutritional value. According to this enactment, the beverage companies are advised to restyle their nutritional fact chart posted on their bottles with details about the percent daily value listed for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron. The FDA also allowed community members to comment on the ruling for the next 75 days. The FDA has also created a survey to poll the current nutritional elements used by community members daily. Based on the comments received and the study conducted, they wanted to seek the community opinion before formally implementing the rule.

For The Full Article: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/placing-a-cap-on-americans-consumption-of-added-sugar

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Nutrients from Fruits & Vegetables are Depleting

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Our food is losing its nutrition from vitamins and minerals. Modern intensive farming may have solved many of our malnutrition problems, but it has caused vitamin and mineral content to decrease. Why does this matter? The phytonutrients and micronutrients in fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet.

Nutrients Research From 1950 to 2011

Fortunately for us, biochemists around the world have been keeping tabs on the nutrient concentrations in a variety of fruits and vegetables for the past 50 years. One of those biochemists is Donald Davis from the University of Texas. In 2011, Davis found notable declines in nutrient counts in several fruits and vegetables when comparing 2009 numbers to 1950 numbers. He found a 43% decline in iron and a 12% decline in calcium, which was in-line with his 1999 study where he found a 15 % decrease in vitamin C and a 38% decrease in vitamin B2.

Another study in 2005 revealed that vegetables lost a considerable amount of copper, magnesium and sodium; fruits dropped copper, iron, and potassium when compared to fruits and vegetables grown in the 1930s.

GMOs Pose Risks Around Nutrients Depletion

Recently, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published a study comparing organic and GMO growing methods. Their study found that organic apple growing methods produce nutrients with at least a 15% increase in antioxidant properties.

 

Davis and others blame agricultural practices that emphasise quantity over quality. High-yielding crops produce more food, more rapidly, but they can’t make or absorb nutrients at the same pace, so the nutrition is diluted. “It’s like taking a glass of orange juice and adding an equal amount of water to it. If you do that, the concentration of nutrients that was in the original juice is dropped by half,” says Davis.  (WakingTimes.com)

Of course, the research around nutrients depletion has caused some controversy. Many of the objectors claim that old methods of measuring nutrients do not offer a fair comparison of the most accurate methods of today. So, fruits and vegetables have lost trace elements of some vitamins and minerals, but we have drastically increased the supply and variety of our food.

Other Causes of Nutrients Depletion in Food

In 2014, a group of Harvard University researchers tested 41 different types of grains and legumes under CO2 levels that we are likely to experience over the next 40 to 60 years. They were able to show that most of the crops would see zinc and iron decrease between 5% – 10% in the future CO2 levels. It’s alarming to see these significant reductions in nutrients, which is truly the value of fruits and vegetables. However, climate change and CO2 are not the only things causing nutrient depletion.

Transportation and Distribution Problems

Many of the methods around transporting fruits and vegetables cause them to lose a lot their nutrients in the process. For example, tomatoes are picked unripe, so they don’t bruise easily, but they miss out on some antioxidants and flavor. Many times vegetables picked off the vine early lose valuable energy from the growing process.

The Bottom Line

In today’s fast-paced world of food processing, production, and transportation may be making food less nutritious, but it is supplying us with so much more food. Overall, we need to be eating more fruit and vegetables. Our company, NutriFusion, is dedicated to helping solving this problem. We want to help companies supply natural nutrients from fruits and vegetables in many of the foods that you already eat. If you are interested in learning more about NutriFusion and our process of stabilizing micronutrients and phytonutrients, please contact us below!

Full Article: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/10/22/fruits-and-vegetables-reaching-an-alarming-state-of-nutrient-depletion/