This week in food choices – Jan 31 2011 – Salt, diabetes, and good and bad fats

We’re not surprised to see that salt is linked to hypertension, but a study has come out showing that it may be linked to asthma. The CDC has increased its estimates of diabetics and pre-diabetics in the USA, and the recommendations to overcome it are changing – eggs may help and artificial sweeteners may not be so useful. Eggs are mentioned again in a study that shows that they aren’t linked to coronary heart disease or stroke, and fat may be beneficial to prevent breast cancer – more evidence against the ingrained “fat is bad” attitude. Diet and health books are heavy on low-carb and paleo diets.

Salt – Low Sodium, hypertension, and asthma

• War on salt – Mayo Clinic summary of reports and initiatives. 1/25/11 Mayo Clinic quoted in Nutrition SmartBrief
• Salt and hypertension – Researchers found that salt-laden foods quickly impair the ability of blood vessels to widen even in people with normal blood pressure, according to the study published in this month’s The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  1/27/11 MSNBC
• Salt and asthma – Study finds a 4.8 times higher risk of having asthma symptoms when children ate salty snacks more than three times a week. 1/25/11 UPI.com quoted in Nutrition SmartBrief

Diabetes – Artificial sweeteners and eggs

• Artificial sweeteners and Type 2 diabetes – evidence showing that artificial sweeteners may increase weight and perhaps diabetes. 1/26/11 Diabetes Self-Management
• Eggs and diabetes – Egg consumption as part of an energy-restricted high-protein diet improves blood lipid and blood glucose profiles in individuals with type 2 diabetes. British Journal of Nutrition
• Diabetes nearly 26 million, prediabetes 79 million USA adults – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new estimates – The National Diabetes Fact Sheet for 2011 says that diabetes affects 8.3 percent of all Americans and 11.3 percent among those aged 20 and older.  An estimated 7 million Americans with diabetes do not know they have the disease. 1/28/11 American Diabetes Association

Fat and other nutrients

• No transfat, MSG, microwaves; Foods with no gluten – Moe’s Southwest Grill’s redesigned menu boards will feature a new food mission wheel intended to steer guests to select healthier choices. 1/24/11 FastCasual
• Trans-fat may increase risk of depression – A study shows that people who ate the most trans fats, which are commonly found in pastries and fast food, had a 48% increased risk of depression compared with people who did not eat trans fats. Individuals who ate a lot of polyunsaturated fats — a healthier type of fat that is found in olive oil, for example — had a lower risk of depression. 1/26/11 Los Angeles Times quoted in Nutrition SmartBrief
• Eggs don’t lead to coronary heart disease or strokes – ‘High’ egg consumption (≥7 times/week v. <1 time/week) was not associated with significantly increased CHD mortality, and ‘high’ egg consumption may reduce stroke mortality among men. Public Health Nutrition 2011
• Fat, carbohydrates, and breast cancer – Breast cancer risk declined with increasing dietary fat and increased with carbohydrates. 1/24/11 Nutrition and Cancer
• Lower fat, lower sugar, increase nutrients – The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute releases “GO, SLOW, and WHOA” guidelines for choosing foods for your family. January 2011 NHLBI

Other – Seafood, fast food, and more

• Seafood consumption down – A new study by Technomic found that 23 percent of respondents’ seafood consumption decreased during the spill and, notably, remains down by 19 percent. Almost one-fourth of consumers admitted to eating less fish as a direct result of the spill, even though only 2 percent of seafood eaten in the United States comes from the Gulf.  1/27/11 FastCasual
• Banning Chick-fil-A for ethical reasons – Indiana University at South Bend has removed a Chick-fil-A outlet from its campus after learning that the chain is supporting an event in Pennsylvania that IUSB administrators consider anti-gay. 1/28/11 Food Management
• Fast food affects children’s food preference development – Research in the journal Appetite suggest that children with detailed mental representations of fast food and soda brands – as developed by advertising and experience – have higher scores on an ‘added flavour’ sugar/fat/salt (SFS) liking palate, and this may lead to obesity. 1/28/11 Food Navigator-USA / January 2011 Appetite
• Gluten-free preservatives – Danisco has revised its natural preservative range of cultured dextrose and cultured milk fermentates to ensure they are gluten free, as its customers increasingly demand gluten free options, the company said. 1/28/11 Food Navigator-USA
• Lactose-intolerant dairy opportunities – How to cater for the lactose-intolerant.  1/24/11 Food Product Design
• Smaller portion sizes – Offering downsized meal portions in addition to normal ones at cafeterias may help some people cut their calorie intake. 1/27/11 Reuters Health
• Gas-forming foods – carbonated beverages, chewing gum, hard candies, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, baked beans, milk and lactose for lactose-intolerant people, certain starches–wheat, oats, corn, potatoes. The American College of Gastroenterology, quoted 1/28/11 in Digestive SmartBrief

Diets – Vegan, low-carb, paleo, and more

• Low-fat vegetarian/ vegan diet with a high amount of raw foods and juices – Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!. This diet claims to help you balance your body’s pH by eating more lush whole foods, low-glycemic fruits, raw veggies, alkalizing green drinks, and super-powered green smoothies.  By increasing your intake of alkaline foods and reducing or eliminating your consumption of animal products, processed sugars and starches you will boost your immunity and your life force.  1/28/11 EveryDiet
• Food combining to prevent fermentation and acidity in the digestive system – The Gracie Diet. Space your meals at least 4 ½ hours apart and eat just three meals each day; eliminate desserts and sodas; don’t mix starches; other food combination recommendations. 1/26/11 EveryDiet