Demand for grain products has decreased, although whole grains are still in demand. 46% of people believe that gluten-free is healthier, and 30% believe it will lead to weight loss. A Mediterranean diet may improve liver health and reduce issues of sleep apnea. A low-sodium diet may be unhealthy. More foods are being marketed as suitable for vegetarians. In rare cases, people allergic to cats may also be allergic to pork and other meats – “pork-cat syndrome.” A low acid food diet may be helpful to reduce the risks of heartburn. A Florida prisoner is protesting against being fed soy. An alcohol-free bar has opened in the UK. Also this week, lots of vegan Thanksgiving recipes appeared, especially for vegan pecan pie.
Gluten-free and grain demand – gluten free demand, less bread eaten
Changing demand for grain products Nov-1-11 Food Business News
While overall consumption of grain-based foods held steady in the 1990s, the segment has lost ground this century, equaling billions and billions of lost servings. Bread consumption has diminished. 64% of adults are trying to eat whole grains. 25% of the population showed wariness of gluten in a national survey
More local restaurants gluten-free Nov-6-11 DelawareOnline
One of many local gluten-free restaurant owners said she wanted the restaurant to be gluten-free friendly. “I opened the restaurant because I was tired of not being able to eat a meal with confidence that it wasn’t cross contaminated in the kitchen,” she said. “I’ve worked in kitchens where even the best of chefs will innocently cross contaminate, not even realizing that they’re doing it.”
Gluten-free: 46% believe healthier, 30% believe weight loss Nov-7-11 Fox News Latino
Nearly 46 percent of people avoid gluten because they think that gluten-free products are “healthier,” and 30 percent eat gluten-free to manage their weight. 1% of Americans have celiac disease, and 6% have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Oftentimes the benefit of going gluten-free is to avoid the other ingredients in food with gluten, such as dairy, corn or eggs, but gluten gets blamed. People could also lose weight on a gluten-free diet because gluten is usually present in high-calorie items such as baked goods, pasta, desserts. The Washington Post also argues many of the same points.
‘Free from’ sector / gluten-free continues to grow in UK Nov-9-11 FoodBev.com
Falling household spending has done nothing to dent the rapid growth seen in the gluten and wheat free sector as latest market figures from gluten free brand, DS-gluten free, show a 15.5% growth in the sector year on year, according to research.
Mediterranean diet benefits – liver health, sleep apnea
Mediterranean diet improves liver health Nov-8-11 New Hope 360
A new study suggests that a diet like the much-touted Mediterranean diet, will improve metabolic and liver health for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) even without weight loss.
Mediterranean diet may reduce sleep apnea Nov-11-11 Diabetes Self-Management
A small study showed that those following the Mediterranean diet had a reduced number of apneas, or pauses in breathing, during the REM stage of sleep, which accounts for roughly 25% of sleep during the night. Those assigned to the Mediterranean diet group also had a greater adherence to the diet, a greater decrease in abdominal fat, and an increase in physical activity compared to the “prudent” diet group.
Sodium reduction – foodservice reduces salt, study says low-sodium may be unhealthy
UFood reduces sodium Nov-8-11 Restaurant News Resource
UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. announced that the company has reduced sodium by 20 percent in all of its breaded chicken menu items as part of the company’s core focus on continuing to offer customers at its urban, airport, hospital and military base locations food that is nutritionally sound and great tasting.
Study questions low-sodium diet benefits Nov-10-11 Food Product Design
Results of a new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggest following a low-sodium diet actually may do more harm than good by triggering a negative chain reaction in the body that increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack and heart disease.
Vegetarian food – demand for meat-free products, African-Americans and obesity
Food products for vegetarians and reduced meat consumption Nov-2011 IFT
Since research shows that there is a growing number of non-vegetarian consumers at least occasionally purchasing vegetarian products, food marketers are using the “suitable for vegetarians” and “suitable for a vegetarian diet” claims as a way to be inclusive rather than exclusive.
Being vegetarian can save African-Americans from diabetes Nov-6-11 International Business Times
Vegan African-Americans had a 70% reduced risk of diabetes, while lacto-ovo African-American vegetarians, or those who consume dairy but not meet, had a 53% less risk of diabetes
Other – pork-cat syndrome, low-acid diet for heartburn, soy in prison, alcohol-free bar
U.S. Senate cafeteria considers Kosher catering Oct-11-11 Haaretz.com
The U.S. Senate cafeteria has decided to start catering for its Jewish staff members, by looking into options for adding Kosher meals to its menu.
Pork-Cat Syndrome Nov-6-11 WebMD
Some people with cat allergies may also be allergic to pork and other meats because of a rare type of cross-reactive allergy known as pork-cat syndrome.
Low-acid diet for heartburn Nov-7-11 New York Times
Some diets focus on the balance of acid and alkaline in the diet, mostly by eating more vegetables and certain fruits and fewer meats and processed foods. Restricting dietary acid could relieve reflux symptoms like coughing and hoarseness in patients who had not been helped by drug therapy, according to the journal Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology.
Banning soda in schools doesn’t reduce consumption Nov-7-11 Food Product Design
The policy of banning the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in school cafeterias and vending machines does little to reduce overall consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, according to a new report published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Prisoner claims soy-based meals are cruel and unusual punishment Nov-7-11 HuffPost Food
A Florida prisoner claims that the meals of processed and blended soy foods “have caused painful gastrointestinal cramping” which threaten the health of his thyroid and immune system.
Managing fluids for bladder control Nov-7- 11 Harvard Health Publications
In the United States, about 32 million men and women have some degree of incontinence. Fluid management guidelines are given in this article.
Diabetes from plastic – BPA Nov-8-11 Diabetes Self-Management
A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed that having higher BPA levels was associated with a diabetes rate 50% higher than having lower urine levels of the chemical.
Alcohol-free bar Nov-8-11 HuffPost Small Business
Many of the customers of a Liverpool, UK booze-free bar are in recovery, but the bar also appeals to those who want to avoid the “testosterone, drunk and drug-fueled club and bar scene.” As a result, The Brink is said to be popular with both single women and the city’s Muslim community.
Generations divided over paying extra for eco-friendly food Nov-9-11 FoodBev.com
Shoppers in their 20s and 30s are far happier than those in their 40s and 50s to fork out a premium for food and drink products boasting a low carbon footprint, according to new UK research.
Offal in UK supermarkets Nov-11-11 FoodBev.com
In a bid to reintroduce the country to traditional and cheaper cuts of meat, Waitrose supermarket will be stocking offal. “The success of the Forgotten Cuts range shows that customers are learning to love these cuts again, and we are keen to introduce an even wider range to the nation. We also have the interests of British agriculture at heart, and buying the whole carcass and not just choice cuts, ensures a better deal for farmers in the UK.”
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