Newsbriefs: Flavonoids; Calorie Labeling; Lipid Levels; Running
Eat more flavonoids for healthier aging.
Healthy aging, defined by researchers as reaching age 70 or older, being in good mental and physical health, and being free of major, chronic diseases, is linked to diets containing more flavonoids, a group of phytonutrients found in plant foods, according to a recent study. Flavonoids are found in parsley, thyme, celery, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, berries, plums, red grapes, yellow onions, kale, leeks and broccoli. The study comprised almost 14,000 women in their late 50s who were followed for 15 years. Researchers found that the women with the highest 20 percent consumption of four types of flavonoids were more likely to have reached healthy aging than those with fewer flavonoids in their diets. The study appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2014.
Calorie labeling at long last.
It’s taken 10 years to achieve, but by December 2015 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require calories to be posted on menus at restaurant chains with 20 or more outlets by December 2015. This will enable people to make better food choices when dining out, and may cause restaurants to offer healthier options in order to keep their customers happy: A recent analysis of 20,000 items from 66 of the largest restaurant chains in the U.S. showed that new menu items contained almost 60 fewer calories, a 12 percent difference. However, calories in the companies’ core products, such as hamburgers at the burger chains and pizza at pizza restaurants, did not change. Calorie posting will also be required at movie concessions, vending machines, amusement parks and prepared food sold in supermarkets, such as sandwiches and salads; alcoholic beverages on restaurant menus, but not mixed drinks at a bar, also must disclose calories. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University noted in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that about one-third of U.S. adults and children eat at fast-food and other chain restaurants on any given day.
Statins + whole grains improve lipid levels.
New research suggests that people who take statins should also consume more whole grains. Statin users who consume more than 16 grams of whole grains a day have healthier cholesterol levels than statin users who consume fewer whole grains. In the study, 24.9 percent of 4,300 adults reported taking statins; 31 percent consumed more than 16 grams of whole grains daily. Researchers found that the non-HDL cholesterol concentration was significantly lower in statin users than in nonusers, but those who consumed more than 16 grams of daily whole grains scored 11 mg/dL better than those taking statins but not consuming as much whole grain in their diet. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.)
Run a little, live longer.
Running just five to 10 minutes a day, even at very slow speeds, can significantly lower your risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to a study published last July in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study included 55,137 participants who were followed for 15 years. Overall, runners gained about three years of life over their nonrunning peers, and had a 30 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 45 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality.
The post Newsbriefs: Flavonoids; Calorie Labeling; Lipid Levels; Running appeared first on University Health News.
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