Newsbriefs: Snacks; Fiber; Sugary Drinks
“Snacks” Versus “Meals”
Getting into the habit of viewing snacks as meals could curb overeating, says a study appearing in the journal Appetite in January 2018. For the study, 80 people were given a helping of pasta that was labeled either a “snack” or a “meal.” Participants ate the “snacks” from a plastic container with a plastic fork while standing up, but they ate the “meals” from a ceramic plate with a metal fork while seated. Once the pasta was consumed, the participants took part in a taste test of different snack foods. Participants who had eaten pasta labeled as a snack ate more at the taste test. The researchers suggest that our memory for snacks and meals may be encoded differently in our subconscious minds. To overcome this, thinking of snacks as meals may increase our awareness of what and how much we are eating and help us avoid overeating.
Fiber Fights Colon Cancer
More research reinforces the benefits of a fiber-rich diet when it comes to colon cancer. The study (JAMA Oncology, Nov. 2, 2017) looked at the fiber consumption of 1,575 men and women who had been treated for colon or rectal cancer that had not spread beyond the colon. The data showed that for every 5-gram increase of fiber in the participants’ diets, reduced their odds of dying decreased by nearly 25 percent. The greatest benefit was attributed to fiber from cereals and whole grains. It’s thought that less than 3 percent of Americans get the recommended 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day. To increase your intake of fiber, substitute whole-grain bread for white, eat whole-grain crackers and cereals, and replace white rice with brown rice, quinoa, barley, or other whole grains.
Sugary Drinks Linked to Hypertension and Diabetes
A review (Journal of the Endocrine Society, Nov. 2, 2017) underlines the potentially harmful effects of sugary drinks on your health. For the review, researchers analyzed 36 existing studies that predominantly included participants who consumed five or more sugar-sweetened beverages per week. Overall, the review found a strong correlation between sugary drink consumption and metabolic syndrome (a constellation of cardiometabolic risk factors including high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar). Specifically, a minimum daily consumption of one sugary drink increased the risk of hypertension, and even as little as two per week increased the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
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