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News items on 'Diets And Specific Foods'
Crash dieters' cravings 'like drug addiction'
(The Scotsman 10/11/2009)
YO-YO dieting may produce withdrawal symptoms similar to those suffered by alcoholics and drug addicts, a study suggests. Many people who diet get locked into a cycle of calorie- cutting and binge-eating. The new research on rats suggests they may be experiencing effects in the brain seen in relapsing drug users. Scientists found that when the rats were deprived of sugary food it affected a stress gene in the brain [early animal experiment].
Probiotic health claims dismissed
(BBC 02/10/2009)
General health claims for "probiotic" drinks and yogurts have been dismissed by a team of experts from the European Union. Their opinions will now be voted on by an EU Committee which is drawing up a list of permitted health claims. Scientists at the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) rejected 10 claims and said a further 170 had not provided enough evidence. The manufacturers of best-selling yogurt drinks Actimel and Yakult have submitted claims that will be considered at a later stage.
Daily sweets 'linked to violence'
(BBC 01/10/2009)
Children who eat sweets and chocolate every day are more likely to be violent as adults, according to UK researchers. The Cardiff University study involving 17,500 people is the first into effects of childhood diet on adult violence. It found 10-year-olds who ate sweets daily were significantly more likely to have a violence conviction by age 34. Researchers suggested they had not learnt to delay gratification, but other experts said already "difficult" children might be given more sweets.
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Popular pizzas red-rated for high levels of fat and salt
(The Scotsman 24/09/2009)
A CHEESE and tomato pizza can contain half an adult's recommended daily amount of salt and 70% of a woman's intake of saturated fat, a report revealed yesterday. Reviewers from the Good Food Guide examined margherita pizzas at six popular restaurant chains. The pizza with the lowest fat in the survey - found at Pizza Express - also scored the highest for taste. But all six dishes were rated "red" according to the government traffic light system for saturated fat and salt.
Complaints flood in to distributor as diet pills face probe
(The Scotsman 05/09/2009)
Trading Planet Ltd, believed to be based in Spain (but shipping from Scotland), is being investigated by trading standards officers from across the UK as well as officials abroad. Angry customers have complained after signing up to a "£1 trial" of "Life Cleanse" and "Acai Berry" products. But the terms and conditions contains clauses which allows it to send more batches at a cost of up to £79 plus £3.95 postage if the buyer fails to cancel the agreement within 15 days.
Slimming diet could raise risk of heart attack
(The Scotsman 25/08/2009)
LOW-carbohydrate slimming diets may damage arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks, research suggests. Scientists believe cutting out the carbs by following Atkins-style diets impairs the regrowth and repair of blood vessels. The discovery was made by a US team whose leader was himself on a low-carb diet until he saw the results of the study. The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Beetroot juice 'boosts stamina'
(BBC 07/08/2009)
Drinking beetroot juice boosts stamina and could help people exercise for up to 16% longer, a UK study suggests. A University of Exeter team found nitrate contained in the vegetable leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake - making exercise less tiring. The small Journal of Applied Physiology study suggests the effect is greater than that which can be achieved by regular training. Beetroot juice has previously been shown to reduce blood pressure [small study of 8 people].
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Soya: good or bad for you?
(The Independent 05/05/2009)
There was an awkward pause on the phone the day before my last dinner party. "We're trying for a baby and I read that tofu can lower men's sperm counts. So would you mind keeping it off the menu, just to be on the safe side?" This was news to me. I'd come to think of tofu - of all soy products - as health-boosting "superfoods". Weren't they meant to lower cholesterol, help with menopausal symptoms and help us resist all sorts of cancer?
China's secret tea revealed as fat-busting wonder cuppa by scientists
(The Scotsman 01/05/2009)
A DAILY cup of special tea may combat the obesity epidemic, scientists will say today. An extract of white tea prevents new fat cells from forming and helps to burn off mature ones, according to research. The researchers grew human fat cells in the laboratory and found that after treating them with the white tea compound, the amount of fat in them was reduced [this claim is based on a lab experiment - more research required].
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