Feature Channels: Health Food

• share
• favorite_border

Compound induces apoptosis in cancer cells

• share
• favorite_border

A recent study by Vanderbilt University’s Ingram Center showed that a diet full of cruciferous vegetables protects and improves breast cellular health.

• share
• favorite_border

A study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigators reveals that breast cancer survivors who eat more cruciferous vegetables may have improved survival. The study of women in China was presented by postdoctoral fellow Sarah J. Nechuta, Ph.D., M.P.H., at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago, Ill.

• share
• favorite_border

The Top 10 Functional Food Trends of 2012 point to more consumers favor getting their vitamins and minerals from the foods they eat and beverages they drink instead of supplements, according to research presented Wednesday at the Institute of Food Technologists’ Wellness 12 meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

A small clinical trial led by researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine and VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) found that patients with advanced heart failure and type 2 diabetes showed improved mitochondrial structure after three months of treatment with epicatechin-enriched cocoa. Epicatechin is a flavonoid found in dark chocolate.

• share
• favorite_border

Fish oil is an underused ingredient in the food industry because of its association with a strong odor and aftertaste. A new study in the February issue of the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists, shows that fish oil can be added to goat cheese to deliver high levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids without compromising taste or shelf-life.

• share
• favorite_border

Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy, a study from researchers at Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center suggests.

• share
• favorite_border

Women who eat at least three servings of fish per week have a reduced risk of developing some types of colon polyps according to a new study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators. The research, led by first author Harvey Murff, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of Medicine, was published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

• share
• favorite_border

In an animal study, Mount Sinai researchers found that decaffeinated coffee may improve glucose utilization in the brain, reducing the risk for Type 2 diabetes and the brain dysfunction associated with some neurological disorders.

• share
• favorite_border

Dr. Susan Mallery, a professor in the College of Dentistry at The Ohio State University and Oral Pathology Consultant at the Ohio State University and James Cancer hospitals, has dedicated her nearly 30-year career to studying new strategies to preventing oral cancer. Her efforts have helped create a cancer-fighting mouthwash derived from black raspberries and an adhesive patch that delivers targeted therapy to pre-cancerous lesions in the mouth - possibly sparing patients from repeat surgeries.

• share
• favorite_border

A groundbreaking study conducted by Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) Senior Scientist Elizabeth Theil, PhD, is the first to reveal the existence of at least two independent mechanisms for iron absorption from non-meat sources-and a potential treatment for iron deficiency, the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. The discovery of an alternative mechanism for iron absorption from vegetables and legumes may provide the key to helping solve iron deficiency by providing an alternative, affordable, and readily available source of iron.

• share
• favorite_border

Why do heavy coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a disease on the increase around the world that can lead to serious health problems? Scientists are offering a new solution to that long-standing mystery in a report in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry.

• share
• favorite_border

Drinking red wine in moderation may reduce one of the risk factors for breast cancer, providing a natural weapon to combat a major cause of death among U.S. women, new research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shows.

• share
• favorite_border

Americans seeking a better night’s sleep may need to look no further than tart cherry juice, according to a new study in the European Journal of Nutrition. 1 An international team of researchers found that when adults had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice, they slept 39 minutes longer, on average, and had up to 6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency.

• share
• favorite_border

Given the obesity epidemic among the nation’s young, one would hope that children’s hospitals would serve as a role model for healthy eating. But hospitals in California fall short, with only 7 percent of entrees classified as “healthy.”

• share
• favorite_border

A team of Johns Hopkins researchers has uncovered further evidence of the benefits of a balanced diet that replaces white bread and pasta carbohydrates with unsaturated fat from avocados, olive oil and nuts — foods typical of the so-called “Mediterranean diet.”

• share
• favorite_border

A recent study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people. The research, supported by the Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), was conducted by a team of scientists that has spent more than three decades investigating links between psychological stress and immunity.

• share
• favorite_border

1) A significantly inverse association was found for coffee consumption and basal cell carcinoma. 2) Decaffeinated coffee consumption was not associated with decreased risk. 3) Coffee consumption was not related to squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

• share
• favorite_border

Elizabeth Howlett, a professor of marketing in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, served on the committee that is proposing a new system for federal food nutrition labels.

• share
• favorite_border

Bananas offer natural, effective solution for water contamination.

• share
• favorite_border

When multiple family members are diagnosed with various types of cancer, a dietitian decides to transition from clinical professional and educator to research scientist. On a quest for answers that included the exploration of her own genome, Dr. Spees is currently working on a study of the relationship between diet and mutated p53 genes in men with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

• share
• favorite_border

Pop-up toaster hamburgers, microwaveable cans, sauces and spreads that turn everyday sandwiches into gourmet restaurant-style meals are currently just some of the trends that are sweeping the food marketing arena. As the global economy continues to falter, more and more people are eating in and are craving restaurant-style food they can make themselves at home and tailor to their own tastes.

• share
• favorite_border

Just four fruits – oranges, bananas, apples and watermelons – account for nearly half of American’s fruit intake. Eating a variety of rich-colored fruits is essential to an overall healthful diet, but most Americans are falling far short of the recommended consumption for fruit in their diet. “Go Red Instead” and help fight “fruit fatigue” by filling your plate – and your glass – with tart cherries.

• share
• favorite_border

A long-held mantra suggests that you can't change your family, the genes they pass on, or the effect of these genes. Now, an international team of scientists, led by researchers at McMaster and McGill universities, is attacking that belief. The researchers discovered the gene that is the strongest marker for heart disease can actually be modified by generous amounts of fruit and raw vegetables. The results of their study are published in the current issue of the journal PLoS Medicine.

• share
• favorite_border

Use of folic acid supplements by women in Norway in the period 4 weeks before to 8 weeks after conception was associated with a reduced risk of the child having severe language delay at age 3 years, according to a study in the October 12 issue of JAMA.

• share
• favorite_border

1) Reductions of markers like PGE2 may be a biomarker for colon cancer prevention. 2) Phase II study conducted in humans requires validation. 3) Natural supplement use could be potential cancer prevention strategy.

• share
• favorite_border

Fruit has always been an important component of a healthy diet – from ubiquitous blueberries and strawberries to seasonal varieties like peaches and cranberries. Recently, less-familiar fruit, such as dragon berries and prickly pear, are finding their way into smoothies, coconut water beverages and frozen fruit bars. These flavors, when blended with classic fruits, can further expand the variety of choices for consumers and may even help increase the consumption of food that meets nutritional needs.

• share
• favorite_border

The fruit of the saw palmetto tree does not relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate, even when men take the herbal supplement in very high doses, a new study shows.

• share
• favorite_border

The world’s largest annual meeting of food and nutrition professionals, the American Dietetic Association’s 2011 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, took place September 24 to 27 in San Diego, Calif.

• share
• favorite_border

Older people with low blood levels of vitamin B12 markers may be more likely to have lower brain volumes and have problems with their thinking skills, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The results of the study are published in the Sept. 27 issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

The risk of depression appears to decrease for women with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee, according to a report in the September 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

• share
• favorite_border

Miriam E. Nelson, PhD, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, leaves today on a 10-week cross country tour to connect groups of women who are committed to staying fit, strong and healthy while spearheading initiatives to improve the food and physical activity environment in communities across the nation.

• share
• favorite_border

Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

• share
• favorite_border

If parents load their own plates with leafy greens, juicy fruits, and colorful veggies, their children just may do the same.

• share
• favorite_border

University of Arkansas researchers are taking grape skins left from making wine and juice and using “green” processes to extract powerful antioxidants that can be used in health products.

• share
• favorite_border

Antioxidants—what are they and why do you need them? IFT Member Claudia Fajardo-Lira, PhD, Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at California State University-Northridge, explains the facts about antioxidants in this video.

• share
• favorite_border

When it comes to improving bone health in postmenopausal women — and people of all ages, actually — a Florida State University researcher has found a simple, proactive solution to help prevent fractures and osteoporosis: eating dried plums.

• share
• favorite_border

In a study just published in BMC Cancer, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania researchers found that a diet of flaxseed given to mice not only protects lung tissues before exposure to radiation, but can also significantly reduce damage after exposure occurs.

• share
• favorite_border

Blueberries are among the nutrient-rich foods being studied by UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators exploring the link between disease and nutrition. Dieticians there say as little as a cup a day can help prevent cell damage linked to cancer.

• share
• favorite_border

Scientists study the factors that influence the concentration of lutein, an antioxidant found in soybeans.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that grape seed polyphenols—a natural antioxidant—may help prevent the development or delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

• share
• favorite_border

Lycopene, a red pigment that gives tomatoes and certain other fruits and vegetables their color, could help prevent prostate cancer, especially in African American men, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study gauging the impact of consuming more fish oil showed a marked reduction both in inflammation and, surprisingly, in anxiety among a cohort of healthy young people.

• share
• favorite_border

A recent study from scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies suggests that a strawberry a day (or more accurately, 37 of them) could keep not just one doctor away, but an entire fleet of them, including the neurologist, the endocrinologist, and maybe even the oncologist.

• share
• favorite_border

A neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate whether cinnamon, a common food spice and flavoring material, may stop the destructive process of multiple sclerosis (MS). The two-year, $750,000 NIH grant will fund research that will analyze the effects of cinnamon on the disease process in mice.

• share
• favorite_border

An antioxidant may prevent damage to the liver caused by excessive alcohol, according to new research from UAB. The findings may point the way to treatments to reverse steatosis, or fatty deposits in the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and cancer.

• share
• favorite_border

Consuming a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and many spices will help maintain high levels of polyphenols in your body and blood stream all day long.

• share
• favorite_border

University of Adelaide researchers have shown for the first time how peppermint helps to relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which affects up to 20% of the population.

• share
• favorite_border

Tart cherries have a unique combination of powerful antioxidants that may help reduce risk factors for heart disease, according to new research presented at the Experimental Biology annual meeting in Washington, DC. In a series of three studies, researchers from University of Michigan, University of Arizona and Brunswick labs studied the antioxidant levels and anti-inflammatory benefits of tart cherries.

• share
• favorite_border

Freeze-dried strawberries may be an alternative to drugs for the prevention of esophageal cancer, according to research presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.