This slice of Fourth of July virility news is from the excellent email service sent out by Levine Breaking News (www.lbnElert.com):
SCIENTISTS SAY WATERMELON YIELDS VIAGRA-LIKE EFFECTS:
A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to Viagra - but don't necessarily expect it to keep the fireworks all night long. Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.
Email sponsored by Life Alert, www.seniorprotection.com
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
DARK NOT A LARK: WHY DARK CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU
The blog Penguin Food has a fun article about "Three bad foods that are really good" (love that title). Here is what they say about dark chocolate:
"Eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day could be good for you... A study has found that a regular 2oz dose can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke - without any weight gain."
Most of the post's dark-chocolate-good-news seems to be from a Daily Mail article, which says, among other things, that "Blood pressure lowered in this way could reduce the risk of death from a stroke by 8 per cent and from coronary artery disease by 5 per cent, the University of Cologne scientists found. It would also reduce risk of death generally by 4 per cent. A daily diet of a little chocolate had the same effect as more complicated diets designed to lower blood pressure, according to the authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 'Although the magnitude of the blood pressure reduction was small, the effects are clinically noteworthy,' they said. 'Adoption of small amounts of flavanol-rich cocoa into the habitual diet is a dietary modification that is easy to adhere to, and therefore may be a promising behavioural approach to lower blood pressure in individuals with above-optimal blood pressure.'
The Penguin Blog post continues with some tongue-in-cheeky observations:
Of course 'they' try to spoil the fun and emphasise that we can only eat a little bit of chocolate, and besides, fruit and vegetables are better for you - but they forget the little point that fruit and vegetables dont taste as nice as chocolate. Chocolate makes you feel better. If you feel better - you are more relaxed, and therefore your heart is more relaxed and beats more comfortably. You could eat more fruit, but your added miserability will increase the pressure on your heart anyway."
To read the full blog post (you want to know what their OTHER TWO "bad/good" foods are, right?), go to: http://penguin-food.blogspot.com/2007/07/three-bad-foods-that-are-really-good.html (the post seems to be authored by a bloke named Graham, the man behind the Penguin Food blog, and this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales License).
"Eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day could be good for you... A study has found that a regular 2oz dose can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke - without any weight gain."
Most of the post's dark-chocolate-good-news seems to be from a Daily Mail article, which says, among other things, that "Blood pressure lowered in this way could reduce the risk of death from a stroke by 8 per cent and from coronary artery disease by 5 per cent, the University of Cologne scientists found. It would also reduce risk of death generally by 4 per cent. A daily diet of a little chocolate had the same effect as more complicated diets designed to lower blood pressure, according to the authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 'Although the magnitude of the blood pressure reduction was small, the effects are clinically noteworthy,' they said. 'Adoption of small amounts of flavanol-rich cocoa into the habitual diet is a dietary modification that is easy to adhere to, and therefore may be a promising behavioural approach to lower blood pressure in individuals with above-optimal blood pressure.'
The Penguin Blog post continues with some tongue-in-cheeky observations:
Of course 'they' try to spoil the fun and emphasise that we can only eat a little bit of chocolate, and besides, fruit and vegetables are better for you - but they forget the little point that fruit and vegetables dont taste as nice as chocolate. Chocolate makes you feel better. If you feel better - you are more relaxed, and therefore your heart is more relaxed and beats more comfortably. You could eat more fruit, but your added miserability will increase the pressure on your heart anyway."
To read the full blog post (you want to know what their OTHER TWO "bad/good" foods are, right?), go to: http://penguin-food.blogspot.com/2007/07/three-bad-foods-that-are-really-good.html (the post seems to be authored by a bloke named Graham, the man behind the Penguin Food blog, and this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales License).
Monday, April 28, 2008
CHOCOLATE UNWRAPPED: THE SWEET TREAT IS NOT SO BAD AFTER ALL (AND MAYBE EVEN GOOD FOR YOU)
A 2003 book by Rowan Jacobsen entitled "Chocolate Unwrapped: The Surprising Health Benefitsof America's Favorite Passion" discusses how chocolate, a treat many were taught causes a host of bad things to happen to our bodies (namely our fat cells and teeth) , may actually be beneficial to our health. Here are highlights of the book description, from its Amazon webpage:
...recent studies [have] revealed ...that [c]hocolate protects you from heart disease... improves cholesterol levels... [and] may even help prevent some cancers. ...Evidence is piling up that chocolate has a list of health benefits few foods can match. We’re all familiar with antioxidants, the compounds found in fruits, vegetables, red wine, and tea that prevent heart disease, cancer, and premature aging. What we don’t hear is that chocolate has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food on the planet — ten times that of spinach, five times that of blueberries, and four times that of green tea.
Chocolate Unwrapped explains the science behind chocolate’s health benefits, then goes on to dispel the myths swirling around chocolate. Chocolate does not cause acne, allergies, migraines, or hyperactivity. Chocolate has much less caffeine than most people think. And tannins in chocolate actually help prevent cavities, making chocolate better for teeth than other sweets. Though there is no proof for chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac ... chocolate has clear effects on the brain and mood. Chocolate contains anandamide, a substance that activates the same receptors in the brain as marijuana, as well as other chemicals that causes feelings of excitement and well-being, explaining the natural craving many people feel for it.
Chocolate Unwrapped not only explains the positive physical and psychological effects of chocolate, but goes on to explore the colorful history, botany, and chemistry of chocolate, so you’ll understand what to look for and what to avoid. A recipe section provides a multitude of healthy ways to eat chocolate, from flourless chocolate cake to Mexican mole, and a comprehensive list of resources tells you where to find the best-quality chocolates in the world.
Here are a few expert comments from the book's inside flap:
"I do recommend a piece of good-quality dark chocolate as a healthy snack . . . it is a source of polyphenols, the same type of antioxidants found in red wine, and the fat it contains is stearic acid, which doesn’t affect cholesterol levels. The latest good news for chocolate lovers comes from a study indicating that flavonoids in chocolate are good for your heart. These compounds reduce the stickiness of platelets, cells that play an important role in blood clotting. By eating a 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar, you get the same amount of these protective compounds as in a 5-ounce glass of Cabernet Sauvignon." Andrew Weil, M.D.
"Nitric oxide plays such an important role in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular health. If our research results continue to support a link between consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and nitric oxide synthesis, there could be significant implications for public health." Norman Hollenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
"Chocolate contains large amounts of the same beneficial plant chemicals that now have burnished the reputation of tea. In fact, just one ounce of chocolate has about as much of these plant chemicals as a cup of brewed black tea. One large, ongoing study of the benefits of exercise found that men who eat chocolate in moderation live longer than those who eat none." University of California-Berkeley Wellness Letter
"We already know that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables results in an increase of antioxidants in our blood. We believe chocolate consumption may have the same effect. We forget that chocolate is derived from cocoa beans—the fruit of the cacao tree—a fruit that is a rich source of these potentially beneficial substances." Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
"Eating chocolate can have significant influences on mood, generally leading to an increase in pleasant feelings and a reduction in tension." Peter Rogers, Ph.D., Institute of Food Research
...recent studies [have] revealed ...that [c]hocolate protects you from heart disease... improves cholesterol levels... [and] may even help prevent some cancers. ...Evidence is piling up that chocolate has a list of health benefits few foods can match. We’re all familiar with antioxidants, the compounds found in fruits, vegetables, red wine, and tea that prevent heart disease, cancer, and premature aging. What we don’t hear is that chocolate has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food on the planet — ten times that of spinach, five times that of blueberries, and four times that of green tea.
Chocolate Unwrapped explains the science behind chocolate’s health benefits, then goes on to dispel the myths swirling around chocolate. Chocolate does not cause acne, allergies, migraines, or hyperactivity. Chocolate has much less caffeine than most people think. And tannins in chocolate actually help prevent cavities, making chocolate better for teeth than other sweets. Though there is no proof for chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac ... chocolate has clear effects on the brain and mood. Chocolate contains anandamide, a substance that activates the same receptors in the brain as marijuana, as well as other chemicals that causes feelings of excitement and well-being, explaining the natural craving many people feel for it.
Chocolate Unwrapped not only explains the positive physical and psychological effects of chocolate, but goes on to explore the colorful history, botany, and chemistry of chocolate, so you’ll understand what to look for and what to avoid. A recipe section provides a multitude of healthy ways to eat chocolate, from flourless chocolate cake to Mexican mole, and a comprehensive list of resources tells you where to find the best-quality chocolates in the world.
Here are a few expert comments from the book's inside flap:
"I do recommend a piece of good-quality dark chocolate as a healthy snack . . . it is a source of polyphenols, the same type of antioxidants found in red wine, and the fat it contains is stearic acid, which doesn’t affect cholesterol levels. The latest good news for chocolate lovers comes from a study indicating that flavonoids in chocolate are good for your heart. These compounds reduce the stickiness of platelets, cells that play an important role in blood clotting. By eating a 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar, you get the same amount of these protective compounds as in a 5-ounce glass of Cabernet Sauvignon." Andrew Weil, M.D.
"Nitric oxide plays such an important role in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular health. If our research results continue to support a link between consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and nitric oxide synthesis, there could be significant implications for public health." Norman Hollenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
"Chocolate contains large amounts of the same beneficial plant chemicals that now have burnished the reputation of tea. In fact, just one ounce of chocolate has about as much of these plant chemicals as a cup of brewed black tea. One large, ongoing study of the benefits of exercise found that men who eat chocolate in moderation live longer than those who eat none." University of California-Berkeley Wellness Letter
"We already know that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables results in an increase of antioxidants in our blood. We believe chocolate consumption may have the same effect. We forget that chocolate is derived from cocoa beans—the fruit of the cacao tree—a fruit that is a rich source of these potentially beneficial substances." Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
"Eating chocolate can have significant influences on mood, generally leading to an increase in pleasant feelings and a reduction in tension." Peter Rogers, Ph.D., Institute of Food Research
Thursday, January 03, 2008
FDA's Pilot Program to Better Educate Consumers about Recalled Food Products (fda.gov)
What is the purpose of this pilot program?
FDA is conducting a six-month pilot program to educate and assist consumers in identifying recalled food products that may pose a significant health risk. FDA wants to help consumers identify these products by posting a photo of the principal label panel. We believe that by posting a photo of the label, consumers will be able to more easily identify and avoid these potentially hazardous food products. This pilot is one among a number of measures taken by FDA to proactively educate the public and improve food safety.
OTHER QUESTIONS and links to answers:
What are typical food risks that FDA alerts the public to?Which recalled products are part of the pilot program?
Where can I find the Web site where information and photos about recalled foods are posted?
Why is FDA piloting the use of photos with recalled human food products only?
How long will this pilot program last?
What is the purpose of the pictures and what do they show?
Why do some recalls include photos and others do not?
Can I be alerted by e-mail when there is a new recall?
Where can I comment on this pilot program?
What does FDA do with the comments it receives?
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