Avocado Nutrition » iFitandHealthy.com
As we grow increasingly health-conscious in our diets, avocado has stepped up to the plate as a choice replacement for fatty meats. Think ALT, hold the bacon. Think of all the veggie wraps teasing you away from those roast beef sandwiches.The small irony here is that avocado is one fat fruit. A typical, medium-sized variety provides 25 percent of your daily intake, if you eat the whole thing. Most of this is monounsaturated fat — the good kind — with no cholesterol and no sodium.
A little fat in the diet is necessary, and the good kind is a good way to get it. Avocado provides great texture and flavor to vegetarian dishes.
ScienceDaily: Pistachios May Calm Acute Stress Reaction
Eating pistachios may reduce your body’s response to the stresses of everyday life, according to a Penn State study.
“A ten-year follow-up study of young men showed that those who had larger cardiovascular responses to stress in the lab, were more likely to contract hypertension later in life,” says Dr. Sheila G. West, associate professor of biobehavioral health. “Elevated reactions to stressors are partly genetic, but can be changed by diet and exercise. Lifestyle changes can make the biological reactions to stress smaller.”
West and her colleagues investigated the effects of pistachios on standardized stressors on subjects who had high cholesterol, but normal blood pressure.
The researchers found that both pistachio containing diets reduced the stress effects on blood pressure, but that the 1.5 ounce pistachio diet reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.8 millimeters of mercury while the 3-ounce pistachio diet only reduced systolic blood pressure by 2.4 millimeters of mercury. The diets had no effect on normal, resting blood pressure.”When we only look at blood pressure, these results are confusing,” says West. “If it is the pistachios, why is it not dose related?”
When the researchers looked at total peripheral vascular resistance, it was clear that the 3-ounce diet caused greater relaxation of arteries.
Those Penn State researchers sure do like pistachios. Then again, so do I.
ScienceDaily: Pistachios Lower Cholesterol, Provide Antioxidants
A handful of pistachios may lower cholesterol and provide the antioxidants usually found in leafy green vegetables and brightly colored fruit, according to a team of researchers.
“Pistachio amounts of 1.5 ounces and 3 ounces — one to two handfuls — reduced risk for cardiovascular disease by significantly reducing LDL cholesterol levels and the higher dose significantly reduced lipoprotein ratios,” says Sarah K. Gebauer, graduate student in integrative biosciences, Penn State, to attendees at the Experimental Biology meeting April 30 in Washington, D.C.
Got to be careful about those nuts - you may be tempted to avoid the fat and calories, but most of them are really good for you.
Dispelling The Top 10 Nutrition Myths
Don’t drink alcohol. Take vitamins. Avoid eating eggs. We’ve heard these pieces of nutritional advice for years - but are they accurate?Not necessarily, say two exercise physiologists presenting at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 11th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Dallas, Texas. Wendy Repovich, Ph.D., FACSM, and Janet Peterson, Dr.P.H., FACSM, set out to debunk the “Top 10 Nutrition Myths.”
It’s worth a quick read.
This profile says “no.”
Policosanol: Side Effects and Cholesterol » iFitandHealthy.com
Policosanol’s Side Effects: No side effects are known at this time.Cons: Those with dangerously high cholesterol levels might use it instead of an effective treatment.
Those seeking an effective over-the-counter treatment may have to look further (though we hear diet and exercise remains popular among some sects.)
For those who thought eating more of anything would somehow lead to lower weight, you will be disappointed with this headline.
Eating extra soy may not promote weight loss | Science & Health | Reuters
Adding soy-protein-rich foods while cutting calories doesn’t accelerate weight loss, a new study shows.Overweight women who ate 500 fewer calories a day than normal while consuming an extra 18 grams of soy-rich food daily for 12 weeks didn’t lose any more weight than their peers who didn’t add the extra soy, Dr. Marie-Pierre St. Onge of St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital in New York City and colleagues found.
You see, it is calories in versus calories out, more than the composition of those calories, that results in weight gain or loss. Still, the higher-soy diet (with equal calories) did lower insulin and bad cholesterol. And those are good things to lower.
For those who thought eating more of anything would somehow lead to lower weight, you will be disappointed with this headline.
Eating extra soy may not promote weight loss | Science & Health | Reuters
Adding soy-protein-rich foods while cutting calories doesn’t accelerate weight loss, a new study shows.Overweight women who ate 500 fewer calories a day than normal while consuming an extra 18 grams of soy-rich food daily for 12 weeks didn’t lose any more weight than their peers who didn’t add the extra soy, Dr. Marie-Pierre St. Onge of St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital in New York City and colleagues found.
You see, it is calories in versus calories out, more than the composition of those calories, that results in weight gain or loss. Still, the higher-soy diet (with equal calories) did lower insulin and bad cholesterol. And those are good things to lower.
Why Omega-3s Seem To Improve Mood
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, are associated with increased grey matter volume in areas of the brain commonly linked to mood and behavior according to a University of Pittsburgh study.
We knew it was brain food. Now we know which part of the brain.
Low-carb diet beats rivals in weight-loss trial - Diet & Nutrition - MSNBC.com
“It’s a lot easier to follow a diet that tells you to eat bacon and brie than to eat predominantly fruits and vegetables,” said Dr. Dean Ornish, creator of the Ornish diet.
In a study sure to be talked about far more than its apparent statistical value suggests it should, the Atkins dieters showed the biggest weight loss and were better able to stick with the diet, hence the quote above - which we loved.
Painless weight loss, 50 calories at a time - Nutrition Notes - MSNBC.com
When it comes to favorite treats, one of the easiest ways to cut calories without giving up your loved product is to cut portions. Chocolate lovers can still indulge by slowly savoring a smaller portion. You can purchase pre-wrapped portions of chocolates that are one-ounce or less, or portion your own serving size, such as four chocolate kisses or a coffee scoop (two tablespoons) of chocolate chips.If you can’t do without french fries, drop your usual order one size (or eat only half of what comes on most restaurant plates) and you’ll cut 100 to 170 calories.
Portion reduction definitely helps. But some of the other advice, such as switching to low fat or sugar free, seemed pretty obvious. Is there anyone trying to lose weight who hasn’t already done this? It seems something a bit more is needed.