Food Research: Beta-glucan-enriched pasta boosts good gut bacteria ♦ Fruit and vegetables protect your mind ♦ High consumption of sugar sweetened beverages linked to overall poor diet ,

Fruit and vegetables aren't only good for a healthy body; they protect your mind too Eating a Mediterranean diet or other healthy dietary pattern, comprising of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and nuts and low in processed meats, is associated with preventing the onset of depression, according to research. A large study of 15,093 people suggests depression could be linked with nutrient deficits.

High consumption of sugar sweetened beverages linked to overall poor diet High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, which has been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, is part of a poor overall die.

Beta-glucan-enriched pasta boosts good gut bacteria, reduces bad cholesterol People fed beta-glucan-enriched pasta for two months showed increased populations of beneficial bacteria in their intestinal tracts, and reduced populations of non-beneficial bacteria. They also showed reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol. This work is part of a broad effort to identify potential prebiotics -- foods that could encourage the growth of health-promoting bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

No link between coffee consumption, common type of irregular heartbeat There is no association between coffee consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, according to research. The research includes a meta-analysis of four other studies, making it the largest study its kind, involving nearly 250,000 individuals over the course of 12 years.

Weight Loss Research: ♦ Eating fruits and non-starchy vegetables is linked to less weight gain ♦ A high fat diet leads to overeating because of faulty brain signaling

Diet beverage drinkers compensate by eating unhealthy food A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 22,000 US adults found that diet-beverage consumers may compensate for the absence of calories in their drinks by binging on extra food that is loaded with sugar, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

Nutritional deficiencies common before weight loss surgery Malnutrition is a known complication of weight loss surgery, but findings from a small study show many obese people may be malnourished before they undergo the procedure.

A high fat diet leads to overeating because of faulty brain signaling

Defective signaling in the brain can cause overeating of high fat foods in mice, leading to obesity, according to a new article. The body controls food intake by balancing a need for food to survive with a desire for food for pleasure. By shifting the balance between these systems, defective brain signaling can cause pleasure to take over, resulting in overeating and obesity.

Eating more fruits and non-starchy vegetables is associated with less weight gain

Increased consumption of fruits and non-starchy vegetables is inversely associated with weight change. The  study shows differences by type of fruit or vegetable, suggesting that characteristics of these foods influence the strength of their association with weight change.

Seniors Health: Hip fracture patients in long-term care ♦ Music to the ears of dementia suffers:♦ Clues to aging from long-lived lemurs + more

Music to the ears of dementia suffers: learning to play saxophone after diagnosis  Researchers have revealed details of an usual case that offers new insights into frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The story revolves around a patient who, with no prior musical training, learned to play the saxophone after being diagnosed with a behavioural variant of FTD.

Hip fracture patients in long-term care are less likely to receive osteoporosis therapy Canadian researchers calculated the proportion of high-risk residents of long-term care homes receiving osteoporosis medications and vitamin D supplementation according to specific high-risk categories. Marked undertreatment was found, especially in hip-fracture patients.

Clues to aging from long-lived lemurs Researchers combed through more than 50 years of medical records on hundreds of lemurs for clues to their longevity. They found that how long these primates live and how fast they age correlates with the amount of time they spend in a state of suspended animation known as torpor. The research may eventually help scientists identify 'anti-aging' genes in humans.

Eating green leafy vegetables keeps mental abilities sharp Something as easy as adding more spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens to your diet could help slow cognitive decline, according to new research. The study also examined the nutrients responsible for the effect, linking vitamin K consumption to slower cognitive decline for the first time.

Alzheimer's: The killer protein, properly explained Researchers hope to be able, one day, to fight the pathogenic action of the amyloid-beta protein, whose buildup is associated with Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, scientists have synthesized the knowledge acquired about this protein over the last few decades in a review paper that is destined to become a milestone for future research.

11/5/14 Health News: Fecal testing in colorectal cancer screening ♦ Fruit, vegetables,whole grains and nuts lower stroke risk ♦ BPA exposure by infants ♦ Craving in alcoholics

Support for fecal testing in familial colorectal cancer screening

Fecal immunochemical tests may be as effective as colonoscopies when it comes to detecting colorectal cancer among first-degree relatives of patients with colorectal cancer, according to a new study Continue Reading

Diets high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts among factors to lower first-time stroke risk

Eating Mediterranean or DASH-style diets, regularly engaging in physical activity and keeping your blood pressure under control can lower your risk of a first-time stroke, experts say. Additionally, these experts not updated prevention guidelines that focus on lowering stroke risk among women Continue Reading,

BPA exposure by infants may increase later risk of food intolerance

Scientists show, for the first time, that there is a link between perinatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) at low doses and the risk to develop food intolerance in later life. "We may look back one day and see BPA exposure as one of the more important public health problems of our time," said one expert. "We know that too much exposure is bad, but exactly how much exposure is too much is still up for debate.Continue Reading

Breakdown in gut barriers to bacteria may promote inflammation and craving in alcoholics

Bacteria in the GI tract fulfill many vital functions and are critical for digestion. Yet, these same bacteria can induce strong inflammatory responses by the immune system if they penetrate the gut and enter the bloodstream. Prior research has established the involvement of inflammatory processes in the development of psychiatric disorders, including major depression and alcohol dependence, but the origins of such inflammation have remained unclear. Now, researchers have found that inflammatory pathways are stimulated in alcohol-dependent patients by bacteria that escape the gut barrier, which correlated with alcohol craving. Continue Reading

Children Are Eating More Fruit, Not More Vegetables

Child Care and Schools Can Help Children Meet Daily Recommendations

Children in the U.S. ate 67% more whole fruit from 2003-2010, but the amount of vegetables they ate remained unchanged, according to CDC’s latest Vital Signs report. Also, during that same time period, children drank 30% less juice, and whole fruit replaced fruit juice as the main contributor of fruit to children's diets. Experts recommend that the majority of fruit come from whole fruit, rather than juice. Despite this progress in fruit intake, children still do not meet recommendations for the amount of fruit and vegetables they should eat daily; 60% of children did not eat enough fruit in 2007-2010, and 93% of children did not eat enough vegetables.  Recommendations for the amount of fruit and vegetables children should eat are based on a child’s age, gender, and level of physical activity. Recommendations range from 1-2 cups for fruit and 1-3 cups for vegetables.

About 60 million children in the U.S. attend child care or school where the food they eat and the nutrition education they receive can affect their health and lifelong food choices. This Vital Signs report highlights ways child care providers and schools can help increase the amount of fruit and vegetables children eat each day. To do this, child care, schools, and school districts can:

• Meet or exceed current federal nutrition standards for meals and snacks.
• Serve fruit and vegetables whenever food is offered.
• Train staff to make fruit and vegetables more appealing and accessible.
• Provide nutrition education and hands-on learning opportunities, such as growing, tasting, and preparing fruit and vegetables.

Nepal Improving Food Safety for Fruit and Vegetable Markets

KATHMANDU: The Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board will be upgrading the market in the near future by reforming it in various ways that will benefit customers.

Keeping the customer at the centre, the market is going to establish a laboratory on the market premises, which will measure the pesticide residue level in the produce and verify its acceptance level for consumption. The market will be using the Rapid Bioassay for Pesticide Residue (RBPR) analysis technique for this.

“Safe food for the public is our concern,” said programme director at Plant Protection Directorate Dilli Ram Sharma. He also informed that the introduction of the RBPR analysis technique will discourage farmers from using pesticides haphazardly to some extent.

The technique will identify the pesticide residue level in vegetables and fruits and provide information on whether they are fit for human consumption. If products with high levels of pesticide residue are consumed regularly, it severely harms human health and the environment.

Speaking at a press meet today, joint secretary at the ministry of agricultural development and chairperson of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board Mohan Chapagain said: “The board will manage the market by checking malpractices prevalent in the market. Pressure from politicians regarding stall distribution is a common practice which should be stopped.”

Furthermore, the major reforms that the market is currently seeking are waste management system; interactive programme between farmers and wholesalers, and farmers and board; enhancing security system; developing online system for retail and wholesale price; forming a workforce to control price and installing an electronic weighing machine, among others.

Source The Himalayan Times

Canada: Recall of Stir-Fry Vegetables Due to Listeria

Sobeys Inc. is recalling Compliments brand Stir-Fry Style Vegetables from the marketplace due to possible Listeria contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

The following product has been sold in Ontario.

Brand Name	Common Name	Size	Code(s) on Product	UPC
Compliments	Stir-Fry Style Vegetables	340 g (12 oz)	Best Before 14 JA 21	0 68820 10648 7

Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

Causes of Salmonella and Listeria Contamination in Produce Fields

Identification of management practices associated with pathogen contamination before harvest in the fields of production is crucial for the development of effective good agricultural practices.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to (i) determine the management associated with a positive field for practice Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes and (ii) quantify the frequency of these pathogens in irrigation and water sources are not from the irrigation. For five weeks, 21 farms in the State of New York were visited. Management practices at the field level was recorded in 263 fields and 600 environmental samples (soil, water) were collected and examined for the presence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes .

Management practices were evaluated for their association with the presence in a positive field pathogens. Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes were detected in 6.1% and 17.5% of fields and s respectively and 11% and 30% of water samples. The majority of water samples positive for pathogens came from surface water sources are not from irrigation.

Analysis showed that the application of manure for a year increased the chances of having a positive field for Salmonella), while the presence of a buffer zone to reduce the number of wild animals in the field had an effect protective.

Irrigation (within 3 days of collection), the reported sighting of wild animals (within 3 days of collection), and work in the fields (within 7 days of the sampling,) all increased the likelihood of having a positive fields for L.monocytogenes . Our results provide new information that will help producers in the scientific evaluation of their current practices and implementation of preventive controls to reduce the risk of contamination before harvest.

Source. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2013, volume 79, issue 20 .

Should We Stop Eating Fruit & Vegetables because of Foodborne Diseases?

There was an article out yesterday that suggested that people should stop eating fruits and vegetables because 46% of foodborne disease comes from fruit and vegetables. What the article did not say is that 54% of foodborne disease comes from animal products. They did not say the we should stop eating meat.

In the United States 90 % of the people do not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables.We definitely eat more meat than is healthy for us to eat. Each Year around 3,000 die from diseases caused by foodborne pathogens. This is nothing compared to the hundreds  of thousands of people who die from diabetes, heart attacks and other diseases caused by not eating a balanced diet. Most Americans do not get the minimum daily requirement of vitamins and minerals.They do get a lot more protein and fat than they need.

It seems scary when we read about 30 people dying from eating cantaloupe or bean sprouts but you never see a headline telling you how many people died of a heart attack. Heart attacks are common so they are not headline news where cantaloupe deaths are rare so they are front page news.

The Produce News pointed out that Americans eat one billion servings of fruit and vegetables each day. To have a healthy America we need to up that to two billion.

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