How seaweed could help us lose weight - study

Wouldn't it be great if we could eat what we want without putting on weight? It's seen by many as the Holy Grail of dieting and if it were possible it could transform the lives of those struggling with obesity.
Well, it appears that scientists at Newcastle University are close to achieving just that, and they are doing it using seaweed. It has long been known that seaweed has many healthy properties but this research has the potential to allow us to control weight gain as we eat. Researchers identified specific natural seaweed fibres called alginates that prevent the body absorbing fat.

Alginates – chemicals from seaweed – are already used in foods, such as stabilisers in jam and to maintain the head on a pint of beer.

However, their potential as a food supplement which prevents the absorption of fat is now being investigated. New research has identified the chemical properties of alginates which prevent fat from being digested, allowing experts to produce a league table of the most effective seaweeds.
If added to everyday foods these seaweeds could help curb the growing obesity problem.

The study

Researchers investigated the ability of alginate to reduce fat break-down by a digestive enzyme, pancreatic lipase. Blocking the action of the enzyme results in lower amounts of fat being absorbed by the body.

Lead scientist Professor Jeff Pearson, from the University of Newcastle's Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, said: "We have already added alginate to bread and initial taste tests have been extremely encouraging. Now the next step is to carry out clinical trials to find out how effective they are when eaten as part of a normal diet."

The researchers found that alginates containing more of a sugar molecule called guluronate were best at blocking fat digestion. They compiled a list of the most promising seaweeds, including a brown sea kelp known as "tangle" or "cuvie", bladderwrack, and bull kelp.

Dr Matthew Wilcox, from Newcastle University, said: “The study shows that certain seaweeds can be used in the fight against obesity, in conjunction with a healthy diet and increase in exercise.” The five-year study builds on previous work by the team which found that alginate, a natural fibre found in sea kelp and one of the world’s largest commercially-used seaweeds, could reduce the amount of fat available for absorption by the body by around 75%.

This is better than most anti-obesity treatments currently available over the counter. Dr Wilcox says that the alginates he has discovered can be mixed with fatty foods. This could mean manufactures would be able to add the correct amount of alginates to make them healthier.
This has all the makings of a super food which you can eat and eat without putting on an ounce.
The reality may not be as simplistic as that, but this bio-technology does have huge potential and could prove to be a game changer not only in the personal battle of the bulge but also in the shadow of an increasingly worrying obesity epidemic.

Sources: http://www.mirror.co.uk/, http://www.thejournal.co.uk/, http://www.itv.com/news/

Paleo diet twice as effective for weight loss: study

The best way for a woman to lose weight may be to eat like her Stone Age ancestors.

New research shows a cavewoman diet is potentially one of the most effective ways to slim.

Scientists came up with the findings after tracking female dieters for up to two years and comparing weight loss among those on the cavewoman - or paleolithic - diet with those complying with modern nutritional guidelines.

Women who adopted a so-called Palaeolithic diet lost twice as much weight within six months as those who followed a modern programme based on official health guidelines. Researchers also saw a greater reduction in their waist circumference, although the difference between the two groups became smaller after two years of dieting. 

The Palaeolithic diet involves eating plenty of berries, vegetables and lean meats such as chicken, but some types of food such as bread, rice, pasta and dairy products are banned. Scientists said it could be preferable to other forms of diet, such as those which are low in carbohydrates but high in fat, because it strips out all unhealthy foods meaning there are unlikely to be negative side effects.

It is designed to simulate what our ancestors ate before the advent of farming, meaning followers can eat whatever they like except for certain types of food including grains, refined sugars and salt.
One previous experiment found that men who followed the Palaeolithic diet for just three weeks were less likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes.

The study in detail
In the latest study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers divided 70 postmenopausal, heavily overweight women into two groups.
One was told to follow a Palaeolithic diet, and the other a Nordic diet based on whole-grain cereals, low-fat dairy products, fruit, pulses, fish and vegetable oils.
Dr Caroline Mellberg, who led the study along with colleagues at Umeå University and researchers at Cambridge University, said: “Since pasta and rice and such things were excluded, most [participants] ate pretty normal things like a chicken fillet, but they excluded pasta and added vegetables instead.”
Participants were asked to design their diet to get about 30% of their total energy intake from protein but found it difficult to reach that level and compensated by eating extra carbohydrates and five to seven portions of fruit and vegetables each day, she added.
“They lost weight probably due to a low energy intake,” she said. “It is quite hard to eat enough fruit and vegetables to fill your energy needs. None of them complained about being hungry, so I guess the foods are quite filling. They ate a lot.”

After six months those on the Palaeolithic diet had lost an average of 6.2kg of fat and 11cm from their waistline, compared with 2.6kg and 5.8cm in the other group, and levels of harmful blood fat known as triglyceride were also lower.
By the end of the two-year study the difference between the groups had narrowed, but Dr Mellberg suggested there could be a simple explanation – people on the Palaeolithic diet grew tired of it.
“I think the participants weren’t compliant,” she said. “It is quite a hard diet [to follow] in the Western world. We eat a lot of foods like bread, pasta, cereals.”
“They were quite satisfied too, after the first year. They had lost a lot of weight and many of the participants did not want to lose any more, so they started to eat more normal foods.”
Catherine Collins, chief dietitian at St George’s Hospital in London, added that the low protein intake could have slowed the rate at which participants’ bodies burned calories over time.
“As the metabolic rate declines, at some point that will stop you losing weight,” she explained.



Sources: http://sciencenordic.com/, http://food.ninemsn.com.au/, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/, http://www.iol.co.za/

Compound in spinach may help people feel "fuller" and eat less

Mom was right when she said to eat spinach to be healthier and now researchers in Sweden find an extract from the green plants may make people thinner.
Professor Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson at Lund University in Sweden said thylakoid, a compound in spinach and other green leaves, slows down food digestion and therefore makes people feel fuller.

How it works
Erlanson-Albertsson and colleagues said thylakoids are believed to slow down fat digestion, meaning the whole intestine has time to get involved. Once food enters the distal intestine, satiety hormones are released and sent up to the brain, telling people they are full. However, processed food tends to only utilize the upper intestine, so the key hormones are not released.
"I like to say our intestines are unemployed," Erlanson-Albertsson said in a statement.

Thylakoids are essentially small pouches located in the chloroplasts of green leaves that have the ability to trigger satiety signals in us. However, eating spinach fresh as is doesn’t necessarily release the thylakoids. First, it must be crushed, filtrated, and centrifuged, which would release the compounds from the cells, turning it into a natural water extract of sorts. "Our bodies can't break it down from fresh spinach directly," the university said. It may be time to make some spinach smoothies --find a recipe below.

The findings
In her research, Erlanson-Albertsson discovered that when humans were given a shot of the spinach water extract in the morning, they experienced less hunger and fewer food cravings throughout the day. The participants who received the shot had higher satiety hormones in their blood, in addition to more stable blood glucose levels.
In another Swedish study conducted by Dr. Rickard Kohnke at the Department of Experimental Medicine at Lund University, eleven health participants were given a high-fat meal. Some of the pesto sandwiches contained thylakoids, and some did not. According to the results, the people who had eaten the pesto sandwiches containing thylakoids showed a reduction in ghrelin, which is an appetite signaling hormone. There was also an increase in leptin, another satiety signal, and lower insulin levels. What this showed was that thylakoids were able to suppress people’s appetites for longer, which could be useful for those who are trying to lose weight while battling constant hunger pangs.

Popeye’s super-food
Erlanson-Albertsson said the powerful effect of thylakoids couldn't be traced to just one active ingredient. "It contains hundreds of substances -- galactolipids, proteins, vitamin A, E, K, antioxidants, beta-carotene, lutein, and so on," she said.

Interestingly enough, though Popeye made healthy foods popular and spinach sales rise, spinach nutrition facts - based off during the early 1900s - were not entirely accurate. In the late 1800s, a German chemist by the name of Erich von Wolf incorrectly wrote down the amount of iron in spinach in his notes. He recorded that spinach had 35 milligrams of iron per 100-gram serving, when it really only has 3.5 milligrams. This tiny decimal misplacement led to the belief that spinach was the top super-food for almost 70 years, and it’s how Popeye’s favorite food came to be.
Even though the amount of iron spinach contains is much lower than previously believed, it’s still highly rich in antioxidants and nutrients. One cup of spinach contains only 27 calories, but it is made up of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, and folate. Magnesium assists in maintaining heart rhythm, a solid immune system, and blood pressure along with muscle and nerve function. Spinach has also been shown to lower blood pressure, improve bone health as well as skin and hair.


Need an idea for a low-calorie smoothie to curb hunger pangs? Here's a delicious one...

Berry Spinach Smoothie Recipe

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 3/4 cup water or milk (unsweetened almond milk, rice milk, dairy, etc)
• 1/2 cup frozen berries
• 1 banana

Directions
Blend together spinach and water until all the spinach is thoroughly blended. (an important step so you don’t get spinach chunks in your smoothie). Next add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

Nutrition facts per serving: 140 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 50 mg sodium, 35 g total carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 3 g protein



Sources: http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/, http://www.medicaldaily.com/, http://www.upi.com/Health_News/, http://reneeclerkin.com/

Eating rice boosts diet quality, reduces body weight

Want to improve your diet? Just add white or brown rice to your daily meal. Eating rice can boost diet quality, reduce body weight and improve markers for health, a new study has found.

The study
In a study published online in the journal Food and Nutrition Sciences, lead author Theresa Nicklas, DrPH, of Baylor College of Medicine, analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey datasets from 2005-2010 and evaluated the association of rice consumption with overall diet quality and key nutrient intakes in a nationally representative sample of 14,386 U.S. adults.

"Our results show that adults who eat rice had diets more consistent with what is recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, and they showed higher amounts of potassium, magnesium, iron, folate and fiber while eating less saturated fat and added sugars," said Nicklas. "Eating rice is also associated with eating more servings of fruit, vegetables, meat and beans," she added.

The truth about rice
Americans enjoy some 27 pounds of enriched white and brown rice per person per year with the majority (70%) of rice consumption coming from enriched white rice. Americans eat a variety of grain-based foods, but rice stands out because it is eaten primarily as an intact grain that is naturally sodium free and has only a trace amount of fat, with no saturated fat. Consumers can control adding fat, salt and flavors at their discretion.

This research builds on two previously published studies that showed the positive contribution of rice to diet quality. A 2009 observational study found that rice eaters consumed significantly less fat and saturated fat and consumed more iron, potassium, fiber, meat, vegetables and grains.
A follow-up study in 2010 included children in the study group and further confirmed that rice consumption was associated with greater intake of a range of healthier foods and nutrients. The majority of rice consumed is white rice, indicating that rice, when consumed with other foods, such as fruit, vegetables, meat and beans, can provide valuable nutrients and boasts beneficial effects on consumer diets.

In addition to the positive results in cross-sectional studies linking rice consumption with healthier diets, a human clinical trial found that having white or brown rice at a meal increased satiety and feelings of fullness more than a calorically equivalent glucose solution control.

Considering the cross-sectional and clinical findings, both enriched white rice and whole grain brown rice should be recommended as part of a healthy diet. 

Rice is a nutrient-rich carbohydrate
Rice is a quality carbohydrate. Rice is a naturally nutritious grain that provides about 100 calories per half-cup cooked serving and is naturally free of gluten. Brown rice is a 100% whole grain food and white rice is enriched with important nutrients, including folic acid and iron. 

Both enriched white rice and whole grain brown rice are considered nutrient-rich quality complex carbohydrates and can be part of a sustainable, plant-based diet that promotes optimal health.

Enriched white rice contributes more than 15 vitamins and minerals, including folate and other B vitamins, iron and zinc to the diet. Brown rice is slightly higher in dietary fiber, magnesium and phosphorus, but lower in B vitamins and iron than enriched, fortified white rice. Rice is naturally low in sodium and cholesterol free and contains traces of fat and no saturated or trans fats.

The research was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture and the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, and it was funded in part by The Rice Foundation.

Looking to replace high fat, low nutrition picnic salads with a healthier option? Try this...

Nutty Brown Rice Salad

Prep Time: 20 Minutes - Cook Time: 50 Minutes - Servings: 6
Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup bite-size broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fat free Italian-style dressing
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Combine the rice and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place cooled rice in a large bowl. Stir in the kidney beans, red onions, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and almonds; season with pepper. Toss salad with the Italian dressing and olive oil. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: calories  223 kcal; cholesterol 0mg; fibre 6.3g; sodium 203mg; carbo 39.2g; fat 4.5g; protein 7.1g

Sources: http://www.prnewswire.com/, http://www.news-medical.net/, http://www.business-standard.com/, http://allrecipes.com/

Sweet News: Dark Chocolate May Prevent Obesity And Diabetes

If you’re going to munch on chocolate, choose dark chocolate. It’s something that has gained popularity as growing research points out the various health benefits of eating dark chocolate in moderation.

Antioxidants and flavonoids make it so good
Studies have shown that dark chocolate, which is rich in flavanols — a type of healthy antioxidant — can improve your cardiovascular system. Chocolate is also filled with other types of antioxidants and flavonoids, the latter of which are found in various fruits and vegetables. Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid in cocoa, and have been shown to improve vascular health by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, as well as boosting the clotting properties of blood platelets.

Not all chocolate is created equal
In fact, that strong bitter taste in really dark chocolate comes from flavanols. That’s why processed chocolate — which goes through plenty of steps to reduce that bitter taste — is sweeter and contains far less flavanols than pure cocoa.

How dark chocolate can help in weight loss?
Andrew P Neilson of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University led a mouse study where the researchers placed lab mice on a high fat diet rich in flavanols.
Lab mice were divided into various groups and given specific diets over a limited period of time. According to a result published in American Chemical Society’s “Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry”, it was demonstrated that flavanols known as Oligomeric Procyanidins (PCs) seemed to have a protective effect on health. Mice consuming a diet rich in PCs were able to maintain their weight and blood sugar low, even when the overall substance of their diet was high in fat.  

Oligomeric PCs appear to own the greatest antiobesity and antidiabetic bioactivities of the flavanols in cocoa. It promotes heart health, lowers blood sugar, and decreases body fat.

Oligomeric PCs helped in regulating blood glucose levels and hence, prove useful in treating diabetes. In the study, the mice eating a OPCs rich diet had the lowest fat mass and lower body weight at the conclusion of the study. Besides, they were least likely to develop impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, all of this despite eating a high fatty diet.

Bottom line
“Oligomeric PCs appear to possess the greatest antiobesity and antidiabetic bioactivities of the flavanols in cocoa, particularly at the low doses employed for the present study,” the researchers state. So before reaching for that bag of processed candy chocolate on the shelf, choose dark chocolate — the higher percentage of dark chocolate, the better.



 Here you find some low-calorie, deliciuos recipes that will make your diet more... sweet!

Chocolate & berry mousse pots

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 5 mins Serves 4

Ingredients

• 75g dark chocolate 70% grated
• 4 tbsp low-fat yogurt
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 350g berries (try blueberries, raspberries, cherries or a mix)

Directions
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t directly touch the water. Once melted, allow it to cool for 5-10 mins, then stir in the yogurt.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar and beat until stiff again. Fold the whites into the chocolate mix – loosen the mixture first with a spoonful of egg white, then carefully fold in the rest, keeping as much air as possible. Put berries into small glasses or ramekins, then divide mousse on top. Chill in the fridge until set.

Nutrition facts per serving
Kcalories: 159; protein 5g; carbs 19g; fat 8g; saturates 4g; fibre 3g; sugar 15g; salt 0.13g

Double chocolate cardamom pots

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 5 mins Makes 4

Ingredients

• 25g white chocolate
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• generous pinch ground cardamom

Directions
Make chocolate curls with the white chocolate by running a swivel peeler over the surface. When you have enough to sprinkle over 4 chocolate pots, set these aside, then chop the remainder.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or in the microwave on Medium for 1½-2 mins. Leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar and cardamom. Fold in the melted chocolate, then gently fold in the chopped white chocolate.
Divide between 4 small dishes or cups, about 100ml in size. Sprinkle over the white chocolate curls and chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hr.

Nutrition facts per serving
Kcalories: 119; protein 3g; carbs 16g; fat 5g; saturates 3g; fibre 0g; sugar 15g; salt 0.11g

Sources: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/, http://www.healthfreaks.org/, http://www.medicaldaily.com/, http://www.foodfacts.com/, http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/, http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/

Looking for an easy way to lose weight? Study shows exposure to bright light linked to significantly lower BMI

Wanna lose a few pounds? Get yourself out of bed as early as possible and bathe in the morning light for 20 to 30 minutes. Sure, you’re thinking, another ridiculous weight loss tip! But this one, believe it or not, is backed by science.

A new study from Northwestern University finds that the timing, intensity, and duration of your daily light exposure is linked to your weight. In fact, the researchers discovered that participants who had most of their exposure to even moderately bright light in the morning had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than those who had most of their light exposure later in the day. “Light is a powerful biological signal and appropriate timing, intensity and duration of exposure may represent a potentially modifiable risk factor for the prevention and management of obesity in modern societies,” wrote the authors in the conclusion of their study.

The study
Participants in the study -26 men and 28 women, with an average age of 30- were asked to log their mealtimes and sleep times and were asked to wear a wrist device that monitored their movements.
Those who were exposed to daily light above 500 lux in the early part of the day had lower BMIs.
Room light is between 150-500 lux while outdoor light is more than 1,000 lux, even on cloudy days.
“The earlier this light exposure occurred during the day, the lower the individuals’ body mass index,” wrote co-lead author Dr. Kathryn Reid. “The later the hour of moderately bright light exposure, the higher a person’s BMI.”

Significantly, the influence of morning light exposure on body weight was independent of a participant's physical activity level, calorie intake, sleep timing, age, or season. Plus, it accounted for about 20% of a person's BMI. “Our results suggest that the relationship between light and BMI is not simply a function of the accumulated minutes of light during the day, but more importantly the temporal pattern of light exposure above a biological threshold,” the authors wrote. 

Our internal body clock
“Light is the most potent agent to synchronize your internal body clock that regulates circadian rhythms, which in turn also regulate energy balance,” explained Phyllis C. Zee, M.D., director of the Sleep and Circadian Rhythms Research Program at Northwestern. “If a person doesn’t get sufficient light at the appropriate time of day, it could de-synchronize your internal body clock, which is known to alter metabolism and can lead to weight gain.”
According to Zee, the crucial hours we should be aiming to see bright light are between eight 8am and midday. No need to overdo it though; about 20 to 30 minutes of this early light is enough to affect BMI.

It isn’t just people who get up late who are at risk of upsetting their metabolism. The fact that most of us work indoors in poorly lit environments also contributes to the problem. The results of the study showed 500 lux to be "the magic number"  in lowering BMI. This is about 200 to 300 lux higher than the artificial lighting provided in an average office.

Bottom line
The researchers believe that their findings could lead to a break-through in approaches to weight management, with the manipulation of light providing a whole new avenue in the treatment of obesity. In addition, lifestyle changes such as taking lunch breaks outside (weather permitting), could help get society in shape.  Zee suggests that we should cultivate a good relationship with our body clocks from a young age, and is convinced that improved lighting and outdoor breaks in schools could “prevent obesity on a larger scale”.

Sources: http://www.eurekalert.org/, http://www.medicaldaily.com/, http://www.independent.co.uk/, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Eating Little & Often Myth Busted: Total Calorie Count is Important - study found

Eating small but frequent meals is often recommended for weight loss. But new research suggests this approach may not boost your metabolism or encourage weight loss.
In fact, the study - presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual BES conference few days ago - suggests counting calories is all that really matters when it comes to losing weight.

The study
The researchers of this latest study, led by Dr. Milan Kumar Piya of the University of Warwick in the UK, note that previous research has suggested eating a single high-fat meal increases low-level inflammation in the body when bits of gut bacteria - known as endotoxins - enter the blood stream.
Since this kind of inflammation has been linked to a future risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes, the researchers wanted to investigate whether eating often would cause more damage that might increase these risks in obese individuals.

To conduct their study, the team analyzed 24 lean and obese women who were given two meals or five meals on separate days.
These women consumed the same number of calories on both days, and the researchers meanwhile measured their energy expenditure using whole body monitor calorimeters.
The finding revealed two important factsFindings from the study revealed that whether the women ate two meals or five meals had no effect on how many calories were burned. Over a 24-hour period, the women burned the same number of calories when they ate both numbers of meals.
Additionally, the investigators observed that obese women who ate five meals had significantly higher endotoxin levels by the end of each day, compared with when they only ate two meals.
Dr. Piya says their research has yielded two main findings:

• The size and the frequency of the meal has no relation with the amount of calories burnt in the day and the weight of the women. This directly contradicts previous belief that eating less and often is good if you are on a diet or planning to loose weight. The only important factor to consider is the amount of calorie taken and the number of calories burnt.
• The other important inference which came out of the research was that eating more frequently keeping the calorie count equal could actually result in more endotoxin production in obese individuals. Dr Priya pointed out that carrying more weight with increased frequency of meals will result in formation of more endotoxin which has been directly linked to Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease.

The next step of the research is to assess the impact of diet, gut flora, and calories burned in different people. “By understanding how diet affects inflammatory risk and energy expenditure, we will further our understanding of how we can better target diet intervention on an individual basis,” Piya notes.

Bottom line
Though we need more research to be conducted with relatively greater sample size. But, one thing is clear: if you are on a diet the only thing you should be working towards is keeping the calorie count to what suits your age, sex and BMI [Body Mass Index]. Eating less and often does not boost metabolism or increase your chances of losing weight.
Burn what you eat, is all time advice that the doctors give to people who are interested in losing weight or want to live healthy disease free life.

Sources: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/, http://www.medicinetips.net/, http://www.futurity.org/