David Jenkins, Canadian research chair in metabolism and nutrition at Toronto, and Dr. Cyril Kendall, also of the University of Toronto, studied 55 middle-aged men and women who had high cholesterol and were at risk for heart disease.

The participants were already on a heart-healthy diet. They were then prescribed a diet that included more specific foods, such as raw almonds, tofu and other soy foods, viscous fibers such as oatmeal, barley, okra and eggplant, and plant sterol-enriched margarine. (excite.com)

March 12, 2006

Raising a glass to a new weapon against periodontal disease, researchers say red wine may help keep gums healthy and strong.

Though the results have so far only been borne out in the test tube, a team of Canadian scientists believe antioxidant components in red wine and grape seeds have anti-inflammatory effects that may ward off periodontal troubles. (excite.com)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

February 09, 2006

Low-fat diets do not protect women against heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer or colon cancer, a major study has found, contradicting what had once been promoted as one of the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle.

The eight-year study of nearly 50,000 middle-age and elderly women -- by far the largest, most definitive test of cutting fat from the diet -- did not find any clear evidence that doing so reduced their risks, undermining more than a decade of advice from many doctors. (Washington Post)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

January 19, 2006

Having a coffee fix just before a workout may not be the best idea, a new study suggests.

Researchers in Switzerland found that the amount of caffeine in just two cups of coffee limits the body's ability to increase blood flow to the heart during exercise. (excite.com)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

December 13, 2005

Swedish researchers have found tantalizing but far-from-conclusive evidence that drinking a couple of cups of tea every day might help reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer. (USA TODAY)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

December 05, 2005

Coffee and tea may reduce the risk of serious liver damage in people who drink too much alcohol, are overweight or have too much iron in the blood, researchers reported yesterday.

The study of nearly 10,000 people showed that those who drank more than two cups of coffee or tea per day developed chronic liver disease at half the rate of those who drank less than one cup each day. (Washington Post)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

July 31, 2005

Compounds isolated from broccoli could provide a new weapon against bladder cancer, new research has shown. A previous study found that eating the green vegetable could help protect people from the disease. Men who ate two or more half-cup servings of broccoli were 44 per cent less likely to suffer the disease than those eating fewer than one serving a week. Now the same team of scientists has identified the chemicals in broccoli that are thought to inhibit bladder cancer. (Daily Mail)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

June 28, 2005

Kansas State University food chemistry professor J. Scott Smith found that rosemary can reduce levels of compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in grilled hamburgers. HCAs are produced in protein-rich muscle foods that have been barbequed, grilled, broiled or fried. Epidemiological studies have linked HCAs to various cancers. (HealthDay News)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

June 18, 2005

Asthmatics prone to exercise-triggered attacks may want to cut back on salt in their diets, according to a new study. The Indiana University research is the first to show that changing salt intake for just two weeks can alter airway inflammation, and the flow of oxygen into the bloodstream. (HealthDay News)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

May 12, 2005

Eating a lowfat diet packed with vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains reduces levels of bad cholesterol twice as much as eating a lowfat diet that's heavy on processed foods, a small study has found. (AP Medical)

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies

March 02, 2005

"A new study conducted by researchers at Tulane University suggests that eating a high fiber diet can lower high blood pressure and even improve healthy blood pressure levels."

Posted by news editor | Filed under: Diet Studies