FNIC Nutrition News

Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problems

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00 GMT

A Mediterranean diet may help people avoid the small areas of brain damage that can lead to problems with thinking and memory, according to a new study.

Blueberries counteract intestinal diseases

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00 GMT

It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research shows that blueberry fiber is important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics.

Tax On Sugared Drinks Loses Appeal, Tanning Salons Still Fighting

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:00 GMT

Los Angeles Times: "Only months ago, supporters of the soda tax saw it as an idea whose hour was near. The sheer magnitude of the medical cost of obesity added urgency to the issue ... But opponents questioned any link between sugary drinks and obesity, and expressed concern about a slippery slope of taxes on other products...

Layered gels may help sugar reduction

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:00 GMT

By controlling the distribution of sugar in a gelled product, the overall sugar concentration may be lowered without affecting the perceived sweetness, says a new study from Sweden.

"Measuring Up" - Leading Health Groups Recommend WHO Growth Charts To Track Babies' And Children's Growth

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:00 GMT

Four leading national health professional associations have collectively recommended the adoption of the World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Charts for monitoring the growth of Canadian children in all primary health care and clinical settings...

Childhood obesity: It's not the amount of TV, it's the number of junk food commercials

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:00 GMT

The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children's exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods, according to a new study.

Recipe: Tofu hoisin with baby bok choy

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45 GMT

Tofu hoisin with baby bok choy — one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.

Recipe: Chinese-style asparagus

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45 GMT

Chinese-style asparagus — one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.

Recipe: Penne tossed with cherry tomatoes, asparagus and goat cheese

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45 GMT

Penne tossed with cherry tomatoes, asparagus and goat cheese — one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.

Recipe: Raspberry chocolate scones

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45 GMT

Raspberry chocolate scones — one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.

Recipe: Buttermilk waffles

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45 GMT

Buttermilk waffles — one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.

Mediterranean Diet May Prevent Stroke-Related Brain Damage

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:39 GMT

Following a Mediterranean diet may help lower risk of brain damage related to silent strokes, new research shows.

Soft drinks may increase pancreatic cancer risk

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:00 GMT

Drinking two or more soft drinks per week may double the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, suggests the first study of its kind in an Asain population.

Beers rich in hops and barley malts linked to better bone health

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:00 GMT

A new study suggests that beers containing plenty of hops or pale barley malts could promote better bone health thanks to their dietary silicon content.

Effects Of Family Meals, Sleeping And Screen Time On Obesity In Preschoolers - American Academy Of Pediatrics

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:00 GMT

Preschool children exposed to three household routines -- regularly eating family meals, getting adequate sleep, and limiting screen-viewing time -- had a roughly 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than those exposed to none of these routines. The study, "Household Routines and Obesity in U.S. Preschool-Aged Children," published in the March issue of Pediatrics (appearing online Feb...

A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of Schools

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:01 GMT

To fight obesity, legislation would ban candy and sugary beverages, and many schools would be required to offer more nutritious fare.

Chocoholic mice fear no pain

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:00 GMT

Ever get a buzz from eating chocolate? Scientists have shown that chocolate-craving mice are ready to tolerate electric shocks to get their fix.

Family meals, adequate sleep and limited TV may lower childhood obesity

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:00 GMT

A new national study suggests that preschool-aged children are likely to have a lower risk for obesity if they regularly engage in one or more of three specific household routines: eating dinner as a family, getting adequate sleep and limiting their weekday television viewing time. The study showed that 4-year-olds living in homes with all three routines had an almost 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than did children living in homes that practiced none of these routines.

Sweet! - Sugar Plays Key Role In Cell Division

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:00 GMT

Using an elaborate sleuthing system they developed to probe how cells manage their own division, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that common but hard-to-see sugar switches are partly in control...

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Improved By Online Programs

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:00 GMT

Online programs that provide information and tips about fruits and vegetables may be the key to getting more Americans to eat healthier, say researchers at Henry Ford Hospital. Researchers found that when given access to an online program about fruits and vegetables, participants increased their daily fruit and vegetable intake by more than two servings...

Eat for a Healthy Heart

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:39 GMT

Eating healthily can help reduce your risk for the number one killer in the United States—heart disease.

USDA Announces Food Safety Initiatives For School Lunch And Other Food And Nutrition Assistance Programs

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00 GMT

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced several new initiatives to assure the safety and quality of food purchased by USDA for the National School Lunch Program and other food and nutrition assistance programs. "Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our Nation's school children," said Vilsack...

Mizzou Scientist Creates A Chicken Substitute, Providing A Low-Cost, Tasty Way To Add Soy To The Diet

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:00 GMT

Sure, some delicacies might taste just like chicken, but they usually feel and look much different. Soy meat alternatives, such as the soy burger, have become more popular recently, with increased sales of eight percent from 2007 to 2008. Now, scientists at the University of Missouri have created a soy substitute for chicken that is much like the real thing...

Barley Protein Concentrate Could Replace Fishmeal in Aquaculture Feeds

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:12 GMT

Read the magazine story to find out more.

ARS fish physiologist Rick Barrows and Montana Microbial Products have developed a barley protein concentrate that could replace fishmeal to make a less expensive feed for trout and other commercially produced fish.

Barley Protein Concentrate Could Replace Fishmeal in Aquaculture Feeds

By Sharon Durham
February 5, 2010

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and Montana Microbial Products (MMP) of Butte, Mont., have developed a barley protein concentrate that could be fed to trout and other commercially produced fish.

Physiologist Rick Barrows at the ARS Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research Unit in Aberdeen, Idaho, teamed with MMP to apply for a patent on a new enzymatic method that concentrates barley protein and produces raw material for another valuable commodity—ethanol. This process provides a high-protein ingredient that may replace other, more expensive protein sources like fishmeal and soy protein concentrate in commercial fish feed.

Currently there is no commercial production of barley protein concentrate, but MMP is producing small quantities for fish-feeding studies with trout, salmon and other species. MMP projects that the concentrate will sell for $700 to $1,200 per ton. Since fishmeal costs about $1,200 per ton, the projected costs of barley protein concentrate compare favorably.

Feeding trials conducted by the Aberdeen researchers and MMP show that barley protein concentrate successfully replaced both fishmeal and soy protein concentrates in fish feed, meeting the fishes’ protein requirements. Barrows and other researchers in the ARS unit also are examining the genetics of barley to modify the grain for improved protein yield and nutritional composition.

According to Barrows, feed is part of a complex interplay of genetics, nutrition and economics in fish production. Barley protein concentrate could completely replace fishmeal in fish feed if other essential nutrients are provided as supplements.

Using barley protein instead of fishmeal in commercial fish feed could help reduce the demand for millions of tons of fish taken from the ocean each year to produce fishmeal.

Read more about this research in the February 2010 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This research supports the USDA priorities of promoting international food security and developing new sources of bioenergy.

Evaluating US Food Security Programs

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:00 GMT

On Tuesday, representatives of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank shared results of a national study sponsored by Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The study is completed every four years by nearly 200 food banks and analyzes the effectiveness of emergency food distribution throughout the United States...