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Most Companies Replace Trans Fat with Healthier Fats, Study Finds

When food manufacturers and chain restaurants reduced or eliminated artificial trans fat, the reformulated foods almost always ended up lower in their total amount of trans and saturated fat.  These findings effectively disprove speculation that food manufacturers would merely replace partially hydrogenated oils—the source of artificial trans fat—with saturated fat from butter, lard, or palm oil.  And, it means that getting rid of artificial trans fat usually resulted in foods that are healthier for hearts, according to the researchers.

In the largest survey of its kind ever done in the United States, researchers identified 83 brand-name packaged and restaurant foods that had been made with trans fat prior to 2007, but then were reformulated to largely eliminate the trans fat.

The study found that the overall content of both fats combined was reduced in 90 percent (52 of 58) of the supermarket products and 96 percent (24 of 25) of the restaurant products, with average total reductions of 1.2 and 3.9 grams per serving, respectively.

This study should alleviate concerns that most food manufacturers and restaurants would simply switch to a shortening high in saturated fat when they reformulated their products without trans fat. In only a small handful of baked goods, more saturated fat was added than trans fat subtracted following reformulation.  Still, because a gram of trans fat is more harmful than a gram of saturated fat, even those changes represented relative improvements.  In the majority of products, trans fat was reduced or eliminated without corresponding increases in saturated fat.  In the case of reformulated restaurant foods, not only was trans fat largely eliminated, but saturated fat also was reduced—making for a much healthier food.

For example, a large order of McDonald’s French fries used to have 13 grams of saturated and trans fats, but ended up with only 3.5 grams.  The total amount of trans and saturated fats in Gorton’s Crunchy Golden Fish Sticks declined from 7 grams to 4 grams.  In one of the exceptions, an Entenmann’s frosted doughnut, which started with 5 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of trans fats, ended up with no trans fat, but 12 grams of saturated fat.

The authors note that some foods, such as pie crusts and pastries, may need a small amount of hard fat, like butter or palm oil, to have a flaky texture.

This study demonstrates that the U.S. food industry has been generally responsible in replacing partially hydrogenated oils with more healthful oils.  That should pave the way for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from the food supply.  The agency could do that quite easily by stating that it no longer considers partially hydrogenated oil to be ‘generally recognized as safe,’ and give companies a year or two to switch to healthier oils.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Drug Abuse and Obesity Share Brain Mechanism

Some brain mechanisms that contribute to drug addiction in humans also play a role in compulsive eating and the development of obesity in rats, according to a new study. If true in people, the finding may open doors to new approaches for reducing obesity.

Both compulsive eating and drug addiction have been previously linked to a problem in the brain’s reward system. In both cases, over-consumption can trigger a gradual increase in what scientists call the “reward threshold”—that is, over time, more of a palatable, high-fat food or a reinforcing drug is needed to satisfy the craving. Studies have implicated a brain signaling molecule called dopamine in this process.

Researchers examined 3 groups of male rats over a 40-day period. All the rats had unlimited access to standard chow. Two of the groups also had access to high-fat “cafeteria” foods for short (1-hour) or long (18-23 hours) periods each day. The foods included bacon, sausage, cheesecake, pound cake, frosting and chocolate. After 40 days, all the rats were denied access to the high-fat foods. The researchers observed the feeding behaviors of each group and measured their caloric intake and weight gain. They also directly measured the rats’ brain reward circuits for reward thresholds.

Rats with extended access to the cafeteria diet, the researchers found, gained a significant amount of weight compared to the other groups. Their total caloric intake was almost twice that of the other groups, and nearly all their calories came from the high-fat cafeteria foods. The restricted-access rats ate about the same number of calories as the chow-only rats, but they developed binge-like feeding behavior, consuming about 66%, of their daily calories in their hour of access to the cafeteria diet. These rats also gained some weight relative to the chow-only group, but the difference wasn’t statistically significant.

As the extended-access rats became more obese, their brain reward thresholds gradually rose. These elevated reward thresholds persisted for at least 2 weeks after access to the cafeteria diet was withdrawn.

The researchers next examined type 2 dopamine receptors (D2R), which have been shown to play a key role in addiction, in a core region of the brain’s reward circuits. As the rats became obese, their levels of D2R in the area decreased, similar to drops seen in humans addicted to drugs like cocaine or heroin.

When the researchers genetically knocked down D2Rs, rats with extended access to the cafeteria diet quickly developed higher reward thresholds and showed compulsive eating behaviors. Even when the rats were conditioned to expect a shock, those with extended access to the cafeteria diet weren’t discouraged from eating.

Hopefully, this study will change the way people think about eating. It really demonstrates how just the availability of junk food can trigger overconsumption and obesity. The results of this study could provide insight into a mechanism for obesity. It’s possible that drugs developed to treat addiction may also benefit people who are habitual overeaters.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Sleep More, Weigh Less

You might have read that lack of sleep could be a factor if you’re gaining weight—but is this really true?

Researchers have indeed found that sleep deprivation can throw hunger hormones out of kilter, increasing one called ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, and decreasing levels of a “weight friendly” hormone called leptin, which suppresses appetite. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach for hours after a meal, continuing to promote hunger. Conversely, leptin is produced in the fat cells and promotes a feeling of fullness or satiety.

Scientists recently tracked over 1.000 people, ages 30 to 60, administering blood and sleep tests to them every 4 years. Their findings: Subjects who typically slept 5 hours a night had 14.9 percent more ghrelin production in their stomachs than did those who slept 8 hours. People in the study who slept less than 7.7 hours a night also had slightly higher body mass indexes (BMIs).

According to other studies, 63 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. And since approximately 65 percent of Americans have issues with overweight and obesity, perhaps sleep deprivation could be associated with some of that weight gain. And here’s another possible link: overweight people have a significantly higher incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder that is also associated with higher weight.

One study looked at the sleep patterns and obesity rates of over 6,000 people and found that people who slept only 2 to 4 hours a night were 73 percent more likely to have issues with obesity than those who slept 7 to 9 hours; that those who got about 5 hours of sleep were 50 percent more likely to be obese than were those who got 7 to 9 hours; and that people who slept roughly 6 hours a night were 23 percent more likely to have problems with obesity.

Factors that may disrupt sleep:

- Research has shown that obstructive sleep apneas not only can disrupt sleep significantly (including REM, or active dream sleep), but can also skew hunger hormones, increasing levels of hunger-inducing ghrelin.

- Alcohol has also been reported to disrupt REM sleep, and it increases levels of hunger hormones upon waking, a combination that is not weight friendly (never mind all the calories in alcoholic drinks).

- Night shift workers, who are known to have sleep-cycle disturbances and alterations, have consistently been found to be heavier than their daytime colleagues.

If you’re eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity but are still having trouble with your weight, take notice of whether you’re getting enough sleep—you might be missing out on the important link between lost sleep and increased hunger pangs. And if you’re dealing with increased weight and your significant other says you snore, or you’re waking up exhausted every morning, talk to your doctor about the possibility of having a sleep study to rule out OSA.

No matter what your weight, see if you might need more sleep. A good rule is to “catch up” on your sleep in the early part of a vacation and then, after the first few days, notice how much sleep your body actually seems to need. Try to get that optimal amount every night during the rest of your days off and see how you feel.

Good sleep hygiene also involves not stimulating your brain right before bedtime (news and crime shows can shift your brain into overdrive). Also, try to relax within an hour of going to bed, perhaps with a warm bath or a calming book.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

There is a lot of recent buzz in the news about removing the salt from some of America’s favorite snacks and restaurant meals. The Institute of Medicine is urging the government to put legal limits on how much sodium can be put in foods, beverages, and meals for the sake of America’s health. While your taste buds may cringe at this idea, a national standard for sodium content may just save your heart. Read on to find out why less salt equals more years!

Less Salt Equals More Years

The more than conclusive research is in! Americans are consuming unhealthy amounts of sodium in their food. There is overwhelming evidence that dietary salt is the major cause of elevated blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease. Analysts say that broad-reaching reductions in sodium intake could potentially prevent more than 100,000 deaths a year. Some more food for thought: Recent studies show that a high salt intake is related to osteoporosis, is linked to the severity of asthma, and is probably a major cause of stomach cancer.

In response to the Institute of Medicine’s recent findings, some food companies have already pledged to modify their products to include less sodium. Their goal is to reduce the sodium content of the food supply in gradual increments, so that consumers don’t notice the change as their taste sensors adjust to less salt.

How much is too much? The average American consumes about one and a half teaspoons of sodium (about 3,400 milligrams) a day, far exceeding the national dietary recommendation of no more than 2,300 milligrams, or one teaspoon a day.

Many people are under the impression that sodium reduction is only necessary for people who have hypertension or high-risk groups for developing hypertension (such as African Americans and older adults.) The truth is, no one is immune from the detrimental health effects of excessive sodium intake. Consider this: More than half of Americans have either high blood pressure or pre-hypertension.

While the government begins to cut the salt in consumer goods, here are a few unusual tips to help you lay off the salt on your own:

1. Swap the everyday salt for other tasty seasonings with less or without the sodium. One way to cut the sodium without sacrificing taste is to swap the salt for delicious seasonings. Spice up your dish and get some powerful health benefits at the same time by using vinegar, garlic, onions, scallions, leeks, ginger, peppers, dill, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, coriander, fennel, anise, and cardamom.

Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice on a dish to brighten the flavor. For example, you can roast your vegetables by tossing them with olive oil and some lemon juice.

You’ll be less likely to notice a difference in taste if you cut back on salt gradually, over a few weeks. Within a few weeks of cutting back on salt, your taste palette will become more refined; over time, you will come to enjoy the delicious subtleties of these herbs and spices — and you won’t even miss the salt!

2. Look out for hidden salt. You may think the salt shaker is to blame, but actually, the majority of the salt we consume comes from packaged, processed foods and from restaurant meals (including fast food).

Some packaged foods that tend towards high levels of sodium include processed snack foods, canned beans, canned soups, breads and cereals, and frozen entrees. Also, preserved foods like pickles and olives are usually very high in sodium. Choose products that say they’re sodium free, very low in sodium, light in sodium, or unsalted.

Your best bet is to become a label reader and look at the sodium content of foods. You may be surprised by what you find — one cup of soup could have your daily allowance of salt for the whole day!

3. Eat out less often. Since restaurant meals and fast food are one of the major contributors to excessive sodium consumption, eat out less. Don’t be afraid to request nutritional information about menu items to see the sodium levels; most fast food restaurants are required to provide this information. At restaurants, ask your server which foods the restaurant prepares without adding salt, and order those items.

Better yet, fall in love with cooking your own meals and purchase more wholesome foods, like fresh meats and vegetables and unprocessed grains. Then you know exactly how much salt you are using. When you cook fresh food from scratch, you will inevitably cut back on your consumption of processed foods — one of the best things you can do for your long-term health, waistline, and overall appearance.

4. What about sea salt? The common table salt that we use to enhance flavors has been refined to nothing but sodium chloride and is devoid of all other essential minerals. Sea salt, on the other hand, contains close to sixty trace minerals that are essential for the formation of vitamins, enzymes, and proteins that keep our bodies going. However, although sea salt offers some nutritional benefits, it is still sodium, so use in moderation! If you have hypertension or are at-risk, it is best to skip the sea salt altogether.

If you do decide to add salt responsibly to your meals, I suggest using only unrefined sea salt such as that found in the salt beds of Brittany, which has a slightly gray hue. You can find this in specialty food stores, some health food stores, and online.

And keep in mind that it is important to balance salt intake with potassium to ensure proper nerve and muscle function; potassium-rich foods include leafy vegetables, soy, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, and most fruits.

Healthy kidneys regulate and maintain just the right amount of sodium, potassium and other essential minerals in the body by excreting the excesses and retaining what the body may be deficient in. It is therefore critical to support healthy kidney function. Chinese medicine has long regarded the kidney organ network as fundamental to health and wellness.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

We hope you have found ways to cut the salt! Check out www.i-Supplements.com for all of your health and wellness needs.

Green Tea Extract

Recent studies are suggesting that women who eat large amounts of mushrooms and drink a lot of green tea may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer. For those of you who may not enjoy drinking green tea, there are many green tea supplements available to use to help lower your risk as well.

The majority of the studies included test subjects ranging in age from 20-60 years of age. Each woman completed a detailed dietary questionnaire citing specific foods consumed.

Interestingly enough, mentioned in the studies the women decreased their risk even more for breast cancer if they drank green tea daily. The breast-cancer risk of women who consumed green tea was 11 percent, compared to 18 percent for women who didn’t. The study used green tea, which is a “younger” tea but which still has caffeine.

Studies have noted that even with all of the positive feedback associated with green tea and green tea supplements, that there is still no conclusive proof yet. While the researchers eliminated possible confounding factors, these studies do not prove that green tea actually reduce a woman’s chances of getting breast cancer.

Epidemiological studies, however, do show that in places where the Chinese people are still eating the traditional diet, breast-cancer rates are 4-to-5 times lower than those of most developed countries. (All bets are off if a Chinese woman has switched to eating a westernized diet.)

So, what do we suggest after evidence shown in these studies…drink some green tea or start using green tea supplements!

The Team at i-Supplements.com
Find green tea supplements at www.i-supplements.com.

Health Advocates Cheer Decline in Soda Drinking

Health advocates see an encouraging trend in the fight against obesity and diet-related disease as of late. According to many recent studies, Americans are drinking less soda pop than previous years. Per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks has declined for 11 straight years.

The recognition that soda pop promotes weight gain and disease is gaining traction, contributing to the steady decline in soda consumption. Ten years from now, it would be great to see that Americans are drinking a can and a half a week, instead of a can and a half a day like many previous studies have concluded. The goal should be to restore sugary soda to what it once was, an occasional treat in a reasonable portion, no the everyday super-sized cup.

Besides concern over obesity, Jacobson said that the growing popularity of bottled water, the low-carb Atkins and South Beach diets, bans on soft drinks in schools, and rising unemployment rates are all partly responsible for the decline in soda consumption.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Browse our easy to use online catalog today at www.i-Supplements.com!

Allergy Rx

For many people, homeopathy can be the last hope for ending allergy symptoms without side effects. Homeopathy can actually change the way your body responds to allergens, instead of merely suppressing the symptoms they cause. Natural allergy care products are an easy way for individuals to alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms that may plague them.

Allergy care products often contain unique blends of natural herbs and enzymes alike that help counteract allergies. Natural allergy care products are designed to help absorb toxins, remove them, reduce symptomatic swelling, and other allergic reactions. As well as lessening allergic symptoms, they will also help reduce nasal discharge, reduce nasal congestion, open up airways, and reduce sneezing and coughing. These natural products help boost immunity as well. Unlike other allergy prevention products, natural allergy care supplements do not cause drowsiness.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Find the best natural allergy care products at www.i-supplements.com today.

Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and the development of obesity in animals, according to current research.

Research Showing Food Availability Could Prompt Addiction and Lead to Obesity

The study, conducted by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute, was released today in the online version of Nature Neuroscience and will also appear in the journal’s May 2010 print issue. When investigators gave rats access to varying levels of high-fat foods, they found unrestricted availability alone can trigger addiction-like responses in the brain, leading to compulsive eating behaviors and the onset of obesity.

Drug addiction and obesity are two of the most challenging health problems in the United States. This research opens the door for us to apply some of the knowledge we have gathered about drug addiction to the study of overeating and obesity.

Both obesity and drug addiction have been linked to a dysfunction in the brain’s reward system. In both cases overconsumption can trigger a gradual increase in the reward threshold — requiring more and more palatable high fat food or reinforcing drug to satisfy the craving over time.

Researchers conducted this study in three groups of male rats over a 40-day period. Each day, the three groups had unlimited access to standard lab food. In addition, two of the groups also had access to high-fat, cafeteria style foods for short (one-hour) or long (18-23 hours) periods.

After 40 days, all groups were denied access to the high-fat foods. Throughout the study, researchers observed the feeding behaviors of each group, noting caloric intake, weight gain, and brain response.

The results support the notion that type 2 dopamine receptors (D2DR) — brain receptors that have been shown to play a key role in addiction — also play a key role in the rats’ heightened response to food. In fact, as the rats became obese, the levels of D2DR in the brain’s reward circuit decreased. This drop in D2DR is similar to that previously seen in humans addicted to drugs like cocaine or heroin.

“The results of this study could provide insight into a mechanism for obesity,” said Paul J. Kenny, one of the study’s co-authors and an associate professor at the Scripps Jupiter, Fla., research facility. “It’s possible that drugs developed to treat addiction may also benefit people who are habitual overeaters.”

Study results also suggest that environmental factors, such as increased or unlimited access to high-fat food options, can contribute to the problem of obesity.

Hopefully, this study will change the way people think about eating. It helps demonstrate how just the availability of food can trigger over-consumption and obesity.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

GlucoCare

Many adults with type 2 diabetes are more than twice as likely to die from heart disease than those without diabetes. This is why controlling your diabetes with diabetic nutrition supplements is so vital for you future.

Clinical trials being conducted in adults with type 2 diabetes especially at high risk of cardiovascular health events, such as heart attack, stroke or death are currently underway to show how effective diabetic control can be. These studies are reviewing 3 strategies to help lower the risk of major cardiovascular events like:

- Increased Blood Sugar Levels

- Abnormal Levels of Blood Pressure

- Abnormal Levels of Multiple Blood Lipids

Most diabetic individuals are already under constant pressure for pre-existing likelihood of developing more major cardiovascular issues. Such as developing over time multiple cardiovascular problems alongside existing diabetes. This is why diabetic nutrition supplements are so vital for people who have diabetes to use.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Maintaining blood sugar isn’t the only thing you can do to help control your diabetes. Look for diabetic nutrition supplements at www.i-supplements.com to help manage your diabetes.

Diet Quality Worsens as Alcohol Intake Increases

People who drink more are also likely to eat less fruit and consume more calories from a combination of alcoholic beverages and foods high in unhealthy fats and added sugars, according to a new study.

The study of more than 15,000 adults in the United States found that increased alcoholic beverage consumption was associated with decreased diet quality. The article is in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Heavy drinking and dietary factors have independently been associated with cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and other chronic health problems.  This finding raises questions about whether the combination of alcohol misuse and poor diet might interact to further increase health risks.

Researchers found that as alcoholic beverage consumption increased, Healthy Eating Index scores decreased, an indication of poorer food choices. It’s important to note that the studies did not determine the cause of these associations.

A previous study showed that people who drink the largest quantities of alcohol have the poorest quality diets. In the present study, they were able to identify specific dietary components that worsened with increased alcohol intake. In addition to decreased fruit consumption and increased caloric intake among both men and women, the researchers found that increased alcoholic beverage consumption was associated with a decreased intake of whole grains and milk among men. The findings underscore the importance of moderation for individuals who choose to consume alcoholic beverages, and a greater awareness of healthy food choices among such individuals.

The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines define moderate drinking as no more than one drink on any day for women and no more than two drinks on any day for men. It is important for people to consume nutrient-dense foods, like whole fruits and whole grains, that provide substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and relatively few calories, while limiting the consumption of alcohol, unhealthy fats, and added sugars, which provide calories but few essential nutrients.

The Team at i-Supplements.com