According to a recent study, it’s a myth that eating fried foods ultimately leads to heart attacks—but there’s a catch. Fried foods won’t kill you if they’re cooked in olive oil or sunflower oil and moderation is the key when it comes to calories. Plus, the results were obtained in Spain, where using those oils for cooking is common. In the U.S., where solid and re-used oils are often used for frying.

In western cultures, frying is the most popular way to cook. Everyone knows frying food adds calories because it soaks up the fat in the oil that is used. Eating lots of fried food increases heart disease risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity is a common assumption. But a scientific link between fried food and heart disease hasn’t yet been definitively established.

Fried food and heart disease

To investigate the possibility of such a link, Spanish researchers at Autonomous University of Madrid tracked more than 40,000 people—two-thirds were women—for 11 years. At the start of the study, published in the “British Medical Journal” online, none of the participants had heart disease. They began the study by asking them how often they ate fried foods, either at home or dining out. Participants were also asked about their overall diet and cooking methods, such as whether food was fried, crumbed, battered or sautéed.

The participants were divided into four groups ranging from the lowest fried food intake to highest. From the early 1990’s to 2004, the researchers tracked the study population, looking to see whether regular fried food consumption increased the chances of getting sick from coronary heart disease with conditions requiring surgery such as a heart attack or angina. There were 606 incidents linked to heart disease overall, but no significant difference in heart disease between the four groups.

Mediterranean diet is the key

The researchers concluded: “In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death.”

They also emphasized, however, that the results should be considered within the context of a healthy Mediterranean diet and that most of the meals eaten by participants were prepared at home. In the U.S., where dining out and fast food are prevalent, it’s hard to know which type of oil one is eating.

Busting the myth, with caveats

Fried foods from American fast food outlets tend to be cooked in re-used oils that are high in trans fats. They also contain a lot of sodium, which is proven to increase blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Even so, the study virtually busts the myth that fried food of any kind is bad for your heart. Especially if you quit using saturated fats like butter, lard or palm oil to keep cholesterol levels down. Yet eating fish and chips or fried chicken everyday will have health consequences because even foods cooked in olive or sunflower oil are still very calorific.

A well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, limited to a small amount of high fat foods will always be best for a healthy heart.

Source: Science Daily, The Telegraph, Medical News Today

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If you need to lose weight and your doctor is overweight, chances are he or she won’t be much help. Most overweight people aren’t advised to lose weight by their doctors anyway. And fat doctors are unlikely to address the subject with their overweight patients.

Fat doctor study

Dentists with bad teeth wouldn’t be expected to have much confidence in proper oral care. Do the same conditions apply to physicians? To find out, researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted a survey of 500 primary care physicians in the U.S.  The survey examined how much confidence the doctors had in themselves when it came to giving advice and winning the trust of obese patients. The type of obesity treatment prescribed by normal weight doctors vs. their overweight counterparts was also examined.

How fat are doctors?

It turns out U.S. doctors are just about as heavy as the rest of their fellow Americans. Of the respondents to the survey, 53 percent of the physicians were overweight or obese based on their body mass index (BMI), not too far off with the 64 percent of U.S. adults in the same categories. Only 18 percent of these fat doctors were likely to counsel weight loss with their heavy patients. Normal weight physicians weren’t much better—30 percent.

Anti-obesity drugs vs. diet and exercise

A doctor’s BMI also heavily influenced obesity diagnosis and treatment. Researchers found that 93 percent of doctors diagnosed obesity only if their patient weighed less than they did. The 7 percent of fat doctors who did diagnose obesity were nearly twice as likely than normal weight doctors to prescribe anti-obesity medications instead of more effective lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. This may have been because normal weight doctors felt more credible about giving advice about diet and exercise than the fat doctors. Normal-weight doctors were also more likely to believe doctors should be good examples to their patients by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

Healthy doctors, healthy patients

Doctors are notorious for not taking care of themselves and being bad patients. And the results of the Johns Hopkins study bring to light another battle in the war against obesity. Emphasizing healthy weight for physicians in medical school and in continuing education could go a long way in improving the health of the general population.

Source: TIME, CBS News, MedPage Today

Dieting to lose weight can be a greater mental challenge than a physical one. Part of the reason for that is the steady bombardment of advertising that makes high fat, high calorie foods look irresistible. It’s no secret that those images make your mouth water, but for the first time a scientific study has found why that is so.

Ghrelin and hunger

It’s long been known that the sensation of hunger is linked to a neuropeptide, or brain chemical, called ghrelin. Ghrelin production is part of the complex physiological mechanisms regulating your body’s energy intake and expenditure. Scientists have now proven that external factors also strongly influence ghrelin production and food consumption. Their findings validate claims that huge burgers dripping grease all over TV screens play a direct role in the obesity epidemic.

Food advertising and appetite

To investigate the effect of food advertising on appetite, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry measured how certain images affected the level of ghrelin in the blood of a group of young, healthy volunteers.  In one phase of the experiment, subjects viewed non-edible objects such as a bicycle or pair of shoes. In phase two subjects were shown images of high fat, high calorie foods such as pizza and ice cream.

The concentrations of different hormones in the blood such as grehlin, leptin and insulin, all which play a role in the regulation of food consumption, were measured. Their main finding was a marked increase in ghrelin levels shortly after the presentation of tasty food compared to the non-edible pictures. The study demonstrated for the first time that advertising triggers an involuntary craving for food.

Resisting irresistible urges

The risk that exposure to such images will result in the consumption of food that is not needed to maintain a healthy metabolism is extremely high in our advertising-dominated society. Looking away when the burger ads come on could make a difference.

But perhaps knowledge is the best defense. An awareness that a powerful neuropeptide is compelling you to eat when you’re not hungry could help increase the power of your mind over your body, and strengthen the discipline you need to reach your weight loss goals.

Source: Science Daily, Weightcontrol.com, Nature.com

Hostess, the company that makes Twinkies, filed for bankruptcy this month. Several generations probably wondered if the iconic snack of their youth had reached the end of the line. However, the batch of synthetic chemicals used in their manufacture could keep Twinkies around long after the Hostess brand is gone.

Twinkies have been selling by the tens of millions per year since 1930, when they were made with basic, whole ingredients like eggs, milk and butter. As America’s industrial food complex grew, Twinkies needed a longer shelf life and a long list of chemicals replaced real food in their manufacture.

The financial travails of Hostess have placed the mysterious ingredients of its anti-nutritious flagship product under the media microscope.  Twinkies are considered a snack food, but when you analyze what’s in them, they really can’t be considered food.

What’s really in a Twinkie?

Hostess downplays the ingredients used to make Twinkies. Most of the information available about them can be found in the book “Twinkie, Deconstructed,” by science writer and former cook Steve Ettlinger. Ettlinger traveled the world investigating Twinkie ingredients, and he said he was “blown away by just how far removed the cakes are from nature.”

Twinkies, like most processed foods, get a great deal of their ingredients from common industrial chemicals, like phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid and ethylene, which come from natural gas. In fact, Twinkies are made with 14 of the top 20 industrial chemicals produced in the U.S. The phosphoric acid in Twinkies is refined from phosphorus mined in Idaho and send to a Midwest plant where it’s stored in huge metal tanks because it’s considered a hazardous material.

A noxious concoction

The white flour in Twinkies is produced with explosive chlorine gas. Monoglycerides and diglycerides replaced eggs in the Twinkie recipe. The main preservative, sorbic acid, is made from ethane and methane, catalyzed with palladium, and mixed at one point with carbon monoxide. Niacin, a basic vitamin in enriched flour, is the result of numerous chemical reactions involving ammonia, the flammable chemical acetaldehyde, and nitric acid.

Polysorbate 60 and cellulose gum—ingredients used to make sheet rock, shampoo and rocket fuel, are used to give the “cream filling” a creamy texture without using real fat. Artificial butter flavoring is used in the cake and artificial vanilla flavoring goes into the filling. Both flavorings are chemicals derived from petroleum processed in Chinese plants.

Twinkie shelf life

Rumor has it that Twinkies can remain edible for more than a hundred years. Earlier this month Ettlinger told the New York Times he had some in his office since 2005 that had hardened, but were not spoiled. But according to Hostess Twinkies have a shelf life of 25 days. Also according to Hostess: it takes 45 seconds to explode a Twinkie in a microwave.

Twinkies represent just about everything bad about the American food supply. Our reliance on processed food is worsened by the growing scarcity and rising price of petroleum. Most of the chemicals used in coloring, flavoring and preserving processed food are made in China. In addition to all their industrial chemicals, Twinkies are loaded with refined grains, added sugars and synthetic fats.

The world would be a better place without Twinkies, but the point of Chapter 11 bankruptcy is to allow Hostess to continue cranking out the noxious concoctions. The eradication of the Twinkie scourge will ultimately be up to the choices made by consumers.

Source: The Daily Beast, How Stuff Works, Snopes.com, New York Times

Americans love to eat meat—or so we thought. Figures released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that U.S. meat consumption has been steeply declining. The USDA report blames global market forces and government propaganda. But as a society, we’re choosing to eat less meat of our own free will, a trend that could make a big difference in controlling climate change, of all things.

According to a report analyzing 50 years of data the USDA expects U.S. meat consumption to go down 12.2 percent between 2007 and 2012, a trend described as “shocking in historical context.” U.S. beef consumption has been in decline since the mid 1970s. But the consumption of every meat category measured, including chicken, pork and turkey has dropped dramatically in the last five years.

Why is U.S. meat consumption dropping?

The Daily Livestock Report, prepared by the USDA for commodities traders who are no doubt sweating over the decline in U.S. meat consumption, points the finger at globalization. As citizens in big, densely populated countries such as China and India improve their lifestyles, they develop a taste for meat. U.S. meat exporters benefit, but U.S. consumers pay higher prices. Ethanol production is also driving up the price of meat as corn is grown for fuel rather than livestock feed.

Those are inarguable reasons for the decline in U.S. meat consumption. But the Daily Livestock Report invites controversy by declaring that the federal government has been “waging war on meat protein consumption” with public information campaigns. That claim outrages New York Times columnist Mark Bittman, who calls out the USDA for hypocrisy.

Holes in the USDA argument

Bittman points out that the federal government has a long history of subsidies for corn and soy fed to livestock and a lack of regulation on environmental degradation and animal abuse and antibiotic use on factory farms. He also notes that the USDA bought $40 million worth of chicken products last summer in a move to reduce surplus and raise prices that didn’t work anyway.

Government conspiracy theories aside, other data show that baby boomers, the largest segment of the U.S. population, are consuming less meat as they age. And people may be choosing to eat less meat for environmental and ethical reasons. In fact, meat is a bigger contributor to climate change than the entire global transportation sector.

Eat less meat, save the planet

Researchers at the University of Chicago estimated that if a person became a vegan they would have a bigger impact on climate change than ditching the SUV for a hybrid. Inspired by data from a Carnegie Mellon University study, Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, recommended that people give up meat one day a week to take pressure off the atmosphere. He was ridiculed in the press.

Be a flexitarian

Bittman believes American consumers could be choosing to eat less meat for “all the right reasons.” He cites the rise of an eating style called “flexitarianism” that cuts back on meat without going vegetarian. Flexitarianism was named one of the top five consumer health trends for 2012 by the Values Institute at DGWB Advertising and Communications. Last summer, 27 percent of the respondents to a survey reported actively reducing their meat consumption.

Are you eating less meat that you used to? The trend may make the meat industry nervous, but the possibility of a healthier, cleaner nation in the future should be something to celebrate.

Source: New York Times, The Atlantic, Washington Post

Exercise delivers a litany of benefits for the body and brain, but exactly how is a mystery yet to be solved. Researchers investigating the benefits of exercise may have found an important clue: a hormone called “Irisin” triggered by exercise that turns ordinary fat into brown fat, which vigorously burns calories even at rest. Irisin also appears to make the body more sensitive to glucose, a key to preventing the onset of diabetes.

Drilling down into the benefits of exercise

Scientists have known that secretion of a beneficial protein in the body called PGC1-alpha is triggered by exercise. In an effort to learn more about how and why PGC1-alpha promotes resistance to metabolic diseases, a team of scientists from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston discovered a new hormone hidden inside a complex molecule of PGC1-alpha.

The hormone sends a signal to the body that stimulates the production of energy-burning brown fat. Researchers christened the new hormone Irisin, after the Greek messenger goddess Iris for its ability to send information to surrounding body tissue.

Irisin and exercise (or not)

In the study, Irisin levels in the body remained high long after exercise sessions had concluded. People who underwent 10 weeks of endurance training had twice the Irisin in their blood than sedentary people. Mice in the laboratory on a three-week treadmill regimen had Irisin levels 65 percent higher than unexercised mice.

After observing those results, the researchers wondered if Irisin alone could generate exercise benefits minus the physical activity. So they injected obese mice on a high-fat diet that were on the verge of diabetes with the amount of Irisin they would produce from a daily workout. After 10 days, the mice actually lost a little weight and gained glucose sensitivity. Later, the mice were dissected and no ill effects from the jolt of Irisin were found.

A future treatment for obesity and diabetes prevention?

Although the weight loss was small, the researchers speculate that a daily dose of Irisin should result in greater weight loss and glucose sensitivity over longer periods. It’s common knowledge that obesity and diabetes are major health problems. A sedentary lifestyle has also been identified as a risk factor for cancer. Because it’s a natural substance, identical in both mice and humans, Irisin-based drugs could be used to help treat a variety of metabolic diseases in the near future.

The researchers are now investigating the effects of Irisin on other diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Their findings have been licensed to a pharmaceutical company for development of an Irisin-based drug.

Don’t cancel your gym membership

But if Irisin is proven a safe supplement for humans in clinical trials, it will never be a replacement for your gym membership. Irisin injections did not increase muscle mass for the mice in the study. And a significant increase in Irisin levels is only evident after consistent and prolonged exercise in humans. But it might help at risk people fight off obesity, retain glucose sensitivity and prevent diabetes.

Source: Scientific American, Medical News Today, New Scientist

The obesity epidemic isn’t entirely an American problem. Obesity levels are rising in many countries with advanced economies. A new study suggests that the liberal trade policies of wealthy countries encourage the proliferation of fast food restaurants, with weight gain, heart disease and obesity in their wake.

Obesity goes global

Obesity-related health problems kill about 400,000 people each year in the U.S. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that obesity could be one of the unintended consequences of global market forces. In a study of 26 “wealthy” nations, those with a higher density of fast food restaurants per capita had higher obesity rates.

To measure how many fast food restaurants were present among 100,000 people, one franchise was used as a representative sample—a chain with the most locations worldwide as of the end of 2010.

Fast food nations

Countries recognized as leaders in free market policies such as the U.S., United Kingdom  and Australia had higher density of fast food restaurants and higher obesity rates. Japan and Norway, countries with more restrictive trade policies, were at the opposite end of the spectrum.

In the report, the U.S. had 7.52 fast food restaurants for every 100,000 people. Canada was close behind at 7.43 per 100K. Obesity rates for U.S. men were 31.3 percebt, for women, 33.2 percent. Japan, on the other hand, had a mere 0.13 fast food restaurants per 100,000 people. Norway, a scant 0.19. Japan’s obesity rates were 2.9 percent for men, 3.3 percent for women. Norwegian obesity rates for men and women were 6.4 percent and 5.9 percent. The relationships were consistent after controlling for variables such as income, income inequality, urban areas, motor vehicles per capita and internet use.

A direct correlation

The authors of the study, published in the journal Critical Public Health, contend that there is a direct correlation between international trade liberalization and obesity. They wrote that no “biological, genetic, psychological or community level factor” can explain why the prevalence of obesity has increased three or four times since the 1980’s, when fast food restaurants started popping up everywhere.

Source: Los Angeles Times, Science Daily, Emax Health, Futurity.org

Everyone understands they should limit their sodium intake. The American food supply is so laden with sodium that limiting one’s intake to recommended levels is very difficult. But recent studies have shown that potassium may mitigate the damage wrought by too much sodium.

The sodium-potassium ratio

Numerous studies have produced conflicting evidence on the link between sodium, hypertension and risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke. But there is little argument that high sodium intake raises blood pressure and stiffens arteries by blocking nitric oxide, which relaxes arteries. However, potassium activates nitric oxide and reduces pressure in the arteries, thus reducing the risk of hypertension. Because of this inverse relationship, the sodium-potassium ratio has become regarded as a more important marker for cardiovascular risk that sodium levels alone.

Preventing ischemic heart disease

An Institute of Medicine study IOM study published last year examined risk factors for heart disease by reviewing data from more than 12,000 American adults. The researchers found that while a high sodium diet increases risk, the ratio of sodium to potassium in your diet is even more important. Participants with a high sodium to potassium ratio were nearly 50 percent more likely to die from any cause and more than twice as likely to die from ischemic heart disease than those with lower sodium-to-potassium ratios.

Ischemic heart disease is a condition where the heart can’t pump enough blood through the body due to coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is a a narrowing of the vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Ischemic heart disease often results in heart failure and death.

Why we ingest too much sodium

Salt is categorized by the Food and Drug Administration as G.R.A.S., or “generally recognized as safe.” There is no limit to the amount food producers can use. Processed and restaurant foods rely heavily on salt as a cheap way to enhance flavor and preserve food. To make matters worse, not only does the amount of sodium go through the roof when foods like tomatoes and potatoes are processed, the natural potassium in these foods is leached out, worsening the sodium-potassium ratio.

The body only needs about 220 milligrams of sodium a day. But the average American consumes more than 3,400 milligrams per day. Current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a maximum of 2,300 milligrams–about a teaspoon of salt a day–for individuals over the age of two. Adults at risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease should only ingest 1,500 milligrams a day.

High potassium foods

It’s hard to image how anyone can achieve such a low sodium intake in America today. But lowering the sodium-to-potassium ratio sure can’t hurt when it comes to lowering that risk. Rather than relying on supplements, eat more high potassium foods such as fruits (cantaloupe, bananas, oranges, grapes, grapefruit, blackberries), yogurt, beans, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.

At the same time, avoid foods such as processed meats. Stay away from fast food restaurants, where a single order can exceed the daily sodium limit. When you order at a restaurant ask that your meal be prepared without salt. Request steamed vegetables and have salad dressing served on the side. If your entrée shows up and it’s too salty, send it back to the kitchen.

Source: New York Times, AARP, Forbes, Emax Health

To lose weight, it’s obvious that you have to burn more calories than you take in. But most people have no clue about how many calories are burned every day. Enter technology, with a wide selection of gadgets and free apps designed to gauge how many calories are burned by physical activity.

Depending on the features you want, there are scores of electronic monitors available at a broad range of prices. Some are flashy while others are inconspicuous. Some just stick to the numbers, others feature games intended to make weight loss more engaging and challenging. If you have a smartphone, a variety of diet and weight loss apps can be downloaded for free.

Calorie counting gadgets

The calorie counting device that’s right for you depends on how, and how much you plan to use it. The best approach may be to start with a gadget offering basic calorie counting features for less money. The New York Times recently reviewed some of the most common calorie counting gadgets and the entrylevel models include the Striiv and Fitbit Ultra.

Striiv

The Striiv, listed at $100, is simple, features a bunch of clever motivational gimmicks and doesn’t need to by synced to a computer. It awards points for fitness accomplishments and offers the opportunity to donate to three different charities by accumulating those points. For example, if you climb 60,000 stairs Striiv will make a donation to immunize a child against polio. But the Striiv only recognizes the motions of stair climbing, walking and running. If cycling or swimming is part of your fitness routine, you need another device.

Fitbit Ultra

The Fitbit Ultra, also $100, is about the size of a nail clipper, is also limited to measuring calories burned with walking, running or stair climbing. But the Ultra adds an altimeter to the stair climbing metric. The Ultra also tracks the amount and quality of your sleep—adequate sleep is important for weight loss. Social media features let you share and compare with other Ultra users and a food log measures calorie intake vs. calories burned, as well as percentages of fats, carbs and proteins.

Calorie counting apps

If you have a current smartphone, chances are you’ve already spent at least $100 on the device. So a free app may be the best way to investigate whether technology is a viable component of your diet and weight loss equation.

Calorie Counter

Calorie Counter by FatSecret is a free app available for both iPhone and Android. It’s functional, easy to use and calculates calories burned based on exercise and activity. It also calculates calories consumed based on major grocery store brands and fast food restaurant menus. It even has a barcode scanner and you can enter foods manually to obtain calorie counts. Once your food choices are entered, daily calorie feature helps you easily manage your caloric intake.

Meal Snap

If you feel like a big spender, you can try the Meal Snap app for just $2.99. Simply take a photo of your meal, add a descriptive caption and the app calculates the calories and nutritional facts. Meal Snap also keeps track of the nutritional quality and calorie counts of your diet over time. It also calculates estimated calories for each meal, as well as throughout the day.

There is accumulating evidence that calorie counting devices and diet apps do make a difference when it comes to managing your weight and hitting your nutritional goals. But keep in mind that unless you get tested in a laboratory with sophisticated scientific equipment, the calorie counts can only be an estimate.

Source: New York Times, Crazy Mikes Apps, Shape, Apple.com