How eating less can slow the aging process

Brigham Young: There’s a multi-billion-dollar industry devoted to products that fight signs of aging, but moisturizers only go skin deep. Aging occurs deeper — at a cellular level — and scientists have found that eating less can slow this cellular process. Recent research published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics offers one glimpse into how cutting calories impacts aging inside a cell. The researchers found that when ribosomes — the cell’s protein makers — slow down, the aging process slows too. The decreased speed lowers production but gives ribosomes extra time to repair themselves.

Graphic Warning Labels Linked to Reduced Sugary Drink Purchases

APS: Warning labels that include photos linking sugary drink consumption with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay may reduce purchases of the drinks, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In a field study conducted in a hospital cafeteria, researchers found that graphic warning labels reduced sugary beverage purchases by 14.8%, while text warning labels and calorie labels had no effect.

Study ranks which production attributes are most important to consumers when buying beef, chicken, milk, and eggs

Illinois: Consumers are increasingly interested in how their food is produced and look for claims such as no growth hormones, no GMOs, no antibiotics, etc. on their food products. Many studies have focused on consumers’ willingness to pay for individual food attributes, but have not ranked which production attributes consumers say are most important to them. In a U of I study, the “no growth hormones” attribute was prioritized as most important and “organic” as the least important. For products like poultry, the USDA forbids the use of hormones, meaning consumers may not be well informed about production claims

What’s In Our Food? Debate over genetically engineered food

Georgia: Since ancient times, humans have been genetically modifying food through cross breeding to get better wheat, corn or fruit. In fact, there probably aren’t many foods that haven’t been genetically modified. But modern methods of plant breeding using genetic engineering to enhance certain properties of crops is an ongoing source of consumer concern. “People are very anxious about this,” said Timothy Lytton, a distinguished university professor and professor of law in the Center for Law, Health and Society in Georgia State University’s College of Law.

How key metabolic markers for disease can be changed by cutting sugar in a child’s diet in just 9 days.

SugarScience: A recent study¹ argues that the health detriments of sugar, and fructose specifically, are independent of its caloric value or effects on weight.  The study included 43 (Latino and African American) kiddos who were given a sugar-restricted diet for 9 days.  These kids were diagnosed as obese and had at least one other chronic metabolic disorder, such as high triglyceride levels, a marker of fatty liver or hypertension. The sugar restricted meals they ate instead were “child friendly” and consisted of a variety of starches that were low or no sugar added processed foods.

Report calls for urgent action to protect children from digital marketing of food

WHO: For the first time, researchers and health experts have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of the concerning situation in the WHO European Region of digital marketing to children of foods high in fats, salt and sugars. The findings are published in a new report from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Tackling food marketing to children in a digital world: trans-disciplinary perspectives, which calls for immediate action by policy-makers to recognize and address the growing issue of marketing targeted to children via digital media.

“That pizza was #delish!” What Do Tweets Say About Our Health?

Utah: "Coffee" was the most tweeted food in the continental U.S. between mid-2014 to mid-2015 followed by "beer" then "pizza". Besides hinting at which foods are popular, tweets may reveal something about our health. Communities that expressed positive sentiments about healthy foods were more likely to be healthier overall. Scientists at the University of Utah surveyed nearly 80 million Twitter messages - a random sample of one percent of publicly available, geotagged tweets - over the course of one year. They then sorted through the 4 million tweets about food for ones that fell on opposite ends of the health spectrum: tweets mentioning fast food restaurants, or lean meats, fruits, veggies or nuts.

Some health food brands may 'do more harm than good' claim

NHS: "'Healthy' snacks could do more harm than good," claims the Mail Online, as it reports on a series of experiments investigating the effects of fitness branding in food marketing on food consumption and physical activity. Researchers came to the conclusion that fitness branding increases consumption for people concerned with body weight (restrained eaters) unless the food is viewed as forbidden. So, while they may have restrained from eating, say, 500 calories in the shape of crisps, they could then end up consuming a similar amount in muesli.
Restrained eaters were also found to be less active after eating fitness-branded food.

MIT sensor detects spoiled meat

MIT: Tiny device could be incorporated into “smart packaging” to improve food safety. MIT chemists have devised an inexpensive, portable sensor that can detect gases emitted by rotting meat, allowing consumers to determine whether the meat in their grocery store or refrigerator is safe to eat. The sensor, which consists of chemically modified carbon nanotubes, could be deployed in “smart packaging” that would offer much more accurate safety information than the expiration date on the package, says Timothy Swager, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry at MIT.

Food for more

McGill: With a population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, the planet must find ways to significantly increase food production by, for example, expanding irrigation or improving crop genetics. And this, despite the threat of unpredictable extreme weather conditions. It’s a sobering statistic. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region alone will have to increase their food production by 77 per cent by 2050 in order to feed their people, according to a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization. This is a figure that worries Chandra Madramootoo, especially given the increasing threat extreme weather poses to crops. Madramootoo, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at McGill and founding chair of the annual McGill Conference on Global Food Security, launched in 2008, spoke to Headway about the various avenues researchers around the world are looking at to try to feed a growing world population.

Majority of packaged foods unhealthy

Auckland: Fewer than half of all packaged foods available in New Zealand and Australia in 2012 met nutritional criteria to carry health claims, according to recently published research from the University of Auckland. The study based on large, regular surveys of food composition provides a comprehensive, quantitative assessment of the nutrient profile of packaged foods in Australia and New Zealand. In the study, nutrition information data was collected from food packages in major New Zealand and Australian supermarkets and was assessed using a regionally accepted nutrient profiling scoring standard. The proportion of products eligible to display health claims was quantified along with the associations between each product’s score and energy density, saturated fat, sugar and salt content. “The few healthy choices available in key staple food categories is a concern”, says study leader, Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu. “Dietary risk factors such as high salt and high saturated fat, low fruit and vegetable, and excess energy intakes, accounted for 11 percent of health loss in New Zealand in 2006. That is more than the burden of disease due to smoking (nine percent),” she says.

Complex food chain increases food safety risks

WHO/Europe estimates that levels of foodborne disease are much higher than currently reported and underlines the need for improved collaboration among sectors to lower the health risks associated with unsafe food. Our food chain is longer and more complex than ever before, and demographic, cultural, economic and environmental developments – globalized trade, travel and migration, an ageing population, changing consumer trends and habits, new technologies, emergencies, climate change and extreme weather events – are increasing foodborne health risks. "The fact that we significantly underestimate how many people become ill from chemicals in the food chain and from common microorganisms such as Salmonella and Campylobacter should start alarm bells ringing across the many areas with a stake in our food chain. A failure in food safety at any link in this chain, from the environment, through primary production, processing, transport, trade, catering or in the home, can have significant health and economic consequences," says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

Acrylamide

Acrylamide (C3H3ONH2) is a chemical that is produced naturally in certain foods when they are cooked at high temperatures. It is also manufactured industrially for use in the production of polyacrylamide gels, which are used for various purposes, including the treatment of drinking-water and wastewater. Acrylamide is known to cause cancer in animals and, in high doses, can cause nerve damage in humans.

Caffeine

• Caffeine occurs naturally in more t han 60 plants including coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts used to flavor soft drink colas, and cacao pods used to make chocolate products. 
• Man-made caffeine is sometimes added to foods, drinks, and medicines. 
• 90% of people in the world use caffeine in one form or another.
• The average american adult has an intake of 200 mg per day, the amount in two 5-ounce cups of coffee or four sodas. 
• Whether caffeine is consumed in food or as a medicine, it changes the way your brain and body work and changes how you behave and feel. 
• Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. Your central nervous system includes your brain, spinal cord, and the other nerves in your body. 
• Caffeine’s main effect on your body is to make you feel more awake and alert for a while, but it can also cause problems. 
• It can:

• Make you jittery and shaky
• Make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get a good night’s sleep
• Make your heart beat faster
• Cause an uneven heart rhythm
• Raise your blood pressure
• Cause headaches, nervousness, and/or dizziness 
• Make you dehydrated (dried out) especially after a workout
• Make you dependent on it so you need to take more of it

• Did You Know? Caffeine doesn’t make a drunk person sober or fit to drive – it DOES NOT get rid of the effects of alcohol. 
• Caffeine is both a drug and a food additive. 
• Caffeine is used in both prescription and over-the- counter medicines to treat tiredness or drowsiness and to improve the effect of some pain relievers. 
• HEART: People with heart problems shouldn’t use caffeine because it makes their hearts work too hard.
• ANXIETY: People with anxiety problems or panic attacks may find that caffeine makes them feel worse. 
• After drinking caffeine, it usually reaches its peak level in your blood within one hour and stays there for four to six hours. 
• Caffeine increases the release of acid in your stomach, sometimes leading to an upset stomach or "heartburn." 
• DEHYDRATION: Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it makes your body lose more water. So, drinks that contain caffeine aren’t good for quenching your thirst. Whether you drink sodas or coffee with caffeine or use medicines with caffeine, take care to drink extra water when you are working out or in the heat so your body doesn’t get dehydrated (dried out). 
• PREGNANCY: Most experts feel that using small amounts of caffeine during pregnancy is safe, but larger amounts of caffeine can be harmful during pregnancy. Women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant should speak with their doctor about using caffeine.  
• TOLERANCE: When people use caffeine every day, their bodies get used to it, and they don’t get the “good effects” of feeling more awake and able to concentrate unless they use more of it. This is called “tolerance.” 
• ADDICTION: Some studies show that caffeine causes a physical dependence or addiction. If a person gets withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop using caffeine, then the person has a physical dependence on caffeine. Withdrawal symptoms don’t feel good and can include: severe headaches, muscle aches, temporary feelings of depression, and irritability. When people experience these symptoms, they often just take in more caffeine to make them go away. This cycle is hard to break.
• OVERDOSE: Symptoms of caffeine overdose (for example with pure caffeine products) can include rapid or dangerously erratic heartbeat, seizures and death. Vomiting, diarrhea, stupor and disorientation are also symptoms of caffeine toxicity. These symptoms are likely to be much more severe than those resulting from drinking too much coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages.
• DEATH? Caffeine overdose is dangerous and can kill you.
  FDA knows of a 19 year old college student who died after taking an overdose of caffeine tablets to stay awake. A caffeine tablet contains as much caffeine as one to three 5-ounce cups of coffee.The FDA is also aware of at least one death of a teenager who used powdered pure caffeine.
• WARNING. PURE CAFFEINE: Pure powdered caffeine is a powerful stimulant and very small amounts may cause accidental overdose. Parents should be aware that these products may be attractive to young people. These products are essentially 100 percent caffeine. A single teaspoon of pure caffeine is roughly equivalent to the amount in 25 cups of coffee.
• HOW MUCH? Experts agree that 4 to 7 cups of coffee or more each day is too much. Studies suggest that moderate amounts of caffeine are not harmful. How much is moderate? One hundred to 200 mg (one to two 5-ounce cups of coffee) each day is the limit that some doctors suggest, but each person is a little different. How caffeine affects people varies with their size, their sex, and how sensitive they are to caffeine’s effects. Experts agree that 600 mg (four to seven cups of coffee) of caffeine or more each day is too much. 
• BE INFORMED. Learn how much caffeine is in your foods and drinks. Check the Caffeine Content Table to see how much caffeine you take in each day. If you’re taking in too much caffeine, you may want to cut back. This isn’t easy – reduce your caffeine slowly to make withdr awal symptoms (like bad headaches, and feeling tired, and depressed) as mild as possible. 

Caffeine Content in Common Drinks and Foods 

Product: Size (ml) / Caffeine (mg)

• Coffee 150 ml (5 oz) / 60-150 mg 
• Coffee, decaf 150 ml (5 oz) / 2-5mg
• Tea 150 ml (5 oz) / 40-80 mg
• Hot Cocoa 150 ml (5 oz) / 1-8mg
• Chocolate Milk 225 ml / 2-7mg
• Red Bull 8,3 oz / 77 mg
• Jolt Cola 12 oz / 100mg
• Josta 12 oz / 58 mg
• Mountain Dew 12 oz / 55mg
• Surge 12 oz/ 51ml
• Diet Coca Cola 12 oz / 45 mg
• Coca Cola 12 oz / 64 mg
• Coca Cola Classic 12 oz / 23 mg
• Dr. Pepper 12 oz / 61 mg
• Mello Yellow 12 oz / 35 mg
• Mr. Pibb 12 oz / 27 mg
• Pepsi Cola 12 oz / 43 mg
• 7-Up 12 oz / 0 mg
• Mug Root Beer 12 oz / 0mg
• Sprite 12 oz /  0 mg
• Ben & Jerry’s No Fat Coffee Fudge Frozen Yogur 1 cup / 85 mg
• Starbucks Coffee Ice Cream 1 cup / 40-60 mg
• Dannon Coffee Yogurt 8 oz. / 45 mg
• 100 Grand Bar 1 bar (43 g) / 11.2 mg
• Krackel Bar 1 bar (47 g) / 8.5 mg  
• Peanut Butter Cup1 pk (51 g) / 5.6 mg
• Kit Kat Bar 1 bar (46 g) / 5 mg
• Raisinets 10 pieces (10 g) / 2.5 mg
• Butterfinger Bar 1 bar (61 g) / 2.4 mg
• Baby Ruth Bar 1 bar (60 g) / 2.4 mg 
•  Special Dark Chocolate Bar 1 bar (41 g) / 31 mg
• Chocolate Brownie 1.25 oz / 8 mg
• Chocolate Chip Cookie 30 g / 3-5 mg
• Chocolate Ice Cream 50 g / 2-5 mg
• Milk Chocolate 1 oz / 1-15 mg
• Bittersweet Chocolate 1 oz / 5-35 mg 

Source: Food and Drug Administration  / FDA Consumer Advice on Powdered Pure Caffeine