Could ultra-processed foods be the new ‘silent’ killer?
From fizzy drinks to cereals and packaged snacks to processed meat, ultra-processed foods are packed with additives. Oil, fat, sugar, starch and sodium, as well as emulsifiers such as carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, carboxymethylcellulose, polysorbate and soy lecithin continue to strip food of healthy nutrients while introducing other ingredients that could also be detrimental to […]
One in eight Americans over 50 show signs of food addiction: Much higher percentages of possible addiction to processed food seen among older adults who are overweight or experiencing poor mental health or isolation
Whether you call them comfort foods, highly processed foods, junk foods, empty calories or just some of Americans’ favorite foods and drinks, a sizable percentage of older Americans have an unhealthy relationship with them, according to a new poll. In fact, about 13% of people aged 50 to 80 showed signs of addiction to such […]
Microbial link between Western-style diet and incidence of colorectal cancer uncovered
New research builds the case that a Western-style diet — rich in red and processed meat, sugar and refined grains/carbohydrates — is tied to higher risk of colorectal cancer through the intestinal microbiota. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital with collaborators looked at data from more than 134,000 participants from two U.S.-wide prospective cohort studies. […]
Distant regions of the human brain are wired together by surprisingly few connections
Understanding how the brain functions, particularly how information is processed during different activities, is difficult without knowing how many axons are in the brain and how many connect different functional regions. An approach by Burke Rosen and Eric Halgren at the University of California, San Diego, U.S. published March 24 in the open-access journal PLOS […]
Keeping chocolate milk smooth, stable without carrageenan: Unique high-pressure jet processing of chocolate milk may reduce the use of the controversial emulsifier
Fat-free chocolate milk processed for the first time with high-pressure jet technology exhibits enhanced viscosity, stabilizing cocoa particles in the fluid and eliminating the need for adding a controversial emulsifier. That’s the conclusion of a team of Penn State researchers, whose study suggests that the new technology can preclude the use of carrageenan in chocolate […]
Save the planet (and your health) by steering clear of sweets and pastries
Keen to do your bit for the environment? Cut back on sweets, pastries, fried foods and processed meat. According to a new study published this month, reducing these foods in our diet is not only better for our health but also the planet. Australia and New Zealand households eat more discretionary and junk foods than […]