Scientists at the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil studied ten traditional Peruvian grains and legumes for their potential in managing the early stages of Type 2 diabetes. They found that quinoa was especially rich in an antioxidant called quercetin and that quinoa had the highest overall antioxidant activity (86%) of all ten foods studied. Coming in a close second in antioxidant activity was quinoa’s cousin, kañiwa. This in vitro study led the researchers to conclude that quinoa, kañiwa, and other traditional crops from the Peruvian Andes have potential in developing effective dietary strategies for managing type 2 diabetes and associated hypertension.
Journal of Medicinal Food, August 2009; 12 (4):704-13.
A study conducted by the Cancer Epidemiology Branch in Gyeonggi, South Korea examined the association between fish and fish omega-3 fatty acids intake with the risk of breast cancer among Korean women. 358 incident breast cancer patients and 360 controls with no history of malignant cancer were recruited and given a 103-item food frequency questionairre to determine their dietary intake of fish (fatty and lean) and omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish (eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docasahexaenoic acid or DHA). The study found that high intake of fatty fish was associated with reduced risk of breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women.
BMC Cancer. 2009 Jun 30;9:216 (Kim et al.)
Combining data from the Oxford Vegetarian Study and the EPIC-Oxford cohort, researchers at the University of Oxford found that the incidence of all cancers combined was lowest among the vegetarians and pescatarians. Specifically, vegetarians were at lower risk for stomach and bladder cancer, as well as cancers of the lymphatic and blood tissues. Pescatarians had the lowest risk of ovarian and prostate cancers. However, the authors note the need for further study, as findings from various studies regarding diet type and cancer incidence have been inconsistent.
British Journal of Cancer. 2009 Jul 7;101:192-197. (Key et al.)
Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in developing countries, with women of childbearing age and children being among the most affected. A community based study of postpartum mothers in Ghana set out to determine whether their vitamin A levels would improve if the new moms ate African eggplant leaves (a strong food source of vitamin A). A daily portion of 200g of eggplant leaves was given to mothers in one group for three months, while the control group did not receive any additional vegetables to their diet. After three months, the researchers tested the vitamin A levels in the women’s livers and found a significant improvement in the vitamin A status of the group eating the African eggplant leaves. Vitamin A containing leafy vegetables, like the African eggplant leaves, can be easily cultivated within African communities, making them a sustainable and cheaper alternative to oral supplementation of vitamin A.
African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Development; Vol 9, No 6 (2009). (Tchum et al.)
Scientists at the Functional Food Centre at Oxford Brookes University in England fed 8 healthy human subjects chapatis (unleavened Indian flatbreads) made with either 0g, 2g, 4g, 6g or 8g of barley beta-glucan fiber. They found that all amounts of barley beta-glucan lowered the glycemic index of the breads, with 4g or more making a significant difference.
Nutrition Research, July 2009; 29(7):4806
In Quebec, a University of Laval team led by André Tchernof, studied 115 post-menopausal women and found that those with markers showing more consumption of plant lignans had, on average, a BMI 4 points lower than women with the lowest levels of the markers. They also had better blood sugar control and lower blood pressure. Lignans are found in whole grains, as well as in fruits and vegetables.
British Journal of Nutrition, July 2009; 102(2):195-200. Online First View February 2009, DOI:10.1017/S0007114508162092
Canadian researchers examined the diets of 4,451 healthy free-living Canadians and found that those consuming less than 47% of their calories as carbohydrates were more likely to be overweight or obese. Lowest risk of overweight, according to the researchers, may be obtained by consuming 47% to 64% of calories as carbohydrates.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009; vol 109, issue 7, 1165-1172
Korean researchers fed raw buckwheat extract and germinated buckwheat extract to hypertensive rats for five weeks then compared the results. The rats fed the germinated buckwheat had lower systolic blood pressure, while both groups exhibited significantly reduced oxidative damage in aortic endothelial cells. The scientists concluded that “these results suggest that germinated buckwheat extra has an atihypertensive effect and may protect arterial endothelial cells from oxidative stress.”
Phytotherapy Research, July 2009; 23(7):993-8.
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard Medical School followed 31,784 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for 18 years, and found that about one-third developed hypertension, or high blood pressure. The researchers found that men who ate the most whole grains had a 19% reduced risk of developing high blood pressure. Those with higher bran consumption had a 15% reduced risk of hypertension, leading researchers to conclude that bran may play an important role in the prevention of hypertension.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2009. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27460
Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) just published a study showing that healthy middle-age adults lowered total cholesterol by 4.3% and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 4.9%, by eating whole grains instead of refined grains. The crossover study randomly assigned the 15 subjects to consume either refined or whole grains, in two equal-calorie diets. After three weeks, both groups took a “washout” break for two weeks, then switched diets. Although researchers reported no changes in blood or fat metabolism, hormones associated with insulin levels, compounds linked to immune response, magnesium levels, or CRP (a marker of inflation) with either diet, the subjects’ fasting cholesterol levels definitely improved on the whole grain diet.
Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, online June 9, 2009. DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.03.025
Italian researchers reviewed existing research about the positive effects of beta glucans on human health. They found that, in addition to reducing cholesterol and blunting glycemic and insulin response, beta glucans boost defenses of the immune system agains bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Minerva Medica, June 2009; 100(3):237-45
Researchers in Peru studied kañiwa, a native Andean pseudo-cereal that is a cousin of quinoa, to determine its potential to contribute to health. They found that kañiwa is rich in total dietary fiber and lignins, with high antioxidant activity. Moreover, they found that kañiwa had good functional properties, making it attractive for food processing.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, June 2009; 64(2):94-101. (Repo-Carrasco-Valencia et al.)
