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Med Diet Can Preserve Brain Structure, Delay Cognitive Aging

The link between healthy aging and the Mediterranean diet is well established, but emerging research sheds new light onto this mechanism. Scientists analyzed the eating patterns and brain scans of 146 French adults (average age 73). They found that the brain structure (white matter) of those most closely following the Mediterranean diet was significantly more preserved 9 years later than those who didn’t follow a Mediterranean diet. To put this in perspective, the researchers concluded that “higher adherence to the [Mediterranean Diet] appeared to delay cognitive aging by up to 10 years.”
Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2015 July 16. (Pelletier A et al.) [Epub ahead of print]

Eating Together Can Improve Employee Performance

Group activities (such as team building exercises) among co-workers can help improve employee performance, but new research suggests that even the simple act of breaking bread together can also have positive effects. To study how shared workplace meals affect job performance and cooperation, Cornell researchers surveyed 244 fire department officers, and visited 13 firehouses for in-person interviews. They found that cooking together and eating together were both significantly linked with better measures of work-group performance, and in some instances, better unit-level performance. There was no significant relationship between eating and cooking together and cooperative behavior, although better cooperative behavior was related to better work-group performance.
Human Performance. 2015 July 10;28(4):281-306. (Kniffin KM et al.)

Home-cooked Dinners Linked with Better Diet Quality

Given the prevalence of large portion sizes and high caloric meals at restaurants, cooking more meals at home may be a helpful strategy to eat healthier. In a study of more than 9,500 adults, researchers analyzed the relationship between the frequency of home-cooked dinners, and diet quality. Those who cooked dinner 6-7 days per week had a better diet quality than those who cooked dinner at home 0-1 nights per week, averaging 1g more fiber, 16g fewer sugars, 5g less fat, and 137 fewer calories per day. There was no significant relationship between home-cooked dinners and body weight. The researchers conclude that “if a person or someone in their household cooks dinner frequently, regardless of whether or not they are trying to lose weight, diet quality improves.”
Public Health Nutrition. 2015 Jun;18(8):1397-406. (Wolfson JA et al.)

Spicy Foods Linked with Lower Mortality

Spicy foods are prominent in many traditional cultures throughout the world. To see if spicy food consumption is related to death risk, scientists asked over 487,000 Chinese adults about their spicy food intake, and then monitored their death rates over the next 7 years. Compared to those eating spicy foods (mostly chilli peppers) less than once per week, those eating spicy foods once or twice a week had a 10% lower risk of death from all causes, while those eating spicy foods 3-7 times per week had a 14% lower risk of death from all causes. Spicy foods were also linked with a lower risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease, specifically. This association might possibly be related to capsaicin, a beneficial compound in chilli peppers that has antioxidant properties.
British Medical Journal. 2015 August 4;351:h3942. (Lv J et al.) 

Med Diet Cuts Risk of Womb Cancer by Half

Endometrial cancer, also known as womb cancer, is largely determined by hormone levels in the body. However, new research shows that diet can play an important role in prevention. Combining the results of three large studies, Italian researchers analyzed the eating patterns of over 5,000 women in Europe (1411 with endometrial cancer, and 3668 controls) for their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Those most closely following the Mediterranean diet were over 50% less likely to develop endometrial cancer than those with the lowest adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Additionally, researchers found that “the Mediterranean diet as a whole is a stronger determinant of endometrial cancer risk than the single dietary components,” emphasizing the importance of overall diet.
British Journal of Cancer. 2015 May 26;112(11):1816-21. (Filomeno et al.) 

Peanut and Nut Intake May Lower Death from Heart Disease

Nuts have long been associated with longevity, and new research in diverse populations further supports this relationship. Researchers tracked peanut and nut intake of about 206,000 people in the US (low income blacks and whites) and China for over 5 years. High nut intake was associated with a 21% lower risk of death from all causes among the US participants, and a 17% lower risk in the Chinese participants. High nut and peanut intake was also associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease, especially in ischemic heart disease (the type of heart disease caused by narrowed arteries).
JAMA Internal Medicine. 2015 May;175(5):755-66. (Luu HN, et al.)

Soy is Just as Filling As Beef

Soy foods, such as tofu, have anchored traditional Asian diets for centuries. In a small study, researchers at the University of Missouri fed 21 adults either a beef based lunch or a soy based lunch for two different days in a week to compare how different protein sources affect fullness. The two meals were matched for calories, macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat) and fiber, and were the same serving size. One to two weeks later, the adults changed groups and were given the other meals, serving as their own control. The scientists found no significant differences in appetite, satiety or food intake at the next meal between the beef based meal or the soy based meal. As communities begin to embrace sustainable food systems and shift red meat to a smaller portion of the plate, soy proteins, like tofu, may offer an attractive alternative.
Journal of Nutrition. 2015 May;145(5):1010-6. (Douglas SM et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Can Improve Cognitive Function

The Mediterranean diet has long been studied for its role in heart health and aging, but emerging research suggests that it may also be protective for brain health. In a follow up to the PREDIMED study (where Spanish adults at risk for heart disease were randomly assigned to either a Mediterranean diet with four tablespoons of olive oil daily, a Mediterranean diet with one ounce of nuts daily, or a low fat controlled diet) researchers analyzed the relationship between diet and cognitive function. Of the 334 participants in this study with data on cognitive function, the scientists found that overall brain function significantly improved for both Mediterranean groups over the 4-year experiment, compared with the control group. Specifically, the nuts group significantly improved on tests of memory, while the olive oil group significantly improved on tests of reasoning, planning, and problem solving. This adds to the growing body of research that the Mediterranean diet is an important factor in healthy aging.
JAMA Internal Medicine. 2015 May 11. [Epub ahead of print] (Valls-Pedret C et al.) 

Traditional African Diet May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk

Colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in the US, affects a greater proportion of African Americans than rural Africans, indicating that diet plays an important role in disease prevention. To see how traditional diets affect risk factors for colon cancer, researchers assigned 20 middle aged African Americans to a traditional, African heritage diet (averaging 55g fiber daily and 16% calories from fat, with foods like mangos, bean soup, and fish) and 20 middle aged rural South Africans to a typical American diet (averaging 12g fiber daily and 52% calories from fat, with foods like pancakes, burgers, fries, and meatloaf). In just 2 short weeks, the African Americans reduced the inflammation of their colons, improved their markers for cancer (including increased levels of butyrate, an anti-cancer chemical), and increased the diversity of their healthy gut bacteria. On the other hand, the rural Africans eating an American diet fared worse, producing more bile acid (a risk factor for colon cancer), while decreasing the diversity of healthy gut bacteria. These results indicate that an African heritage diet can help promote a healthy digestive tract (potentially reducing colon cancer risk), and that rapid improvements can come with a change to healthier foods.
Nature Communications. 2015 Apr 28;6:6342. (O’Keefe SJ et al.)

Traditional Sardinian Diet Linked with Longevity

Sardinia, Italy has gained international recognition as one of the world’s longevity Blue Zones, as it has a large concentration of people who live exceptionally long lives. To determine how the traditional Sardinian diet might play a role in longevity, European researchers analyzed the traditional eating habits of Sardinia based on works published over a century. Researchers characterize the traditional Sardinian diet as “remarkably frugal.” Foods native to the Sardinian diet include grains (wheat and barley), potatoes, pulses, sheep milk and goat milk and their fresh cheeses, wild fruits, and fresh vegetables, with fermented whole grain breads and minestrone soup making up a substantial portion of the diet prior to the 1950’s. After the mid-1950’s, Sardinians were able to eat more meat and pasta, along with more fresh vegetables, olive oil, and fish, but with fewer potatoes, pulses, and less lard. The researchers conclude that this unique combination of diets may attribute to the exceptionally long lifespan of Sardinians born at the end of the 19th century, and are eager to monitor the lifespan of future generations of Sardinians.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 Apr;69(4):411-8. (Pes GM et al.)

Grain Foods Linked with Higher Diet Quality than Grain Free Diets

Grains have been at the core of human diets for millennia, but not all grain foods are created equal (for example, quinoa salad is not the same as cookies and corn chips). Using data from a large national health survey (NHANES 2005-2010), researchers identified common types of grain eating patterns, and compared diet quality and health markers between them. Adults who regularly eat cereals, pasta, cooked grains, rice and mixed grains had a significantly higher diet quality than those who avoided grains. While grain eaters tended to eat 300-400 more calories per day than those who avoided grains, grain eaters did not have higher BMIs or larger waist sizes. In fact, those who favored pasta, cooked cereals, and rice had significantly lower body weights and waist sizes than those who avoided grains. These results indicate that grain foods (especially healthier grain foods, without lots of added salt, sugar, or fat) are an important part of a balanced diet.
FASEB Journal. 2015 April;29(1):S763.7. (Papanikolaoau Y et al.)
 

Cheese Linked with Positive Microbiome Changes & Markers of Disease Prevention

Dairy foods are most often prized for their calcium content, but new research reveals that changes to the gut microbiome, especially from eating fermented dairy products, like cheese, might help explain the “French Paradox,” the phenomenon in which traditional cheeses are linked with low rates of heart disease. In a small study to investigate the protective effect of dairy foods, Danish scientists randomly assigned 15 healthy men to one of three diets for two weeks: a diet with lots of partly skim (1.5%) milk, a diet with lots of semi-hard cow’s cheese, or a control diet with butter, but no other dairy products. Both the milk and cheese diets had the same amount of calcium per day (1.7g). The men rotated through each diet, with a two-week washout period in between each new diet group. Compared to the control diet, both the cheese and milk diets were associated with significantly lower production of TMAO, a compound that is thought to be a marker of heart disease risk. The researchers also found that “dairy consumption, especially cheese, can beneficially modify the gut microbiota to increase SFCA levels.” SFCAs (short chain fatty acids) are compounds produced by gut bacteria that are linked with many health promoting effects, such as lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and inflammatory diseases.  
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2015 Mar 18;63(10):2830-9 (Zheng H et al).

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