Striving4Zen

ScienceDaily (Dec. 6, 2009) — Getting the correct balance of proteins in our diet may be more important for healthy ageing than reducing calories, new research funded by the Wellcome Trust and Research into Ageing suggests.

The research may help explain why 'dietary restriction' (also known as calorie restriction) -- reducing food intake whilst maintaining sufficient quantities of vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients -- appears to have health benefits. In many organisms, such as the fruit fly (drosophila), mice, rats and the Rhesus monkey, these benefits include living longer. Evidence suggests that dietary restriction can have health benefits for humans, too, though it is unclear whether it can increase longevity.

Dietary restriction can have a potentially negative side effect, however: diminished fertility. For example, the female fruit fly reproduces less frequently on a low calorie diet and its litter size is reduced, though its reproductive span lasts longer. This is believed to be an evolutionary trait: in times of famine, essential nutrients are diverted away from reproduction and towards survival.

In fact, when the researchers studied the effect further, they found that levels of a particular amino acid known as methionine were crucial to maximising lifespan without decreasing fertility. Adding methionine to a low calorie diet boosted fertility without reducing lifespan; likewise, reducing methionine content in a high calorie diet prolonged lifespan. Previous studies have also shown that reducing the intake of methionine in rodents can help extend lifespan.

"By carefully manipulating the balance of amino acids in the diet, we have been able to maximise both lifespan and fertility," explains Dr Matthew Piper, one of the study authors. "This indicates that it is possible to extend lifespan without wholesale dietary restriction and without the unfortunate consequence of lowering reproductive capacity."

Amino acids are the building blocks of life as they form the basis of proteins. Methionine is one of the most important amino acids at it is essential to the formation of all proteins. Whilst proteins are formed naturally in the body, we also consume proteins from many different food types, including meat and dairy products, soy-derived food such as tofu, and pulses. The relative abundance of methionine differs depending on the food type in question; it occurs in naturally high levels in foods such as sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, fish and meats.

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Labels: complete protein, fertility, fish, meat, Nuts, wheat germ

* ALMONDS are high in vitamin E. They’re good sources of B vitamins, fiber, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, and zinc. These nuts also contain healthy fats. Besides a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, almonds have potential prebiotic effects: They may stimulate growth of good bacteria in the intestinal tract. Eaten in moderation (about 22 nuts) almonds can help you manage weight; they provide satiety and may also increase excretion of fat from the body.

* BERRIES have a profound, positive impact on health and performance. All kinds of these flavonoid-rich gems are being studied for their antioxidant benefits. In addition to protecting against cancer, stroke, and heart disease, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries have phytochemicals that appear to protect against age-related declines in cognitive functioning and may even help reverse them by counteracting oxidative stress and decreasing inflammation. In addition to disease-fighting substances, blackberries and blueberries offer vitamins C and K (which may help prevent osteoporosis). When berries are not in season, frozen varieties work well in smoothies.

* CABBAGES (bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and watercress) all offer an expansive array of nutrients and antioxidants. Most of us would do well to triple our intake of this family of veggies. The American Cancer Society recommends eating cabbage and its relatives to reduce the risk of cancer. These foods contain sulforaphane, an organic chemical compound shown to inhibit the growth of carcinogen-induced cancers as well as H. pylori bacteria, a cause of gastric infection.

* FISH (Alaskan halibut, bass, light tuna, herring, mackerel, sardines, and trout) are all part of a healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of fatty fish a week to protect circulatory health, support cognitive functioning, and reduce inflammation implicated in arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

* GREEN TEA has mild thermogenic properties that boost metabolism to burn calories. Research suggests it may also inhibit storage of new fat. Green tea’s main active ingredients are polyphenols that protect the body from free radicals and help prevent oxidative damage. In particular, ECGC has been found to lower cholesterol and may inhibit cancer cell growth. This polyphenol also helps regulate insulin, which plays an important role in weight regulation.

* LEAFY GREENS (arugula, endive, escarole, sorrel, spinach, and more) are super sources of many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Their combination of nutrients, phytochemicals, and soluble fiber make these powerful anticancer foods, according to research. One serving a day can lower your risk of coronary vascular disease, improve blood glucose metabolism, maintain healthy bowel function, and protect bone density.

* LEGUMES—all kinds of beans, fermented soy, lentils, and peas—are low in fat and calories but rich in protein, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Legumes have more disease-fighting antioxidants than almost all other plants. Consumption has been linked to reduced risk for heart disease and diabetes in mildly insulin-resistant adults while lowering colon cancer incidence. An excellent source of complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein, legumes are high in fiber so you eat less. They’re the only food to earn the USDA’s inclusion in two food groups: meat and vegetable.

* WHOLE GRAINS (brown rice, bulgur, buckwheat, kamut, oats, quinoa, teff, and more) may protect against chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and various cancers. These unrefined grains have hundreds of phytochemicals including lignans, plant stanols and sterols, phytoestrogens, and saponins that protect cells from damage linked to cancer. Thanks to their fiber, whole grains also help you maintain a healthy weight. Eat at least three servings daily for energy and long-term health.

* YOGURT AND KEFIR have all of milk’s nutrition, plus billions of probiotics—healthy bacteria that fight lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhea, and infections while enhancing immunity. The benefits of these probiotic foods are linked to their live active cultures, which can reduce the risk of allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, certain cancers, and some infections. Yogurt and kefir are also excellent sources of dietary calcium, which may play a role in weight control, as well as muscle and bone health.

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Labels: almonds, berries, cabbage, fish, green tea, kefir, leafy greens, legumes, Whole grains, yogurt

Does canned fish (salmon or tuna) have any sort of nutritional benefit when compared to fresh fish?

Canned light tuna, ordinarily made from skipjack tuna, actually poses a substantially lower risk in terms of mercury exposure than fresh yellowfin or albacore tuna. So this type of tuna-canned light tuna-is the type that's best for you to buy if you want to eat tuna relatively often, for example, about one meal per week. While canned light tuna might not provide you with more nutrients than fresh light tuna, it is still likely to be saving you nutrient supplies by allowing your body to avoid processing unwanted mercury.

A second type of fish that can have some surprising benefits when canned is salmon. Because canned salmon is often packed in its own oil, you may be getting the benefit of some extra omega-3 fatty acids. Canned salmon also includes the bones (which are safe to eat since they soften during the canning process) and these bones can provide you with some added nutritional benefits as well. For example, a 3-ounce serving of salmon has over half the calcium found in an 8-ounce glass of cow's milk.

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Labels: calcium, canned salmon, canned tuna, fish, healthy diet, mercury, nutrition, Omega-3s

In addition to having less omega-3s than non-smoked fish, smoked fish may contain toxic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many of these compounds have been shown to increase risk of cancer. When wood or coal is used for smoking, the hotter the wood or coal burns, the more PAHs are created. I don't recommend regular consumption of smoked foods for this reason.

Smoking fish has been a traditional way to preserve fish for many different cultures. Fish that are smoked in high heat for longer periods of time are less likely to require the addition of preservatives to extend their shelf life; however, they may also have a higher PAH content. "Cold-smoked" fish avoid some of the negative consequences of high heat exposure but still contain PAHs and may have been preserved with nitrates or nitrites depending on the manufacturer. While "cold-smoking" doesn't have a legal definition, it generally involves temperatures between 70°-100°F (21°-38°C) and a time period of at least 12 hours in length, and sometimes as long as three weeks.

"Lox" is a word used to describe salmon that has been cured in brine that typically includes salt and sugar. This type of salmon may or may not be smoked. When it is smoked, however, it is usually "cold-smoked." Nitrates or nitrites are sometimes added to lox as a preservative, but many high-quality manufacturers omit this additive. The lack of nitrates and nitrites is desirable from my perspective even though lox that is nitrate-free and exposed to minimal heat will have a shorter shelf life than salmon smoked in high heat and preserved with nitrates or nitrites.

Many factors would be important in determining whether to include or avoid smoked salmon in a Healthiest Way of Eating. Most individuals in a relatively good state of health with fully nourishing diets would be able to include smoked salmon and benefit from its consumption. These individuals would have plenty of additional omega-3 food sources in their weekly meals, and they would also have healthy detoxification systems that could readily process and eliminate the PAHs or preservatives found in the smoked fish. For other individuals, non-smoked salmon would be a much better choice.

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Labels: cancer, fish, lox, nitrates, nitrites, Omega-3s, salmon, smoked salmon

On Friday, December 12, the Environmental Working Group made public internal government documents disclosing the Food and Drug Administration's secret plans to reverse federal warnings that pregnant women and children limit their fish intake to avoid mercury, a neurotoxin especially dangerous to the fetus and infants. EWG obtained both the FDA plan, stamped "CLOSE HOLD," and memos by senior Environmental Protection Agency scientists attacking FDA's rationale. The Washington Post broke the story, and other national stories followed.

Reaction from Capitol Hill was swift and sharp. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., denounced the FDA: "Now, in the administration's 11th hour, they are quietly trying to water down advisories for women and children about the dangers of mercury in fish, disregarding sound science on this issue. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin capable of impairing childhood development at very low levels."

Read the Washington Post story here.

Labels: EPA, EWG, FDA, fish, mercury, toxic, toxic metals, toxins, tuna