Iron bioavailability is significantly greater from animal based sources

This post includes a synopsis on a study published in the Journal of Nutrition December 1, 2010 vol. 140 no. 12 2162-2166 and a recipe for Moroccan chicken salad.

Study title and authors:
Utilization of Iron from an Animal-Based Iron Source Is Greater Than That of Ferrous Sulfate in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women1,2,3
Melissa F. Young4, Ian Griffin5, Eva Pressman6, Allison W. McIntyre6, Elizabeth Cooper6, Thomas McNanley6, Z. Leah Harris7, Mark Westerman8, and Kimberly O. O’Brien4                       Books:

4Cornell University, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853

5USDA/Agricultural Research Service Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
6The University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 14642
7Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Nashville, TN 37232
8Intrinsic LifeSciences, LLC, La Jolla, CA 92037

This study can be accessed at: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/140/12/2162.abstract

The objective of the study was to examine relative differences in heme (animal based) and nonheme (ferrous sulfate) iron bioavailabilty in pregnant and nonpregnant women.

Heme (animal based) iron bioavailabilty was significantly greater than nonheme (ferrous sulfate) iron bioavailabilty in both pregnant and nonpregnant women.

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Recipe of the day

Moroccan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

For the Chicken                                                                                        Food Mall: Chicken Breast

◦1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts, cut into chunks

◦2 t paprika
◦1 t coriander
◦1 t cumin
◦½ t cinnamon
◦¼ t red pepper flakes
◦salt

For the tasty stuff that goes in the salad
◦2 heads romaine lettuce
◦4 small golden beets
◦1 small-to-medium butternut squash
◦toasted almonds
◦dried cherries (or cranberries–something tart will work best)

For the dressing
◦juice 1 lemon
◦juice 1 lime
◦½ avocado
◦1-2 T vinegar (champagne or cider)
◦¼ – ½ c avocado oil (olive oil will work too)
◦s&p

Method:
Preheat your oven to 400ºF.

Peel the beets and butternut squash (+remove the seeds). Chop into small pieces, salt/pepper and oil the pieces. Roast until the squash is soft, about 20 minutes (depending on how big the pieces are).

While the veggies are roasting…

In a large bowl, combine all the spices together. Toss the chicken pieces into the bowl and coat them evenly with the spice mixture. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the chicken until cooked through. Remove from the pan and add to the serving bowl.

Wash and chop the lettuce. Add it, along with the rest of the “tasty” ingredients to the serving bowl. Add the squash and beets too.

For the dressing…

Combine all ingredients into a small food processor and process until smooth. Of course, you could use a whisk and bowl, in lieu –just make sure you’ve smashed the avocado up before adding it to the dressing.

High fructose intake is associated with an increased risk of gout in men

Published in the BMJ. 2008 Feb 9;336(7639):309-12. Epub 2008 Jan 31.

Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study.
Choi HK, Curhan G.
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, Department of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L7, Canada.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18244959

The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between intake of sugar sweetened soft drinks and fructose and the risk of gout in men. The study included 46,393 men with no history of gout with 12 years of follow up.

The study revealed that:
(a)  Compared with consumption of less than one serving of sugar sweetened soft drinks a month the risk of gout for 5-6 servings a week increase by 29%.
(b) Compared with consumption of less than one serving of sugar sweetened soft drinks a month the risk of gout for one serving a day increased by 45%
(c) Compared with consumption of less than one serving of sugar sweetened soft drinks a month the risk of gout for 2 or more servings a day increased by 85%.
(d) Compared with consumption of those with the lowest fructose intake, the risk of gout for those with the highest intake of fructose increased by 102%
(e) Other major contributors to fructose intake such as total fruit juice or fructose rich fruits (apples and oranges) were also associated with a higher risk of gout.

AMAZON UK Living With Dietary Fructose Intolerance: A Guide to Managing Your Life With This New Diagnosis
AMAZON USA Living With Dietary Fructose Intolerance: A Guide to Managing your Life With this New Diagnosis

High fructose intake is associated with an increased risk of gout in women

Published in JAMA. 2010;304(20):2270-2278

Fructose-Rich Beverages and Risk of Gout in WomenHyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH; Walter Willett, MD, DrPH; Gary Curhan, MD, ScD

Authors Affiliations: Section of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Medicine (Dr Choi), Channing Laboratory (Drs Choi, Willett, and Curhan), Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health (Drs Willett and Curhan), and Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (Dr Curhan), Boston, Massachusetts.

This study can be accessed at: http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/304/20/2270.abstract
 
The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between intake of fructose-rich beverages and fructose and the risk of gout among women. study spanning 22 years (1984-2006), Data was analyzed from 78,906 women spanning 22 years with no history of gout.
 
The study found:
(a) Compared with consumption of less than 1 serving per month of sugar-sweetened soda, the risk of gout for 1 serving per day increased by 74%.
(b) Compared with consumption of less than 1 serving per month of sugar-sweetened soda, the risk of gout for 2 or more servings per day increased by 139%.
(c) Compared with consumption of less than 1 serving per month of orange juice, the risk of gout for 1 serving per day increased by 41%.
(d) Compared with consumption of less than 1 serving per month of orange juice, the risk of gout for 2 or more servings per day increased by 142%.
(e) Compared with the lowest consumption of fructose intake, the risk of gout for those with the highest intake increased by 62%.

AMAZON UK The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick
AMAZON USA The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick

Meat, poultry, fish, cheese and eggs have a glycemic index of zero

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 76, No. 1, 5-56, 2002 and a recipe for lamb and rosemary burgers.

Study title and authors:
International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002

Books:

Kaye Foster-Powell, Susanna HA Holt and Janette C Brand-Miller

1 From the Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, University of Sydney, Australia.
2 Reprints not available. Address correspondence to JC Brand-Miller, Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences (G08), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/76/1/5.full

Foods such as meat, poultry, fish, cheese, or eggs have a glycemic index of zero because these foods contain little or no carbohydrate and it would be exceedingly difficult for people to consume a portion of the foods containing 50 g or even 25 g of available carbohydrate. Even in large amounts, these foods when eaten alone are not likely to induce a significant rise in blood glucose.

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Recipe of the day

Lamb and Rosemary Burgers

Ingredients:

450g/1lb ground lamb

Food Mall: Ground Lamb

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method:
1.In a large, shallow bowl mix all the burger ingredients together. Using slightly damp hands shape the mixture into 4 x 9cm (3½inch burgers). Cover and chill for 20 minutes.

2.Cook the burgers on a prepared barbecue or preheated grill for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked and any meat juices run clear.

Lamb Burgers

Bipolar mixed episodes are associated with abnormally low cholesterol

This paper was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007 Oct;68(10):e25

Study title and authors:

Bipolar mixed episodes: characteristics and comorbidities.

Goldberg JF, McElroy SL.
Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17960958

Bipolar mixed episodes is a mental health condition where a person has symptoms of depression and mania at the same time.

Dr Joseph Goldberg describes how bipolar mixed episodes are associated with greater total lifetime costs, increased suicide risk, and increased substance misuse than pure manic episodes.

Dr Goldberg found that bipolar mixed episodes were associated with abnormally low cholesterol.

Low cholesterol levels associated with violence, antisocial behaviour and premature death

This study was published in the European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Volume 252, Number 1, 8-11

Study title and authors:
Total serum cholesterol level, violent criminal offences, suicidal behavior, mortality and the appearance of conduct disorder in Finnish male criminal offenders with antisocial personality disorder
Eila Repo-Tiihonen, Pirjo Halonen, Jari Tiihonen and Matti Virkkunen
1.Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, Niuvanniemi Hospital, 70240 Kuopio, Finland, Tel.: +3 58-17/20 31 11, Fax: +3 58-17/20 34 94, E-Mail: eila.tiihonen@niuva.fi FI
2.Computing Center, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland FI
3.Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, PO Box 320, 00029 HUS, Finland FI
4.Department of Clinical Physiology, University Central Hospital, PO Box 1777, 70211 Kuopio, Finland FI

This study can be accessed at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/7cktb3d2haf4p15y/

Repo-Tiihonen comments that associations between low cholesterol levels and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), violent and suicidal behavior have been found.

The study investigated the associations between cholesterol levels, violent and suicidal behavior, age of onset of the conduct disorder (CD) and the age of death among 250 Finnish male criminal offenders with ASPD.

It found that:
(a) The CD had begun before the age of 10 two times more often in non-violent criminal offenders who had lower than average cholesterol levels.
(b) The violent criminal offenders who had lower than average cholesterol levels were seven times more likely to die before the average age of death.
(c) The violent offenders who had lower than average cholesterol levels were eight times more likely to die of unnatural causes.
(d) The average cholesterol levels of these male offenders with ASPD was lower than that of the general Finnish male population.
(e) Low cholesterol levels are associated with childhood onset type of the CD.
(f) Low cholesterol levels are associated with premature and unnatural mortality among male offenders with ASPD.
(g) Low cholesterol levels seem to be a marker for boys with conduct disorder and antisocial male offenders.

The results of the study show that low cholesterol is associated with violent behaviour and an early death.

AMAZON UK Neurobiology and Clinical Views on Aggression and Impulsivity (Clinical & Neurobiological Advances in Psychiatry)
AMAZON USA Neurobiology and Clinical Views on Aggression and Impulsivity (Clinical & Neurobiological Advances in Psychiatry)

Low fat diets are deficient in essential fatty acids and some minerals, especially zinc

Published in the J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Feb;19(1):42-51.

The effects of varying dietary fat on the nutrient intake in male and female runners.
Horvath PJ, Eagen CK, Ryer-Calvin SD, Pendergast DR.
Department of Physical Therapy, University at Buffalo, New York 14214, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10682875

The study examined the effects of varying dietary fat levels on nutrients in female and male endurance runners.

The study concluded that:
(a) Zinc intake was higher on the highest fat diet. 
(b) On the low fat diet, essential fatty acids and some minerals (especially zinc) may be too low.
(c) A low fat diet could compromise health and performance.

Zinc deficiency could leads to many health problems. See here, here and here.

The best sources of zinc include red meat, oysters and fish.

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AMAZON USA The Liberation Diet: Setting America Free from the Bondage of Health Misinformation!

Dietary tryptophan may help in the treatment of ADHD

This paper was published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Volume 99, Issue 4, pages 300–304, April 1999

Study title and authors:
Circulatory levels of catecholamines, serotonin and lipids in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

B. Spivak1, Y. Vered, R. Yoran-Hegesh, E. Averbuch, R. Mester, E. Graf, A. Weizman

Research Unit, Ness Ziona Mental Health Center, Nes Ziona, Israel

This study can be accessed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1999.tb07229.x/abstract

Spivak notes that ADHD is frequently complicated by aggressive impulsive behaviour, which is suggested to be related to low serum cholesterol levels.

The study, of boys with ADHD, found that lower levels of blood serotonin, were associated  with higer degrees of hyperactivity, impulsiveness, lack of concentration, and aggressiveness in boys.

Serotonin is manufactured in the body using the amino acid tryptophan. Excellent dietary sources of tryptophan include: turkey, chicken, beef,  fish, milk, eggs and cheese.

Zinc deficiency is a major factor underlying dysfunction of the immune system

Published in the Annu Rev Nutr. 1990;10:415-31.

Zinc deficiency and immune function.
Keen CL, Gershwin ME.
Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2200472?dopt=Abstract

Keen found that zinc deficiency is a major factor underlying dysfunction of the immune system.

Red meat, oysters and fish are rich dietary sources of zinc.

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Dietary cholesterol does NOT increase the risk of developing clogged arteries in pre-menopausal women

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2002 Jun;21(3):250-8 and a recipe for a winter beef vegetable stew.

Study title and authors:
Pre-menopausal women, classified as hypo- or hyperresponders, do not alter their LDL/HDL ratio following a high dietary cholesterol challenge.
Herron KL, Vega-Lopez S, Conde K, Ramjiganesh T, Roy S, Shachter NS, Fernandez ML.

Books:

Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269, USA. kristin.herron@uconn.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12074253

 

51 pre-menopausal women aged 18 to 49 were given either 640 mg additional dietary cholesterol per day (by eggs) or a  placebo group 0 mg additional dietary cholesterol per day, for 30 days to evaluate the effect of cholesterol on the arteries.

 
The study revealed that excess dietary cholesterol does NOT increase the risk of developing clogged arteries in pre-menopausal women.

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Recipe of the day

Winter Beef Vegetable Stew

10 servings

Ingredients:
- 1 lbs shoulder roast boneless
- 2 bunches Asparagus, green, bottom 1/3 of stem removed

- 2 lbs. Carrots, peeled, cut oblong or large dice

Food Mall: Boneless Shoulder Roast

- 1 lb. Baby Brussels Sprouts, fresh, cleaned or frozen

- 1 lb. Wax Beans, ends snipped

- 2 oz Olive Oil
- 1 each Zest from orange
- 4 oz. Olive Oil
- 1 cup Beef Stock
- 1 tsp Fresh Oregano
- 1 tsp Fresh Basel
- Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:
Beef: Saute cut beef shoulder roast allow to brown

Asparagus: preheat grill or large heavy bottom sauté pan. Rub 2 oz of olive oil on asparagus and season with pinch of salt and pepper. Lay flat on grill or sauté pan until lightly browned. Using long fork or tongs, rotate the asparagus to brown other sides. Usually 2 or 3 minutes per side. The asparagus is done when you can use a fork to cut through. Do not overcook, this will cause asparagus to become stringy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Carrots: bring 3 qt salted water to a boil, add carrots to water and cook until fork tender, meaning a fork will easily pass through the carrot. Drain the water from the pot and toss 1 oz butter and zest of orange and mix until carrots are coated. Season with pinch of salt and enjoy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Brussels Sprouts: For Fresh: Bring 3 qt salted water to a boil, cut into the stem of the sprout with a pairing knife to create an X on the bottom, this will allow the stem to cook more evenly. Place sprout in boiling water and allow to cook until bottom of sprout is tender and easily cut with a knife. Preheat a heavy bottom sauté while the sprouts are cooking. Remove sprouts from water and allow all water to drain completely. Add 2 oz oil to sauté pan and add the sprouts, season with salt and pepper while tossing the sprouts around to evenly brown in the pan. If sprouts are too big, you can cut them in half, keep warm until ready to serve.

For Frozen: Bring 3 qt salted water to a boil and drop frozen brussel sprouts into water, these are precooked so you are only thawing them out. Remove from water and sauté as above.

Yellow Wax beans: bring 3 qt salted water to boil, add snipped wax beans to water and allow to cook until fork tender or to your liking of doneness. Remove from water and toss with 1 oz olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Combine all ingredients in large covered pot and at low heat for approximately 1 hour.

High cholesterol diet results in LESS heart disease risk for men and women

This post features a summary of a study published in Metabolism 2004 Jun;53(6):823-30 and a recipe for braised lamb shanks with coriander, fennel and star anise.

Books:

Study title and authors:

High intake of cholesterol results in less atherogenic low-density lipoprotein particles in men and women independent of response classification.

Herron KL, Lofgren IE, Sharman M, Volek JS, Fernandez ML.

Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15164336

52 subjects, 27 women and 25 men (18 to 50 years) had either 640 mg/d additional dietary cholesterol (by eggs) or placebo 0 mg/d additional dietary cholesterol diet for 30 days to investigate the effects of cholesterol on heart disease.

The study revealed that the consumption of a high cholesterol diet produced less of the (bad) type B LDL cholesterol and more of the relatively benign type A LDL cholesterol and therefore lowered the risk of heart disease.

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Recipe of the day

Braised Lamb Shanks with Coriander, Fennel and Star Anise

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks

30ml/2tbsp coriander seeds

30ml/2tbsp fennel seeds

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

30ml/2tbsp olive oil

2 small onions, peeled and cut into wedges

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

300ml/½pint Port

750ml/1½pint good, hot lamb stock

2 bay leaves

2 star anise

1 small butternut squash or pumpkin, skinned, deseeded and roughly cubed

Method:

1.Preheat the oven to Gas mark 3, 170°C, 325°F.

2.Heat a non-stick pan and dry fry the coriander and fennel seeds for 2-3 minutes, tossing the pan frequently.

3.Transfer to either a mortar and pestle or blender and grind to a fine powder. Season the shanks with salt and pepper and coat in the spices.

4.Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and brown the lamb shanks on both sides for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole dish. In the same frying pan add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add to the casserole dish with the lamb. Add the remaining ingredients except the butternut squash or pumpkin.

5.Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours until the meat falls away from the bone. 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the butternut squash or marrow, mix well, cover and return to the oven for the remaining cooking time.

6.Remove the star anise and serve the shanks with a creamy cheese mash and sautéed marrow and tomatoes.