Nutrition

Coffee Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away

More than half of the adults in the U.S. drink coffee, according to the National Coffee Association. However, until recently, a few of us wondered whether it was negative or positive for our health.

Let's list out the positives:

1. When people find out they are at risk for developing disease, coffee can be one pleasure from which they don't need to deprive themselves. Coffee doesn't have any serious detrimental health effects. It can cause an inverse association with the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver cancer and liver cirrhosis.

2. In a recent study with 50,000 participants, men with a high daily intake of regular or decaf coffee, who drank six or more cups a day, had an up to 60 percent lower risk of advanced and lethal prostate cancer. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

3. Coffee is thought to contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. Extensive research has been done on the relationship between coffee and Type 2 diabetes.  In a report from the University of Sydney in Australia it was stated that drinking four cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 25 to 35 percent.

4. In recent years, coffee has been shown to be safe for heart-attach survivors, and it may ward off cardiovascular disease. Scientists think antioxidants in coffee may reduce inflammation and protect blood vessel walls.

5. And last, but not least, coffee may not only make life more pleasurable, it may even extend it. Studies suggest that drinking coffee decreases the risk of premature death, especially in women. Women who drank at least five to seven cups a week had a death rate 26 percent lower than for non-consumers.

Here's the negative:

1. Although coffee drinking isn't harmful for most people, that may not be true for pregnant women. Research has linked miscarriage to caffeine consumption of 200 milligrams or more per day. A typical cup of coffee has 100-150 milligrams.

For more details on the research studies and sources above, see costco.com.

To find coffee at it's best price at your favorite store, click here.

New statistics show impact of economy on hunger

Over 36 million Americans are forced to skip meals and survive without adequate nutrition. These numbers from a recently released USDA report do not adequately frame the situation for most of us. For those helping in thousands of food assistance centers across the USA it does not cover the growing numbers that are visiting their various agencies for food assistance.

While everyone has felt the impact of the current economic turmoil, this is the time of year when we take pause to appreciate what we do have. Please pause also to reflect on those whom really do need some assistance and donate to your local efforts through the in-store food drops or at a local food agency.

Find your local food agency at FeedingAmerica.org

Food and recipe rating system developed

AT-A-GLANCE SYSTEM FOR RATING NUTRITIONAL QUALITY TO LAUNCH IN
SUPERMARKETS NATIONWIDE
Skokie, IL. Nov. 28, 2007 - Topco Associates LLC announced today that it will provide
consumers access to a new food scoring system developed by a group of top nutrition
scientists from throughout North America.

The system allows for at-a-glance comparison of foods on the basis of overall nutritional quality. This new system, the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI), uses a simple numeric score to rate any food item or recipe, enabling consumers to make choices based on an unbiased assessment of a food's nutritional value. It is expected that the ONQI will be available through thousands of retail grocery stores beginning in the second half of 2008.

"Epidemics of obesity and diabetes suggest the toll of poor dietary choices on the public health," noted Dr. DavidKatz, director of the Yale University - Griffin Hospital Prevention Research Center and lead scientist on the ONQI project. "Dramatic improvements in health are possible with changes in diet, and the way to a better diet is through one informed choice at a time. The ONQI provides a powerful tool - perhaps the most powerful tool - designed for that very job. The science behind the ONQI is very sophisticated, yet the tool is simple to use.

"Developed by a panel of 12 top health and nutrition experts under the leadership of Dr. Katz, the ONQI is a system born of "pure science."The scientific panel worked for nearly two years, shielded from any commercial influence, with a goal of developing the best possible evidence - based scoring system for overall nutritional quality. Using a complex algorithm that incorporates some 30 nutrient factors, plans call for expressing the ONQI scores on a scale of 1 to 100. The program's universality allows it to score products across all food and beverage categories and be applied to any food, meal or diet. Based on feedback during consumer testing of the system, the simplicity of a single score helps to eliminate the confusion often associated with product nutrition labels and marketing claims. Comparing foods within or across food categories, the ONQI answers the question: which, on average, is better for you?

By joining forces, Topco Associates and Griffin Hospital will be able to introduce the ONQI with a national footprint in 2008 through grocery stores across the nation. The ONQI will also be available to consumers through food manufacturers, restaurants and online. "Partnering with Topco and its member companies will allow us to bring the ONQI to millions of consumers nationwide," said Patrick Charmel, president and chief executive officer, Griffin
Hospital, in Derby, Conn., home of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center that has supported development of the ONQI. "Together, we will help Americans make better food choices."

"Topco is pleased to help put this important nutritional tool into the hands of consumers
across the country," said Topco Associates President and Chief Executive Officer Steve
Lauer. Topco's Chairman Ric Jurgens, who is also chairman, president and chief executive
officer of Hy-Vee, Inc., added, "We intend to bring the ONQI to market in a way that helps
consumers make healthy choices about food."

Read more: Topco - News Release

The Face of Hunger it will Surprise You - Hunger Awareness Day 2007

Today June 5, America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network starts their Hunger Awareness Day 2007. The purpose of the event is to draw attention to issues and solutions to a serious and growing problem.

Now over 35 million people in the United States, including 12 million children are identified by the United States Department of Agriculture as being uncertain as to where they will find their next meal.

America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors.

Tyson Foods, Inc plans to donate more than 600,000 pounds of protein over the next two weeks to 17 California food bank members of America's Second Harvest - the Nation's Food Bank Network.

You can help by purchasing an extra item or two on your next trip to the grocery store.

Needed Food Bank Items:
Peanut Butter Plastic or Cans
Fruit Canned
Fruits Dried (raisins, apricots, prunes)
Chili Canned
Rice Box or Bag
Pasta Products Spaghetti, Macaroni Noodles Dry
Pasta Products Canned
Pasta Sauces Canned or Dry
Meat Products Canned, Dried or in Pouches
Fish Products Canned, Dried or in Pouches
Soups Canned
Soups Dry (Ramen type and mixes)
Beans Canned
Beans Dry
Stews Canned
Stews Dry
Juices Canned
Milk Powdered
Milk Canned
Mixes Dry (Pancake, Bread, Cake, Cookie, Biscuit, Bisquick Mix, Muffin Cornbread)
Sugar Boxed
Vegetables Canned
Boxed Dinners (Macaroni and Cheese, Hamburger Helper Tuna Helper Rice-a-Roni etc.)
Cereals Cold Packaged
Cereals Hot Packaged
Cereal and Granola Bars
Soap Hand and Body
Soap Shampoos
Soap Laundry
Soap Dish
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Facial tissue
Napkins
Feminine Hygiene Products
Diapers Disposable
Toothpaste
Deodorant Personal
Household cleaning supplies
Baby Food
Baby Formula
Baby Products (diapers, baby wipes, powder, and lotion)
Cheese Spread
Nuts Canned or Packaged
Sauces/Salad Dressing
Puddings and custards
Tomato products (Paste, Sauce, Crushed etc.) Canned
Toothbrushes
Crackers and Cookies
Condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing
Razors Disposable
Coffee Instant and Ground

Read more: America's Second Harvest Network To find a food bank near you simply enter your zip code.

Today June 5, America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network starts their Hunger Awareness Day 2007. The purpose of the event is to draw attention to issues and solutions to a serious and growing problem.

Now over 35 million people in the United States, including 12 million children are identified by the United States Department of Agriculture as being uncertain as to where they will find their next meal.

America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually; and supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes. Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 25 million hungry people in the United States, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors.

Tyson Foods, Inc plans to donate more than 600,000 pounds of protein over the next two weeks to 17 California food bank members of America's Second Harvest - the Nation's Food Bank Network.

You can help by purchasing an extra item or two on your next trip to the grocery store.

Needed Food Bank Items:
Peanut Butter Plastic or Cans
Fruit Canned
Fruits Dried (raisins, apricots, prunes)
Chili Canned
Rice Box or Bag
Pasta Products Spaghetti, Macaroni Noodles Dry
Pasta Products Canned
Pasta Sauces Canned or Dry
Meat Products Canned, Dried or in Pouches
Fish Products Canned, Dried or in Pouches
Soups Canned
Soups Dry (Ramen type and mixes)
Beans Canned
Beans Dry
Stews Canned
Stews Dry
Juices Canned
Milk Powdered
Milk Canned
Mixes Dry (Pancake, Bread, Cake, Cookie, Biscuit, Bisquick Mix, Muffin Cornbread)
Sugar Boxed
Vegetables Canned
Boxed Dinners (Macaroni and Cheese, Hamburger Helper Tuna Helper Rice-a-Roni etc.)
Cereals Cold Packaged
Cereals Hot Packaged
Cereal and Granola Bars
Soap Hand and Body
Soap Shampoos
Soap Laundry
Soap Dish
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Facial tissue
Napkins
Feminine Hygiene Products
Diapers Disposable
Toothpaste
Deodorant Personal
Household cleaning supplies
Baby Food
Baby Formula
Baby Products (diapers, baby wipes, powder, and lotion)
Cheese Spread
Nuts Canned or Packaged
Sauces/Salad Dressing
Puddings and custards
Tomato products (Paste, Sauce, Crushed etc.) Canned
Toothbrushes
Crackers and Cookies
Condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing
Razors Disposable
Coffee Instant and Ground

Read more: America's Second Harvest Network To find a food bank near you simply enter your zip code.

May is National Osteoporosis Month

The human body produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun. About 10-15 minutes of sunscreen-free exposure on the face, hands and arms several days per week is enough to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. However, people who live in the northern U.S. states, those who are not outside often and those with dark skin need to obtain vitamin D from their diets. Fortified milk is the major food source of vitamin D in the United States, along with fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines. Other food sources include some fortified yogurts, orange juices and breakfast cereals.

Long recognized for aiding calcium absorption and thus promoting bone health, adequate vitamin D intake helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis. In 2006, studies published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of various other diseases and alleviate the symptoms of certain medical conditions as well.

These studies add to a growing body of research that suggests adequate vitamin D levels convey a broad spectrum of health benefits, from reducing the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers to playing a preventative role in multiple sclerosis, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis,

said Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D., nutrition research specialist at Dairy Council of California.

Emerging research also suggests that vitamin D may be involved in optimal functioning of the immune system, improving mental activities and reducing the risk of periodontal disease.

Dairy Council of California is urging health professionals to get up to speed on this research, because health conditions linked to vitamin D insufficiency are on the rise. Rickets, a childhood softening of the bones that leads to fractures and deformity, has resurfaced in the United States as a public health concern. Rickets reached almost epidemic levels in the early 1900s before it was virtually eradicated by fortifying milk with vitamin D. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that rickets is now back on the radar among health professionals, with 166 cases of rickets identified in children between 1986 and 2003. Additionally, researchers suspect many children and adolescents have borderline or undetected deficiencies, which could contribute to the development of osteomalacia - or weak bones - in addition to other health conditions later in life.

What could be causing this reversal? Dietary changes like replacing milk with sodas, juice drinks and beverages such as soy and rice beverages, and lifestyle changes like spending more time indoors and wearing sunscreen have contributed to the decline of vitamin D status in many Americans. Currently, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D for children and adults up to age 50 is 200 International Units (IU). The recommendation for older adults increases to 400 IU up to age 70, and 600 IU for those older than 70. One cup of milk provides about 100 IU. As more is learned about vitamin D's multiple health benefits, many experts believe these recommendations will be increased.

National Osteoporosis Month is a great time for health professionals to focus on vitamin D. Assessing vitamin D status from current food intakes and sun exposure will enable health professionals to make appropriate recommendations regarding additional dietary intake of this important nutrient,

said Hoolihan.

Focusing on small steps - and foods they enjoy - will help clients reach their vitamin D intake goals in a realistic fashion.

Read more: Dairy Council of California
National Dairy Council
National Osteoporosis Foundation

The human body produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun. About 10-15 minutes of sunscreen-free exposure on the face, hands and arms several days per week is enough to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. However, people who live in the northern U.S. states, those who are not outside often and those with dark skin need to obtain vitamin D from their diets. Fortified milk is the major food source of vitamin D in the United States, along with fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines. Other food sources include some fortified yogurts, orange juices and breakfast cereals.

Long recognized for aiding calcium absorption and thus promoting bone health, adequate vitamin D intake helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis. In 2006, studies published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of various other diseases and alleviate the symptoms of certain medical conditions as well.

These studies add to a growing body of research that suggests adequate vitamin D levels convey a broad spectrum of health benefits, from reducing the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers to playing a preventative role in multiple sclerosis, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis,

said Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D., nutrition research specialist at Dairy Council of California.

Emerging research also suggests that vitamin D may be involved in optimal functioning of the immune system, improving mental activities and reducing the risk of periodontal disease.

Dairy Council of California is urging health professionals to get up to speed on this research, because health conditions linked to vitamin D insufficiency are on the rise. Rickets, a childhood softening of the bones that leads to fractures and deformity, has resurfaced in the United States as a public health concern. Rickets reached almost epidemic levels in the early 1900s before it was virtually eradicated by fortifying milk with vitamin D. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that rickets is now back on the radar among health professionals, with 166 cases of rickets identified in children between 1986 and 2003. Additionally, researchers suspect many children and adolescents have borderline or undetected deficiencies, which could contribute to the development of osteomalacia - or weak bones - in addition to other health conditions later in life.

What could be causing this reversal? Dietary changes like replacing milk with sodas, juice drinks and beverages such as soy and rice beverages, and lifestyle changes like spending more time indoors and wearing sunscreen have contributed to the decline of vitamin D status in many Americans. Currently, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D for children and adults up to age 50 is 200 International Units (IU). The recommendation for older adults increases to 400 IU up to age 70, and 600 IU for those older than 70. One cup of milk provides about 100 IU. As more is learned about vitamin D's multiple health benefits, many experts believe these recommendations will be increased.

National Osteoporosis Month is a great time for health professionals to focus on vitamin D. Assessing vitamin D status from current food intakes and sun exposure will enable health professionals to make appropriate recommendations regarding additional dietary intake of this important nutrient,

said Hoolihan.

Focusing on small steps - and foods they enjoy - will help clients reach their vitamin D intake goals in a realistic fashion.

Read more: Dairy Council of California
National Dairy Council
National Osteoporosis Foundation

Celebrity Chef Alton Brown has Teamed with the American Heart Association

As the nation moves to significantly reduce trans fat consumption, the American Heart Association is launching "Face The Fats," an educational campaign to teach consumers how to minimize trans fat in their diet, while avoiding the unintended health consequence of defaulting to more saturated fat. The campaign features an "edutainment" Web site where the Bad Fats Brothers - named Sat and Trans - come to life, an interactive fat calculator and recipes developed by celebrity chef Alton Brown.

Among the campaign's top priorities is to encourage replacement of trans fat-laden partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with oils high in unsaturated fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated - as stated in today's Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The journal includes the proceedings of a trans fat conference that the American Heart Association convened to better understand the challenges the country faces as it moves to oils without trans fat.

Trans fat has received a lot of well-deserved scrutiny - at the same time, while it's critical that we continue to push aggressively to minimize its consumption, trans fat is just one part of the "big fat picture,"

said Robert H. Eckel, M.D., immediate past president of the American Heart Association, chair of its trans fat task force and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Denver.

It's equally important that we avoid increasing saturated fat in its place. Both trans and saturated fats raise LDLs, the bad cholesterol, and increase the risk of developing heart disease.

On average, American adults consume approximately 2.2 percent of total calories from trans fat and four to five times as much saturated fat a day far more than the limits recommended by the American Heart Association. To help consumers better understand the recommended fat limits and make smarter choices, the new campaign features a personalized tool, My Fats Translator, the campaign's new Website. Users can input their age, gender, height, weight and level of physical activity into the simple calculator tool, and in return receive their personal daily limits for total fat, saturated fat and trans fat consumption.

Our bodies need some fat, but it's clear that many of us consume a lot more than we need. And all too often we load up on fats that aren't very good for us, passing up more healthful varieties,

said campaign spokesperson and celebrity chef Alton Brown, who developed recipes that also are featured on http://www.americanheart.org/FaceTheFats .

I'm taking part in this campaign because I want to help people to make better food decisions whether in the market, their kitchens or in restaurants.

The American Heart Association's campaign helps break down complex fat information, focusing initially on the bad fats and healthier alternatives. It's important for consumers to eat all fats in moderation, and eat foods with the "bad" fats as treats only - once in a while - rather than often.

BAD fats: Trans and Saturated

Trans fat is found in many foods, but especially in commercial baked goods (doughnuts, pastries, muffins, cakes, pie crusts, biscuits and cookies), fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, breaded chicken nuggets and breaded fish), snack foods (crackers), and other foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, vegetable shortening, or hard margarine. (Soft margarines typically do not contain trans fat.)

Saturated fat occurs naturally in many foods. The saturated fat we eat comes primarily from animal sources, including beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, beef fat, lard and cream, butter, cheese, and other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk. These foods also contain cholesterol. Some plant foods, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, also contain saturated fat.

BETTER fats: Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats

Monounsaturated fat include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocados, and many nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated fat include a number of vegetable oils (soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil), fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout) and some nuts and seeds.

Calories from fats:
Regardless of the type of fat, all fats have the same number of calories -- every 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. "Trans fat-free" doesn't automatically mean "healthy: Foods marked "trans fat-free" may still contain saturated fat, the other bad fat, and be high in calories.

In 2006, the American Heart Association updated its Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations, advising consumers to limit their consumption of trans fat to no more than 1 percent of daily caloric intake. The association also encourages removal of trans fat from packaged goods and foods prepared in restaurants and bakeries, and supports related local regulatory efforts, provided that the availability of healthier alternatives and practical guidance to food service establishments are taken into consideration. The association believes in a comprehensive phased-in approach to the replacement of industrially produced trans fat to ensure that a sufficient supply of healthier alternative oils and shortenings are available to restaurants and bakeries to prevent the substitution with unhealthy alternatives.

Read more:
American Heart Association
American Heart Association - Face The Fats