diet
Insect diet helped early humans build bigger brains: Quest for elusive bugs spurred primate tool use, problem-solving skills
Figuring out how to survive on a lean-season diet of hard-to-reach ants, slugs and other bugs may have spurred the development of bigger brains and higher-level cognitive functions in the ancestors of humans and other primates, suggests research from Washington University in St. Louis. “Challenges associated with finding food have long been recognized as important […]
Adding sugar to high-fat Western diet could be worse than high-fat diet alone
A high-fructose, high-fat diet can cause harmful effects to the livers of adult rats, according to new research published in Experimental Physiology, providing new insight into the effects of adding fructose to a Western diet high in fat. The study showed that short-term consumption of a Western diet, rich in saturated fats and fructose, is […]
Children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15% less likely to be overweight, study finds
A study of 8 European countries presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO)in Sofia, Bulgaria, shows that children consuming a diet more in line with the rules of the Mediterranean one are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than those children who do not. The research is by Dr Gianluca Tognon, […]
Strict diet suspends development, doubles lifespan of worms
The centuries-long search for the fountain of youth has yielded only a few promising leads, one of which entails an extreme, emaciating diet. A new study of the tiny nematode worm C. elegans begins to explain this marvel of calorie restriction and hints at an easier way to achieve longevity. Researchers at Duke University found […]
Diet higher in protein may be linked to lower risk of stroke
People with diets higher in protein, especially from fish, may be less likely to have a stroke than those with diets lower in protein, according to a meta-analysis published in the June 11, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “The amount of protein that led to the […]
The Irish rugby team has exceptional guts: Exercise and diet impact gut microbial diversity
Scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland-funded Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) at University College Cork and Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, have carried out a study in conjunction with the Irish Rugby Football Union that has revealed that exercise and associated dietary changes influence gut microbial diversity. The research is published this week in the journal […]
Quality, not quantity, counts most in exercise, diet
If your goal is to lose weight and maintain optimal health and fitness, the quality of your exercise and diet regimen matters more than the quantity, says Skidmore College exercise scientist Paul Arciero. And he has the results to prove it. In a paper published by The Journal of Applied Physiology, Arciero and several colleagues […]
Variety in diet can hamper microbial diversity in the gut
Scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and five other institutions have discovered that the more diverse the diet of a fish, the less diverse are the microbes living in its gut. If the effect is confirmed in humans, it could mean that the combinations of foods people eat can influence the diversity of […]
Poor Diet Before Pregnancy Linked with Preterm Birth
University of Adelaide research has for the first time confirmed that women who eat a poor diet before they become pregnant are around 50% more likely to have a preterm birth than those on a healthy diet. Researchers at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute investigated the dietary patterns of more than 300 South […]
How to Spring Clean Your Diet
Spring is in full swing! Warmer temperatures and longer days signal a shift from the cold, dark winter to a quickly approaching summer. And summer means bathing-suit season. Does the thought of that make you panic? Is your head filled with thoughts of detox diets and juice cleanses? Starvation and deprivation is NOT […]