Longevity science

It has been almost a year since United States Department of Agriculture took down its ORAC database.  Now that this official reference point is gone, does this measure of antioxidant potential still have relevance in the marketplace?

After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, men who eat a diet high in vegetable fats, such as those in nuts and olive oil, may be less likely to have their disease spread, a new study suggests.

The engineer's approach to food... The body doesn't need fruits and veggies and meat, they're just the way we usually ingest vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates and fats. 

Soylent is a food engineered to efficiently deliver 100 percent of the healthy body's needs...

THE QUESTION Fiber, best-known for aiding digestion, can also help keep weight, cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Might this mean lower risk for stroke?

THIS STUDY analyzed data from eight studies, involving 327,537 adults who were generally healthy at the start of their study. During the study periods, which ranged from eight to 19 years, 11,236 participants had a stroke for the first time. People whose diets included the most fiber were less likely to have had a stroke than those who consumed the least. Stroke risk fell by 7 percent for every seven-gram increase in fiber intake daily. (Seven grams is equal to the amount of fiber in a serving of whole-grain pasta and two servings of fruit and vegetables.)

High levels of sugar, fat and salt, and various flavors and food additives might actually hijack the pathways of the brain in ways that are similar to opiates and other drugs.

The evidence suggests that sugar in particular stimulates a greater release of chemicals in the brain — including dopamine, the “pleasure molecule” — than releases triggered by, say, fruit and vegetables. Over time, the brain’s circuitry might become rewired to produce less dopamine in response to high-calorie, flavor-enhanced foods.

A Cheesecake Factory pasta dish with more than 3,000 calories - or more than a day and a half of the recommended caloric intake for an average adult - is among the headliners on this year's Xtreme Eating list of the most unhealthy dishes at U.S. chain restaurants.

Chronic diseases linked to obesity and overconsumption of food are now a bigger global healthcare burden than illness and disease caused by malnutrition, according to the most comprehensive disease report ever produced on global health issues.

The National Park Service last week introduced new food standards that will eventually require concessionaires at all national parks, from the Statue of Liberty to Denali, to offer healthy food options, including fruits and vegetables, low-sodium and low-fat meals, reduced portion sizes, and non-sugary drinks.

The identity of the 15 experts who will frame the 2015 dietary guidelines for Americans has been announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

But processed has its upside (easy and cheap), while produce and grains have their downside (prep-heavy and expensive).

Right?

Not so, says Allison Sosna, a local chef and founder of MicroGreens, a group dedicated to teaching families — in particular children — how to prepare healthful meals on a teeny budget (as little as $3.50 per meal for a family of four).

The most striking studies find a connection to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

In the latte-obsessed United States, tea is gaining ground as scientists and the public learn more about its benefits.

A growing body of research suggests that the world’s second-most-consumed beverage — only water is more popular — helps prevent cardiovascular disease, burn calories and ward off some types of cancer.

Diets lean on meat and rich in healthy fats like olive oil were most effective at promoting weight loss and lowering blood sugar among people with diabetes in a review of evidence from the last 10 years.

Benefits were also seen with diets low in carbohydrates, high in protein or low in simple sugars.

Vegetarians are one-third less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease than meat and fish eaters, according to a new UK study.

Earlier research has also suggested that non-meat eaters have fewer heart problems, researchers said, but it wasn't clear if other lifestyle differences, including exercise and smoking habits, might also play into that.

Break your better-eating resolution into 12 manageable parts and implement one each month.