antioxidants

Antioxidant vitamins, the once promising antidote to heart disease and cancer have become the red-headed stepchildren in the world of nutritional research. The latest bad news is that not only is it NOT effective for diabetics, it may actually worsen it.

"Super-Fruits" are all the rage these days, promising the added health benefit of free-radical-destroying antioxidants. Blueberries, pomegranate, acai berries, blackberries -- all have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of certain physical maladies. However, what these uber-fruits also have in common -- apart from their high phytonutrient and antioxidant concentration -- is a hefty price tag.

Well, with the recent hype about the acai berry, one would think this were true. So what are the facts concerning this little berry and what can be attributed to marketing hype? Hopefully this post will help you sort the fact from fiction.

As most of you know having a healthy immune system is your best defense against those nasty viruses that seem to lurk on every door knob and hand rail. Ok, I may be a bit of a germ-a-phob but I hate being sick as I'm sure you do.

Since it's good to have your immune system nice and strong before viruses come your way, what types of food should you be looking for as you grocery shop? The good folks at The Florida Department of Citrus sent us a good list and no they're not telling you to only drink Florida orange juice.......

Can eating honey decrease anxiety and improve memory?

Well, a recent study suggests it just might.

The last 15 years of research have been unkind to this once-promising theory of antioxidant vitamins (C, E, Beta-carotene) and chronic disease.

The latest dagger in this hypothesis was released in the August 13th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, which concluded that there was no overall benefit or risk of taking vitamins C, E and Beta-Carotene when it comes to cardiovascular disease in women.

So is it useless to take these vitamins? The answer is a resounding... maybe.

A few weeks ago my significant other came home clutching a bottle of Açai (ah-sigh-ee) Juice.

An involuntary groan escaped my lips. A well-meaning marketer had foisted the 'superjuice' bottle upon her - claiming it would help with a multitude of health ailments.

I was deeply suspicious (as most people are when someone who recommends a product also happens to sell it).

However - I now have some facts to go with my suspicions - thanks to Australia's largest consumer organization Choice.

The Worlds Thinnest Noodles Chinese noodle king Li Enhai manages to thread 39 strands of noodles through the eye of a needle. The amazing feat has put him and his noodles in the Guinness Book of Records. Perhaps it's the start of a new diet - eat thinner noodles and lose weight.

Obese Weighed on Horse Equipment Hospitals in Rio de Janeiro have been sending their obese patient to the racetrack - not to watch the horse races - but to be weighed using the horses scales. It's no surprise the patients find the practice humiliating.

India Ditches Skinny Models "At the five-day show, skirts accentuated curvy hips and sensuous tops revealed plump bust lines, as the focus of designers and local fashionistas seemed to shift to fitness and health rather than the stick-thin look."

Fast Food Everywhere For those of us obsessed with fast food, FastFoodMaps.com allows you to locate every major fast food outlet in your city of choice. Scary stuff.

Fat Counters Vitamin C Benefits Some intriguing research has shown that a meal high in fat may counter any positive effects from anti-oxidants. When high levels of fat are in the stomach at the same time as ascorbic acid (Vit C) --"the ascorbic acid could no longer convert the hazardous compounds into safe ones."

The Journal of the American Medical Association has published a large review of studies looking at the efficacy of antioxidant and vitamin supplements.

Conclusions:

How much coffee? That is one of the great modern debates. The pendulum swings every few months or so. Recently there has been talk about the anti-oxidant levels in coffee.