protein

For years we've been told that calcium builds strong bones. How is it possible that calcium may be CAUSING hip fractures? And, not just a few more hip fractures - 64% more hip fractures.

As usual, though when we dig a little deeper, we learn that it's not so much the calcium, but what we're not chasing it with.

"Surprising" results of a study published in the April issue of Cell Metabolism suggests that a high fat diet combined with extra amino acids (protein building blocks), can lead to insulin resistance... in rats. Still, this is an intriguing study that will certainly require some context.

Recently I commented on a study that suggested calories matter most when it comes to weight loss. That may be true, but another new study has shown that a diet moderately high in protein is superior for fat loss and other health markers. Here are some bullet points from the Journal of Nutrition study.

If you spend an extra five minutes in the kitchen each morning, doing your best to separate your yolks from your egg whites, you may be wasting your time. No, this is not where I throw in an advertisement for an egg white product (although, if there's a company out there that would like to pay me for mentioning them, I'd be more than happy to sell out...er, I mean, oblige). Rather, this is the point in the discussion where I highlight the fact that egg yolks are actually quite good for you.

There is a strange mythology out there in ad-land. One of these myths is that anything with "extra" protein in it makes you strong, fast, and an all round superfly-guy (or gal).

Oh Henry! Pro chocolate bars fit the role quite nicely.

Author and personal trainer Tom Venuto has listed the foods he eats most often. Tom is a respected expert in the area of fat loss and muscle building.

Note that nutrition is individualistic - what's right for one person may not be best for another - but these lists are a great help.

Towards the end of last year - a whole line of Kellogg's "protein-enhanced" foods started appearing on shelves. The growth of the beverage industry never ceases to amaze me.

Kellogg's K20 water contains just 5 grams of protein in a 16oz bottle. Along with that you get 8 grams of sugar (plus some Splenda) - all for $1.50 per drink.

Dr Jana Klauer is the author of How the Rich Get Thin.

She has now opened up a product line -- perhaps it could be called "How the rich get protein".

I recently asked my doctor this question: "what is the perfect meal?". He suggested a plate half-filled with a mix of vegetables and a large serving of fish. Seafood is a great source of protein, either lean, or with an abundance of healthy fatty acids. However the issue of pollution and contamination is a constant concern.

The debate between low-carb and low-fat diets continues unabated - despite the ebb and flow of various dieting fads. There will always be debate - because both regimes can work for different people. The National Institute of Health has put a new twist on the debate, showing that replacing some carbohydrates with proteins and fats will reduce heart disease risk.

Most diets that advocate higher levels of protein make the claim that protein "fills you up". Scientists have finally come up with a reason why: The INSERM team found that feeding rats a high protein diet significantly increased the activity of genes involved in glucose production in the animal's small intestine. This led to increased glucose production, which was sensed by the liver, and relayed to the brain, causing the animals to cut their food intake.

The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has become quite popular in Australia. CSIRO is a large scientific research organization that has backed up the diet with it's own set of clinical studies (however they were apparently funded by Meat and Livestock Australia). Despite that - the research makes fascinating reading.

WebMD reports on an intriguing study that looks at how protein can help regulate appetite. This study was not about weight loss (although the participants did lose some fat).