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A 20-year study of monkeys shows that a reduced-calorie diet pays off in less disease and longer life, US researchers say, a finding that could apply to humans.

They say rhesus monkeys on a strict, reduced-calorie diet were three times less likely to die from age-related diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes over the study period than monkeys that ate as they liked.

\”We have been able to show that caloric restriction can slow the aging process in a primate species,\” says Richard Weindruch of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, whose study appears in the journal Science.

\”We observed that caloric restriction reduced the risk of developing an age-related disease by a factor of three and increased survival,\” Weindruch says.

The study in primates reinforces similar findings in yeast, worms, flies and rodents, and suggests other primates – including humans – may benefit, too.

Since people live far longer than monkeys, it may never be possible to fully study the effects of calorie restriction in humans, but monkeys do offer a close approximation, the team says.

Most caloric restriction studies have found that a lifetime of deprivation is needed to achieve the longer-life benefits, and many research teams are working on ways to replicate the findings with drugs.

Researchers report that the antibiotic rapamycin, sold by Wyeth under brand Rapamune to suppress the immune system in transplant patients, showed promise at slowing age-related disease in older mice, but it is not clear how it works.

And several teams are hoping to harness the age-defying benefits of red wine. GlaxoSmithKline last year spent $720 million to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, which has developed a souped-up version of the red wine compound resveratrol that has been found to make mice live longer and stay healthier.

\”I think our data are good news for that line of inquiry,\” Weindruch says, commenting on substances that mimic aspects of caloric restriction.

\”The likelihood is now higher that they would work.\”

In his study, Weindruch and colleagues tested the effects of calorie restriction over two decades in a group of rhesus macaque monkeys.

Half of the monkeys were allowed to eat as they pleased, and the other half ate a carefully controlled diet that provided just two-thirds of the calories they would normally choose to eat.

The team found that half of the monkeys that were allowed to eat freely over the course of the 20-year study have survived, while 80 percent of the monkeys that ate 30 percent fewer calories over the same period are still alive.

Rhesus macaques have an average life span of about 27 years in captivity, the team says.

The animals that ate less had half the amount of heart disease and cancer, and there were no cases of diabetes in the low-calorie group.

Animals on a restricted diet also had more brain volume in some regions than the animals that ate freely, suggesting diet may affect brain health in aging as well.

(China Daily July 16, 2009)

Summer is a good time to make your own fruit and vegetable juices in a blender or extractor. You get the vitamins, minerals and nutrients direct from nature.

Pear, apple, mango, carrot, tomato, berry and green vegetables also make delicious and healthy juices.

But experts point out that juices, though healthy, are no substitute for whole fruit in the daily diet as they contain little essential fiber and some vitamins are lost in mashing and squeezing.

\”Natural juices from fruits and vegetables have some healing effects and help with detoxing, fatigue, digestion and skin quality,\” says Patricia Teixeira, a Brazilian nutritionist in Shanghai to launch the Healthy Living drink menu at the Park Hyatt.

\”A mix-and-match thing will bring a magic touch to the drink\’s flavor and its function,\” she says of her selection of smoothies and juices.

The Care Smoothie is made with fresh raspberries, a powerful antioxidant, aloe vera, which aids digestion, and peaches, soy milk and ground almonds.

Peaches have a lot of lycopene and lutein, among other nutrients. Lycopene seems to have a protective effect against prostate cancer and lutein supports healthy eyes, says Teixeira.

The Health Smoothie is a delicious mix of banana, fresh-squeezed orange juice, strawberries, mint leaves, soy milk and ground almonds.

Strawberries support optimal health with antioxidants and beta-carotene that gives the bright red color to the fruit.

It helps protect against inflammation and heart disease, says Teixeira.

\”Mint leaves have an exquisite fresh taste and support our digestive function,\” she says.

Anti-Jet Lag Juice includes kale, carrots, apple, salt and pumpkin seeds.

Kale supplies phytonutrients, helps in detox and helps one relax.

Carrots and apple balance blood sugar for a good nights\’ sleep.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin, the body\’s sleep hormone.

De-Tox Juice contains naval oranges, watermelon, mint and grape. Watermelon contains the amino acid citrulline that acts as a diuretic and helps detoxification.

Oranges contain vitamin C, bioflavonoid and fibers and helps lower cholesterol.

Purple/red grapes contain resveratrol that helps reduce inflammation and promotes healthy heart and arteries.

Immune System Juice contains oranges, pineapple, red apple and ginger. Ginger supports the immune system and helps fight and prevent colds. Oranges are rich in vitamin C and pineapple has an anti-inflammatory effect.

\”This juice is ideal for you if you have a cold or flu-like symptoms,\” says the nutritionist.

Further, the enzymes in pineapple help resolve mucus in the respiratory tract and help clear the throat.

The last juice on the menu is Healthy Body Juice, which contains cucumber, beetroot, red apple and carrots.

\”This fresh juice is rich in silica, which is known to support and strengthen the body\’s tissues,\” says Teixeira.

Beetroot, rich in iron and beta-carotene, supports the liver\’s detoxification function.

Apple contains pectin, a type of fiber that can absorb liquid and toxins. Carrots are rich in vitamin A.

\”All these important nutrients will help you look great and feel good,\” she says. Teixeira, who has a background in physiology and sports biochemistry, says these fresh juices and concotions target common conditions of weary travelers, notably jet lag and immune deficiencies.

\”The idea of taking time for a healthy breakfast rarely occurs to jet-setting business travelers,\” she says. \”Guests want to maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling, so offering these drinks at the hotel is helpful.\”

However, according to Weight Watchers, an international provider of weight management services, pure fruit juice cannot take the place of whole fruits and vegetables.

Juices don\’t retain much of the fruits\’ and vegetables\’ valuable cellulose fiber. Some vitamins that are easily oxidized are destroyed in the mashing and squeezing process.

According to the Balanced Dietary Pagoda of the Chinese Nutrition Society, adults should eat 200-400 grams of fruit each day. Experts recommend a cup of fresh juice in the morning, but don\’t drink high-acid juices on an empty stomach, lest they cause upset.

(Shanghai Daily June 16, 2009)

Natural News posted a new cherry study from the University of Michigan. Researchers found that adding tart cherries to your diet may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The study fed mice one of two diets: a high fat, moderate carbs diet (45% calories from fat, 40% calories from carbs) OR a low fat, high carbs diet (10% calories from fat, 75% calories from carbs).

Mice that were given added cherry powder to either diet had an 11% reduction in cholesterol after three months. In addition, the mice who had cherry powder had 54% body fat compared to 63% body fat in the mice that did not eat cherry powder. Most of the fat reduction was around the belly area of the mice.

The mice that ate cherry also had a 40% reduction in the TNF-alpha inflammation marker and 31% reduction in the IL-6 inflammation marker. The researchers found that \”the activity of the genes producing these two compounds was reduced in the mice, suggesting that tart cherries may reduce inflammation at a systemic level.\”

(Agencies via China Daily April 16, 2009)

Yogurt is widely known as a \”green\” and natural food with many health benefits. However, exposed to so many options, many urbanites feel puzzled about how to choose the right one and drink the right way.

A recent research shows about 70 percent of city population suffer from digestive discomfort, according to Professor Yuan Yaozong, an expert in digestive disease at Ruijin Hospital.

Meanwhile, the rate of digestive diseases caused by digestive disorder has been rising over the past few years.

\”People living in this fast-paced society are very likely to suffer digestive problems such as diarrhea and constipation,\” Professor Yuan says. \”Stress, unbalanced diet and disordered lifestyle are major reasons leading to indigestion.\”

He notes that drinking probiotic yogurt is a very effective way to ease the problem. However, not all work.

With so many brands and varieties available in the market, Professor Yuan suggests people first read the ingredient list before purchase.

He says that if they look for a yogurt to get quick and smooth transit, Danone\’s Bio Yogurt is one of the choices as it contains a big amount of living bacterium whose digestive effects have been clinically proven.

\”The efficacy of probiotic yogurt product is largely decided by three key factors, namely the probiotic strain, living bacterium and the sufficient amount of living bacterium in the product,\” says Dr Liu Yi, health marketing manager of Danone Dairy.

Liu advises people to drink yogurt daily. The best time is about half an hour after a meal, and do not heat yogurt to keep the probiotics alive.

If you want to get the calcium benefits, choose a yogurt that contains inulin since it is a dietary fiber that has been proven to increase calcium absorption.

Experts also add that consumers should be wary of added sugar. While fruit-flavored yogurt products may taste better, with the added flavor also comes more sugar, sometimes as much as 7 teaspoons per cup. A good substitute is to choose a plain low-fat yogurt and add fresh or dried fruits.

(Shanghai Daily March 31, 2009)

The new edition of \”Guide on Diet for Chinese People\” released in January 2008 recommends a Chinese food pagoda for a balanced diet.

According to the guide, there are five levels in the food pagoda, indicating the different levels of importance and the amount we need in daily diet.

Grains, potatoes, beans and water are the fundament. An adult need 250-400 grams of grains, potatoes and beans and 1,200ml water every day.

Vegetables and fruits are the second important, with a daily demand of 300-500 grams of vegetables and 200-400 grams of fruits. Meat, fish, shrimp and eggs take the third – 50-75 grams of meat, 50-100 grams of fish and shrimps, 25-50 grams of eggs for every day.

Then comes the demand of 300 grams of dairy products and 30-50 grams of nuts and soybean products. Oil and salt are at the top with the least demand of 25-30 grams and 6 grams respectively for each day.

The guide also suggests dark-color vegetables take half of the vegetable intake every day as they are rich in carotene and vitamin A.

What the pagoda suggests is an average intake of different foods. It will definitely be helpful if all the categories are included in the diet every day, but not necessarily the exact same portion mentioned. As long as the average amount meets the requirement, it is a balanced diet good for health.

(Shanghai Daily March 31, 2009)

People who eat too much red meat and processed meat are more likely to die from cancer, heart disease, and other causes than those who eat less, according to a U.S. study.

The study of more than 500,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans began in 1995. Participants were between the ages of 50 and 71, and all provided detailed information about their food intake.

The results showed that those who consumed highest proportion of red meat, about 4.5 ounces (127.6 grams, the equivalent of a small steak), every day were more than 30 percent more likely to die in the following 10 years, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Processed meats also increased the risk.

Conversely, those who ate the highest proportion of white meat had a lower risk of overall death, and a lower risk of fatal cancer or heart disease than those who ate the lowest proportion.

\”We found the consumption of red and processed meat is associated with a modest increase in overall mortality, as well as cancer and cardiovascular mortality in both men and women,\” says study researcher Rashmi Sinha, a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute.

Cutting down on red meat and processed meat would result in a \”meaningful saving of lives,\” said Barry Popkin, the Carla Smith Chamblee Distinguished Professor of Global Nutrition at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill.

The new study published in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine is the first large examination of the relationship between eating meat and overall mortality.

For the study, red meat included beef, pork, bacon, ham, hamburger, hot dogs, liver, pork sausage, steak, and meats in foods such as pizza, stews, and lasagna.

White meat included turkey, fish, chicken, chicken mixtures, and other meats.

Processed meat was either white or red meat that was cured, dried, or smoked, such as bacon, chicken sausage, lunch meats, and cold cuts.

(Agencies via Xinhua March 24, 2009)

Researchers at the University of Toronto recently completed a new study on strawberries and their effect on cholesterol. The study looked at 28 men and women with high cholesterol who had been eating a low cholesterol diet. Researchers gave half of the group three cups of strawberries every day for 30 days and the other half more oat bran bread.

At the end of the month, the subjects who ate the strawberries maintained lower cholesterol but also had a reduction of “oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol.” In excess, LDL (bad) cholesterol is harmful to our arteries, but it’s even more harmful if it’s oxidized. The antioxidants in the strawberries help reduce the free radicals that cause oxidation in the body.

This small study was backed by the California Strawberry Commission. Although the study clearly helps the Commission promote strawberry sales, these new findings help prove that strawberries, and other antioxidant-rich berries and fruits, are an important part of a healthy diet and disease prevention.

Unfortunately, strawberries are known to have some of the highest levels of pesticides. Try opting for organic or better yet…grow them at home. Chelsea Green wrote a great article on The Huffington Post this week with step-by-step instructions on how to grow strawberries at home. Fun and money saving!

(Agencies via China Daily March 19, 2009)

For people whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs, a big meal with lots of different tastes usually satisfies. But some foods do not go with others. When the mix is wrong, people will not be able to assimilate the nutrients in the food. Sometimes there are risks of more serious side effects.

Crabs and persimmons are a well-known example. When the two are eaten together, they cause diarrhea.

Li Hongyan, a senior nutritionist from Shanghai Tongmai Food Co Ltd, suggests that when mixing different foods, people have to look out for those that might result in bad reactions.

She offers some tips.

Category 1: Soybean and milk products

Bean curd and spinach

When bean curd and spinach are eaten at the same time, they affect absorption of calcium and may lead to blockages in the abdomen. Spinach contains oxalic acid, which can react with the calcium in bean curd in the intestines and form insoluble precipitates of calcium oxalate. The foods taken together affect the absorption of calcium.

Bean curd and green onion

The combination of bean curd and green onions may affect the absorption of calcium. Bean curd contains plenty of nutrition like protein and calcium. But green onions contain a great deal of oxalic acid. When calcium meets oxalic acid, the calcium oxalate they form destroys calcium. If one eats bean curd mixed with green onions over a long time, it can lead to a lack of calcium causing spasms, osteomalacia and fractures.

Milk and chocolate

Believe it or not, milk and chocolate do not match. While milk is rich in protein and calcium, chocolate contains oxalic acid. Eaten together, the calcium from milk and the oxalic acid of chocolate can combine and form insoluble calcium oxalate, which is not only indigestible but also can cause diarrhea.

Milk and pomelo

The protein in milk can react with the fruit acids in pomelos and make one\’s stomach feel bloated. The acid can also over-stimulate the stomach and cause diarrhea.

Lactic acid drink and ham

Many people like having a sandwich with yogurt. However, ham and bacon in sandwiches, when taken with yogurt, could cause cancer. To extend the preservation of meat products, producers add nitrate to prevent decay and botulinus. But when nitrate meets organic acid, it can turn into nitrosamine, a carcinogen.

Soy milk and egg

Soy milk contains nutrition including vegetable proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. If drunk by itself, it is very nourishing. However, if taken together with eggs, it can reduce the activity of protease, which helps the body assimilate protein. Eggs are, of course, very rich in protein.

Category 2: Meat

Mutton and vinegar

Mutton is a \”hot\” food, while vinegar is \”warm\” and like alcohol. When the two are cooked together, they can over-activate yang energy and the circulation. According to Compendium of Materia Medica, a book on Chinese herbal medicine, eating mutton and vinegar at the same time harms the heart.

Mutton and watermelon

Watermelon is a \”cold\” food. When taken together with mutton, the \”heat,\” the nourishing effect of the mutton will be dramatically decreased. For those who suffer from asthenia of the spleen, it can harm their energy and upset the spleen and stomach.

Beef and chestnut

Beef and chestnuts are good for the stomach. However, chestnuts contains vitamin C, which can react with microelements in the beef and lessen the chestnuts\’ nutrition. The combination is not good for digestion and can cause dyspepsia.

Category 3: Seafood

Crab and tea

Some people might get used to drinking tea after eating crabs, thinking that it is good for the digestion. On the contrary it can cause indigestion. Gastric juices are diluted after drinking tea while eating crabs, and this not only disturbs assimilation but also reduces the ability of the gastric juices to sterilize. On the other hand, tea has as much tannic acid as persimmons.

Shrimp and vitamin C

If someone eats shrimps and also takes a lot of vitamin C on the same day, he or she is taking a serious risk. Shrimps contain a compound which reacts with vitamin C becoming the poison arsenic.

Catergory 4: Vegetable

White radish and carrot

The ferment in carrot can destroy the vitamin C in the white radish. To get the best nutrition, it is better to eat them separately.

Persimmon and sweet potato

Having persimmon and sweet potato at the same time can cause blockages in the stomach. The sugar in the sweet potato gets fermented in stomach, which increases stomach acid. Together they could even cause a gastric hemorrhage or gastric ulcers.

(Shanghai Daily February 24, 2009)

Onions and garlic add zest to many dishes, but they also have health benefits.

What would a kitchen be without the distinctively pungent smell and taste of onions and garlic filling out the flavors of almost every type of cuisine imaginable?

Though long associated with eye irritation, garlic and onions are common ingredients in many recipes. Good thing, too, as they have many health benefits.

It doesn\’t matter if they are chopped or sliced or added as a spicy garnish, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Onions have a natural blood-thinning effect that can play an important role in cardiovascular health. The researchers even claim on the university\’s Website that an onion thins the blood more efficiently than aspirin.

The catch is the blood-thinning effect is more pronounced in stronger-tasting onions that often cause heartburn. Consequently, consumers may shy away from eating raw onions even though they are healthier when uncooked. The cooking process destroys the blood-thinning effect.

Onions are also recommended for hypertension. UW scientists gave two to three tablespoons of onion essential oil per day to people with moderately high blood pressure. They found that 67 percent of these people had lower blood pressure, systolic levels dropped an average of 25 points and diastolic readings dropped 15 points after consuming the onion essential oil.

Onions also stimulate insulin production in the body, thus are effective in lowering blood sugar. The higher the onion intake, the lower the level of glucose found during clinical tests.

Why? Onions are a very good source of chromium, which helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. One cup of raw onion contains more than 20 percent of the daily recommended intake of chromium.

Onions and garlic are close relatives in the big onion family.

A large percent of the world\’s garlic is grown in China. No wonder it\’s such a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Just like the onion, it has medicinal benefits.

Both help reduce the risk of osteoporosis – the crippling bone disease that affects one in three women, usually after menopause.

In experiments conducted on rats by researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland, 1 gram of onion a day can help prevent the process where calcium seeps from the bones making them brittle, the scientists wrote on the university\’s Website.

People who include onions and garlic as dietary staples have a lower risk of getting several common cancers, according to a research report on the Cornell University\’s Website.

Based on a study conducted by Liu Ruihai, an associate professor of food science at Cornell University, onions and garlic are higher in anti-cancer chemicals than other varieties tested. Furthermore, they are found particularly effective against liver and colon cancer cells. \”Although milder onions are becoming more popular, the bitter and more pungent onions appear to be healthier,\” Liu wrote in the report.

So forget those teary eyes and bad breath. Add onions and garlic to your diet.

(Shanghai Daily February 10, 2009)

Sales of soybean milk and soymilk makers have soared after the scandal over tainted dairy milk (milk is now safe, health officials state). Supermarkets feature soymilk of all kinds – nonfat, light and regular, many fortified with calcium, minerals and vitamins. Some are flavored chocolate and vanilla.

Doctors warn, however, that soymilk should not be given to infants as it\’s too difficult to digest.

That said, there\’s a lot to be said for nutritious soymilk that contains no cholesterol. Beans, including soybeans, are very good for you and contain a lot of protein and fiber. Organic soybeans and soymilk are best.

Soymilk is also becoming popular because consumers are becoming more health conscious and weighing the benefits of dairy milk and soymilk. In fact, it\’s not a question of either/or: Both are good for you.

Soymilk, also called soy juice, is a stable emulsion of oil, water and protein, which is produced by soaking soybeans and grinding them with water. It must be cooked before it can be drunk. Most commercially packaged soybean milk need not be cooked.

Soymilk has long been a popular alternative for people unable to drink cow\’s milk, because of lactose intolerance or some vegetarian diets. Eating an organic plant-based diet reduces the risks of chemicals linked to animal production.

Soymilk is an excellent source of low-fat plant-based protein that supplies all nine essential amino acids. It contains considerably more fiber than cow\’s milk.

One of soymilk\’s biggest benefits is its isoflavones, plant chemicals that lower LDL cholesterol, also known as the \”bad\” cholesterol. Lowering cholesterol helps reduce the risk of heart disease and may help prevent some cancers. If you\’re going for soy, about 25 grams of soy protein per day is recommended for adults.

Soymilk supplies many B-vitamins, but not much essential B12, which is found in cow\’s milk. Cow\’s milk provides adults with about 50 percent of their daily B12 requirements.

Unfortified soymilk has much less calcium than cow\’s milk. One cup of cow\’s milk provides 30 percent of an adult\’s daily calcium need, while unfortified soymilk contains only about a quarter of that.

\”Rather than choosing one or the other, it\’s best to include both soymilk and cow\’s milk into our daily diet,\” says nutritionist Xu Hui, who has worked in nutrition sector for 24 years.

\”They don\’t interfere with each other … On the contrary, they make our diet more balanced.\”

You can try adding both a little cow\’s milk and a little soymilk to your coffee, cereal or oatmeal.

Some tips about soymilk:

Organic fortified soymilk is an excellent choice and widely available.

If you buy or make raw soymilk, it needs to be cooked because the uncooked milk contains saponins (soapy substances used in detergents), and trypsin inhibitors, which interfere with enzyme and protein processes.

Don\’t drink soymilk on an empty stomach it can lead to indigestion.

Do not give soymilk to babies check with your doctor.

Do not boil raw eggs with soy milk both lose their nutritive value.

(Shanghai Daily November 4, 2008)