Cocoa Products May Help Fight Hypertension Dark chocolate and antioxidant-rich cocoa may help bring down blood pressure by a few points, a Cochrane review affirmed. Dark chocolate and antioxidant-rich cocoa may help bring down blood pressure by a few points, a Cochrane review affirmed. Blood pressure fell by an average 2.8/2.2 mm Hg…
Cranberry Juice May Help Lower BP a Bit Cranberry juice modestly lowers blood pressure in healthy adults when consumed daily, a carefully controlled trial showed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure both fell by an average 3 mm Hg with two 8-oz. glasses a day for 8 weeks, Janet Novotny, MD, of the U.S. Department…
Anthocyanins may slash inflammation marker levels: RCT data Supplements of anthocyanins – antioxidant pigments from fruit and vegetables – may reduce levels of inflammatory compounds in people with high cholesterol levels, says a new clinical trial from China. Twenty-four weeks of consuming 320 milligrams per day of anthocyanins were associated with reductions…
Apple Juice May Help Promote Healthy Weight Cloudy apple juice, juice in which the apple pectin and starch are retained, is rich in polyphenols, compounds that have been shown in previous studies to exert a variety of health effects. Stephan W. Barth, from the Max Rubner Institut (Germany), and colleagues enrolled 68…
The Zinc Link Previously, a number of studies have established that zinc is essential to protect against oxidative stress and help repair DNA damage. In zinc deficiency, the risk of which has been shown to increase with age, the body’s ability to repair genetic damage may be decreasing even as the amount of damage rises. …
Milk Protein Halts Cancer Cells Milk Protein and Human Growth Hormone Rich in magnesium, milk helps to reduce a person’s odds of developing metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and certain cancers. Previously, Stina Oredsson, from University of Lund (Sweden), and colleagues studied a milk protein, lactoferricin4-14 (Lfcin4-14), significantly reduces the growth rate of colon…
Tomato Compounds May Lower Stroke Risk A naturally occurring carotenoid compound that lends tomatoes their red color, lycopene has been identified by a number of previous studies to possess antioxidant capacities. Jouni Karppi, from the University of Eastern Finland (Finland), and colleagues studied 1,031 Finnish men, ages 46 to 65 years. Researchers…
Curry Compound Curtails Cancer One of the most prevalent malignancies in the Western world, prostate cancer is often only diagnosed only after metastatic tumors have formed in other organs; in 3% of cases, these metastases are lethal. Curcumin, a spice compound extracted from the rootstalks of the turmeric plant and gives curry…
Carbs & Sugars Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease Previously, studies suggest that high caloric intake associates with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Rosebud O. Roberts, from Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, USA), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 1,230 men and women, ages 70 to 89 years, who were surveyed on their dietary patterns of the…
Soy Protein Improves Blood Vessel Health Cardio-Vascular Health and Human Growth Hormone Soybean protein is generally considered a healthy food, based on studies that suggest a favorable effect on cholesterol and blood pressure. C M Rebholz, from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (Louisiana, USA), and colleagues examine the effect of soybean…
