Mediterranean Diet May Save Brainpower

Mediterranean Diet May Save Brainpower
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20100427/mediterranean-diet-may-save-brain-power
Study Shows a Benefit of Mediterranean Diet May Be Slower Mental Decline as People Age
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

April 27, 2010 (Anaheim, Calif.) -- Eat more like a Greek, and less like a typical American, and you may be doing your brain a favor, new research suggests.

Older adults who adhere to the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet -- rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish, and moderate amounts of wine -- appear to have less mental decline with age, according to one of the latest studies on the health benefits of eating like a Greek.

''Those who adhered most closely to the Mediterranean diet performed as if they were two years younger," says study researcher Christy Tangney, PhD, a researcher at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, who presented her findings Monday at EB 2010, the annual Experimental Biology meeting.

Exactly why the diet, already known for its heart-healthy effects, may protect brain function isn't known, Tangney tells WebMD, but her research builds on other studies finding the diet preserves thinking and intellectual skills.

''I think there's a strong cardiovascular component," she says. Some of the diet components, such as the phytochemicals from fruits and vegetables, are thought to protect against neuron loss, she says.
Following the Mediterranean Diet

Tangney and her colleagues followed 3,790 men and women enrolled in the ongoing Chicago Health and Aging Project. The average age of the participants was 75, but all were over age 65. The follow-up averaged more than seven years.

The men and women answered a food-frequency questionnaire, spelling out in detail which components of the diet they ate and how often. The highest possible score for adherence to the Mediterranean diet is 55, but as Tangney notes, "No one followed it perfectly."

Tangney then classified their adherence to the diet as low, medium, or high. Low followers scored 12 to 25, medium 26 to 29, and high 30 to 45.

The researchers administered several tests of mental function, such as short- and long-term recall, and compiled those scores as a ''global cognitive score.'' The tests were given every three years.

Those in the top group knocked two years off their test scores, she says. For instance, if they were 65, they scored in the typical range for a 63-year-old.

There was some effect in the medium group, Tangney says, but no effect in the group that adhered the least.

The beauty of the finding, Tangney tells WebMD, is that following the diet perfectly isn't necessary to get a brain-protective effect. "When someone incorporates a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and non-refined grains such as cereals and breads and breaks it up with a little wine, there appears to be at least some protection against cognitive aging," she says.

While Tangney's team didn’t inquire about exercise habits, she says physical activity would be ideal to add to the Greek-like diet. "The true Mediterranean diet advocates lots of physical activity," she says.

Seinfelds Win Suit Over Alleged Cookbook Copying

Seinfelds Win Suit Over Alleged Cookbook Copying
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/04/28/seinfelds-win-suit-over-alleged-cookbook-copying/


n lawsuit that alleged Jerry Seinfeld and his wife had copied another author’s cookbook on preparing fruits and vegetables for kids, an appeals court told the plaintiff today (in so many words), “No soup for you!”

A federal appeals court rejected arguments by Missy Chase Lapine, author of “The Sneaky Chef,” that a cookbook published by the comedian’s wife had copied her own book on how to sneak fruits and vegetables into children’s food.

“Stockpiling vegetable purees for covert use in children’s food is an idea that cannot be copyrighted,” the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals found.

Lapine sued Jessica Seinfeld, her husband and their publisher in federal court in New York in 2008 over the book “Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.”

A lawyer for Lapine didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday.

New Research Suggests Americans Could Choose Different Variety of Fruits and Vegetables to Increase Phytonutrient Intake

New Research Suggests Americans Could Choose Different Variety of Fruits and Vegetables to Increase Phytonutrient Intake


Study Supported by Nutrilite Health Institute Presented at Experimental Biology Meeting

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Topping that bowl of cereal with raspberries instead of strawberries, or sauteing kale instead of spinach for dinner can boost phytonutrient intake, which may help decrease risk for certain chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.

A study, supported by the Nutrilite Health Institute and presented at the Experimental Biology Meeting, April 25, in Anaheim, California, found that despite the availability of a wide range of foods that contain phytonutrients, many Americans are getting phytonutrients from a relatively small number of specific foods, which are not necessarily the most concentrated sources. Top food contributors for several key phytonutrient families in the diet include oranges, orange juice, carrots, grapes, garlic, tomatoes, strawberries, prepared mustard, tea and various soy products, according to the study.

"Americans could improve their phytonutrient intake by choosing to eat more concentrated sources of phytonutrients as well as a wider variety," said Keith Randolph, Ph.D., Technology Strategist for Nutrilite. "For example, grapes are the top contributor of the phytonutrient family of anthocyanidins in most Americans' diets, but blueberries actually contain higher amounts of this phytonutrient. Research suggests anthocyanidins support heart health," Randolph added.

Phytonutrients are compounds that naturally occur in plants and provide a range of potential health benefits from promoting eye, bone and heart health to supporting immune and brain function. It's widely believed that the health benefits that phytonutrients may offer come from the pigments in fruits and vegetables that give these foods their vibrant reds, yellows, greens and other rich colors. Certain fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of these compounds, making them more concentrated and potentially more effective sources of phytonutrients.

Phytonutrient Intake Among Americans

The two groups analyzed in the study include adults who eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, as compared to adults who fail to meet U.S. government guidelines on fruit and vegetable consumption based on two days of intake. Findings suggested that for most phytonutrients, there is little difference in the relative contributions of phytonutrients by food source between groups, although those who meet the recommended five to 13 servings per day were shown to consume greater quantities of certain phytonutrient-rich foods.

One key finding of the study concluded that, on average, Americans who consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables generally get two to three times more phytonutrients in their diet as compared to people who do not meet fruit and vegetable recommendations. This was true for all but two of the phytonutrients studied. Of note, these data relate to the findings of a previous study conducted by the Nutrilite Health Institute – America's Phytonutrient Report: Quantifying the Gap – that found eight in 10 Americans have a "phytonutrient gap," meaning they are missing out on health benefits provided by phytonutrients given their lack of fruit and vegetable intake.

Power Up Produce

For 10 of the 14 phytonutrients included in the analysis, a single food type accounted for approximately two-thirds or more of an individual's intake of the specific phytonutrient, regardless of whether that person was a high or low fruit and vegetable consumer. Based on the current study, the top food sources consumed by Americans for some selected phytonutrients were as follows:

* Beta-carotene – carrots
* Beta-cryptoxanthin – oranges/orange juice
* Lutein/zeaxanthin – spinach
* Ellagic acid – strawberries
* Isothiocyanates – mustard


For each of these phytonutrients, however, there is a more highly concentrated food that could be chosen instead:

* Beta-carotene – sweet potatoes
o Sweet potatoes have nearly double the beta-carotene compared to carrots in a single serving.
* Beta-cryptoxanthin – papaya
o A serving of fresh papaya has roughly 15 times the beta-cryptoxanthin of an orange.
* Lutein/zeaxanthin – kale
o By substituting cooked kale for raw spinach, it is possible to triple lutein/zeaxanthin intake.
* Ellagic acid – raspberries
o Serving per serving, raspberries have roughly three times the ellagic acid compared to strawberries.
* Isothiocyanates – watercress
o Just one cup of watercress as the basis for a salad has about the same level of isothiocyanates as four teaspoons of mustard.


The overall goal is to encourage Americans to close their "phytonutrient gap" by increasing consumption of all phytonutrient-rich foods. Importantly, by "powering up produce" selection on a regular basis and by seeking a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, phytonutrient intakes can be increased.

"The study reiterates our earlier findings that American adults are missing out on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables by simply not including enough in their diet," said Randolph. "Additionally, these data highlight the importance of not only the quantity, but also the significant impact the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables you eat can have on your health. All Americans can improve their phytonutrient intake by varying the fruits and vegetables they consume and by focusing on foods that have a higher concentration of certain phytonutrients," he added.

Study Details

Supporting research for America's Phytonutrient Report was conducted by Exponent for NUTRILITE®, the world's leading brand of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements based on 2008 sales. The dataset comes from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), surveys that capture what Americans eat daily, supplemental nutrient concentration data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the published literature. The study population includes non-pregnant, non-lactating NHANES respondents ages 19 years and older with two complete and reliable 24-hour dietary recalls based on NHANES criteria. MyPyramid guidance for fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which is based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was used.

For more information on studies conducted by the Nutrilite Health Institute and the health benefits of phytonutrients visit www.nutrilite.com/color.