Coming Soon? Whey Protein Soft Drinks

The beverage industry, for those of you who aren’t aware, is a multi-billion dollar business. Whether it’s fruit juice, soda pop, or bottled water, consumers spend a lot of money on hydration every day. Beverage marketers spend gazillions advertising their products. It’s competitive as hell too. What’s amazing is that there are continually new innovations in the field.

We covered one such splashy (pun intended) product launch a few days ago. If you’ve been following Fooducate for a while, you know we are not fans of this industry. Tap water is where we’d like to see more people turn to. It’s healthier for you and the planet.

So each time we hear about new beverage trends and products, we shudder a bit.

What’s the upcoming buzz? Drinks “fortified” with whey protein. From the Beverage Industry website:

In 2010, performance beverages, juices, beverage mixes, enhanced waters, meal replacement drinks and even teas launched with whey protein included. Innovations such as Kellogg’s Special K2O Protein Water Mixes and Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus All Natural Protein Shakes have taken whey protein out of just the performance arena and beverage-makers continue to expand its use.

Promising scientific research is being conducted as well with whey protein focusing on several of its bioactive components that can offer protection against infections and viruses, enhance immunity, protect against some cancers and positively affect cardiovascular health and muscle tone, says Gwen Bargetzi, Hilmar Ingredients’ director of marketing.

What you need to know:

Whey protein comes from whey. Whey is the liquid part of milk that is left over when it coagulates into a cheese. The liquid whey is not very appetizing, but when dried, and after fats have been removed, the remaining powder is what we know as whey protein.

Bodybuilders have been adding whey protein to shakes for ages. The proteins in whey are quickly made available to muscles. The use of whey protein has trickled over to other fitness enthusiasts, and you can find whey protein in many energy bars.

But the big breakthrough comes when products and ingredients that make it to the big leagues – mainstream consumers.

So, will we be seeing a “Whey fortified Tropicana OJ” anytime soon? How about a “Pepsi Whey-back” ?

The beverage industry, for those of you who aren’t aware, is a multi-billion dollar business. Whether it’s fruit juice, soda pop, or bottled water, consumers spend a lot of money on hydration every day. Beverage marketers spend gazillions advertising their products. It’s competitive as hell too. What’s amazing is that there are continually new innovations in the field.

We covered one such splashy (pun intended) product launch a few days ago. If you’ve been following Fooducate for a while, you know we are not fans of this industry. Tap water is where we’d like to see more people turn to. It’s healthier for you and the planet.

So each time we hear about new beverage trends and products, we shudder a bit.

What’s the upcoming buzz? Drinks “fortified” with whey protein. From the Beverage Industry website:

In 2010, performance beverages, juices, beverage mixes, enhanced waters, meal replacement drinks and even teas launched with whey protein included. Innovations such as Kellogg’s Special K2O Protein Water Mixes and Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus All Natural Protein Shakes have taken whey protein out of just the performance arena and beverage-makers continue to expand its use.

Promising scientific research is being conducted as well with whey protein focusing on several of its bioactive components that can offer protection against infections and viruses, enhance immunity, protect against some cancers and positively affect cardiovascular health and muscle tone, says Gwen Bargetzi, Hilmar Ingredients’ director of marketing.

What you need to know:

Whey protein comes from whey. Whey is the liquid part of milk that is left over when it coagulates into a cheese. The liquid whey is not very appetizing, but when dried, and after fats have been removed, the remaining powder is what we know as whey protein.

Bodybuilders have been adding whey protein to shakes for ages. The proteins in whey are quickly made available to muscles. The use of whey protein has trickled over to other fitness enthusiasts, and you can find whey protein in many energy bars.

But the big breakthrough comes when products and ingredients that make it to the big leagues – mainstream consumers.

So, will we be seeing a “Whey fortified Tropicana OJ” anytime soon? How about a “Pepsi Whey-back” ?

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Broccoli helps clear damaged lungs

Here's another reason to eat your greens. As well as helping to prevent cancer, broccoli may also help the immune system to clean harmful bacteria from the lungs. A compound found in the vegetable is now being trialled as a treatment for people with lung disease.

To ensure that the lungs function correctly, white blood cells called macrophages remove debris and bacteria that can build up in the lungs and cause infection.

This cleaning system is defective in smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a combination of emphysema and bronchitis – who suffer from frequent infections.

Now, researchers have figured out that a chemical pathway in the lungs called NRF2, involved in macrophage activation, is wiped out by smoking. They also found that sulphoraphane, a plant chemical that is made by broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables when damaged, such as when chewed, can restore this pathway.

Service restored
Shyam Biswal at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues, exposed defective macrophages from the lungs of 43 people with COPD to two bacterial strains that are common causes of COPD-associated infections.

In the presence of sulphoraphane, the NRF2 pathway was boosted and the macrophages' ability to recognise and engulf bacteria was restored.

The researchers then exposed mice to smoke for one week or six months. Both groups were found to have increased bacterial colonisation of the lungs, similar to that seen in COPD. After treating the mice with sulphoraphane, they found that bacterial clearance increased. Rather than activate more macrophages, sulphoraphane appeared to improve the functionality of the cells already present.

Good greens
Sulphoraphane is present in broccoli in its precursor form and is converted to the active compound by enzymes present in saliva and intestinal bacteria, says Christopher Harvey, co-author of the research.

The levels of enzyme vary between people, and it would therefore be expected that the dose of sulphoraphane obtained by dietary consumption would vary between people too. Further human studies are required to establish beneficial effects of a sulforaphane-rich diet on immune defenses, he says.

Biswal's team has started phase 2 clinical trials to test the compound in people with COPD to see if it improves their lung function, but says it will be three years before they have results. "There are many diseases that have defective lung function as a result of increased bacterial function in the lungs," he says, "so this study can be extrapolated to those diseases too."

Here's another reason to eat your greens. As well as helping to prevent cancer, broccoli may also help the immune system to clean harmful bacteria from the lungs. A compound found in the vegetable is now being trialled as a treatment for people with lung disease.

To ensure that the lungs function correctly, white blood cells called macrophages remove debris and bacteria that can build up in the lungs and cause infection.

This cleaning system is defective in smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a combination of emphysema and bronchitis – who suffer from frequent infections.

Now, researchers have figured out that a chemical pathway in the lungs called NRF2, involved in macrophage activation, is wiped out by smoking. They also found that sulphoraphane, a plant chemical that is made by broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables when damaged, such as when chewed, can restore this pathway.

Service restored
Shyam Biswal at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues, exposed defective macrophages from the lungs of 43 people with COPD to two bacterial strains that are common causes of COPD-associated infections.

In the presence of sulphoraphane, the NRF2 pathway was boosted and the macrophages' ability to recognise and engulf bacteria was restored.

The researchers then exposed mice to smoke for one week or six months. Both groups were found to have increased bacterial colonisation of the lungs, similar to that seen in COPD. After treating the mice with sulphoraphane, they found that bacterial clearance increased. Rather than activate more macrophages, sulphoraphane appeared to improve the functionality of the cells already present.

Good greens
Sulphoraphane is present in broccoli in its precursor form and is converted to the active compound by enzymes present in saliva and intestinal bacteria, says Christopher Harvey, co-author of the research.

The levels of enzyme vary between people, and it would therefore be expected that the dose of sulphoraphane obtained by dietary consumption would vary between people too. Further human studies are required to establish beneficial effects of a sulforaphane-rich diet on immune defenses, he says.

Biswal's team has started phase 2 clinical trials to test the compound in people with COPD to see if it improves their lung function, but says it will be three years before they have results. "There are many diseases that have defective lung function as a result of increased bacterial function in the lungs," he says, "so this study can be extrapolated to those diseases too."

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The Claim: To Reduce Snoring, Try Sleeping on Your Side

Chronic snoring can be more than a noisy nuisance. Up to three-quarters of nightly snorers also have sleep apnea, which causes breathing interruptions throughout the night. Sleep apnea raises the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

Snorers looking for a cure are often told to sleep on their sides, not on their backs, so that the base of the tongue will not collapse into the back of the throat, narrowing the airway and obstructing breathing. But for some snorers, changing sleep position may not make much of a difference.

Scientists say there are two types of snorers: those who snore only when they sleep on their backs, and those who do it regardless of their position. After sleep researchers in Israel examined more than 2,000 sleep apnea patients, for example, they found that 54 percent were “positional,” meaning they snored only when asleep on their backs. The rest were “nonpositional.”

Other studies have shown that weight plays a major role. In one large study, published in 1997, patients who snored or had breathing abnormalities only while sleeping on their backs were typically thinner, while their nonpositional counterparts usually were heavier. The latter group, wrote the authors, consequently suffered worse sleep and more daytime fatigue.

But that study also found that patients who were overweight saw reductions in the severity of their apnea when they lost weight. According to the National Sleep Foundation, in people who are overweight, slimming down is generally the best way to cure sleep apnea and end snoring for good.

Chronic snoring can be more than a noisy nuisance. Up to three-quarters of nightly snorers also have sleep apnea, which causes breathing interruptions throughout the night. Sleep apnea raises the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

Snorers looking for a cure are often told to sleep on their sides, not on their backs, so that the base of the tongue will not collapse into the back of the throat, narrowing the airway and obstructing breathing. But for some snorers, changing sleep position may not make much of a difference.

Scientists say there are two types of snorers: those who snore only when they sleep on their backs, and those who do it regardless of their position. After sleep researchers in Israel examined more than 2,000 sleep apnea patients, for example, they found that 54 percent were “positional,” meaning they snored only when asleep on their backs. The rest were “nonpositional.”

Other studies have shown that weight plays a major role. In one large study, published in 1997, patients who snored or had breathing abnormalities only while sleeping on their backs were typically thinner, while their nonpositional counterparts usually were heavier. The latter group, wrote the authors, consequently suffered worse sleep and more daytime fatigue.

But that study also found that patients who were overweight saw reductions in the severity of their apnea when they lost weight. According to the National Sleep Foundation, in people who are overweight, slimming down is generally the best way to cure sleep apnea and end snoring for good.

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Dietary Therapy for Chronic Diarrhea in Cats

Laflamme DP, Xu H, Long GM: Effect of diets differing in fat content on chronic diarrhea in cats, J Vet Intern Med 25:230, 2011. 

Dietary management of gastrointestinal (GI) disease is advocated as another specific or symptomatic means to control clinical signs, such as diarrhea. Fat-restricted diets have long been recommended in dogs with diarrhea. Recent recommendations suggest feeding moderate to high fat diets (e.g., 15-25% fat on a dry basis) in cats with diarrhea, though no published studies support either a low-fat or high-fat diet recommendation. This study compared the clinical response of 60 pet cats with chronic diarrhea to dietary management using a digestible high-fat or low-fat diet. Fifty-five cats completed the double-blinded, controlled clinical trial where cats were fed 1 of the 2 diets for 6 weeks. Owners recorded fecal scores daily using an illustrated fecal score chart. Fecal scores improved significantly with over one-third of the cats developing normal stools. However, there were no differences in the response between the two diets, indicating that the amount of dietary fat does not appear to be an important factor in dietary management of cats with diarrhea. Clinical improvement was noted within the first week and a maximum effect within 3 weeks. This response would suggest if cats do not respond within 3 weeks, further evaluation is indicated. Also, it was noted that cats with low serum cobalamin (vitamin B12) concentrations at the beginning of the study had a slightly increased risk of not responding or not responding as well to dietary change. [VT]

Related articles:

Zoran D: Nutritional management of gastrointestinal disease, Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 18:211, 2003.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

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Laflamme DP, Xu H, Long GM: Effect of diets differing in fat content on chronic diarrhea in cats, J Vet Intern Med 25:230, 2011. 

Dietary management of gastrointestinal (GI) disease is advocated as another specific or symptomatic means to control clinical signs, such as diarrhea. Fat-restricted diets have long been recommended in dogs with diarrhea. Recent recommendations suggest feeding moderate to high fat diets (e.g., 15-25% fat on a dry basis) in cats with diarrhea, though no published studies support either a low-fat or high-fat diet recommendation. This study compared the clinical response of 60 pet cats with chronic diarrhea to dietary management using a digestible high-fat or low-fat diet. Fifty-five cats completed the double-blinded, controlled clinical trial where cats were fed 1 of the 2 diets for 6 weeks. Owners recorded fecal scores daily using an illustrated fecal score chart. Fecal scores improved significantly with over one-third of the cats developing normal stools. However, there were no differences in the response between the two diets, indicating that the amount of dietary fat does not appear to be an important factor in dietary management of cats with diarrhea. Clinical improvement was noted within the first week and a maximum effect within 3 weeks. This response would suggest if cats do not respond within 3 weeks, further evaluation is indicated. Also, it was noted that cats with low serum cobalamin (vitamin B12) concentrations at the beginning of the study had a slightly increased risk of not responding or not responding as well to dietary change. [VT]

Related articles:

Zoran D: Nutritional management of gastrointestinal disease, Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 18:211, 2003.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Join us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

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A krill oil supplemented diet reduces the activities of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier and of the cytosolic lipogenic enzymes in rats.

The mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier supplies cytosol with the carbon units necessary for hepatic lipogenesis. The activities of cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase are therefore strictly connected to the function of mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are potent modulators of hepatic lipogenesis. In rats fed with a diet enriched with 2.5% krill oil (KO), a novel source of dietary n-3 PUFA, a time-dependent decrease in the activities of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier and of the lipogenic enzymes was found.

The KO induced inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis was more pronounced than that found in fish oil (FO)-fed rats, at least at short feeding times. The decrease in the activity of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier caused by KO was due to a reduced expression of the protein. Furthermore, in the KO-fed animals a greater reduction in the levels of hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol was found in comparison to FO-fed rats.

The mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier supplies cytosol with the carbon units necessary for hepatic lipogenesis. The activities of cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase are therefore strictly connected to the function of mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are potent modulators of hepatic lipogenesis. In rats fed with a diet enriched with 2.5% krill oil (KO), a novel source of dietary n-3 PUFA, a time-dependent decrease in the activities of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier and of the lipogenic enzymes was found.

The KO induced inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis was more pronounced than that found in fish oil (FO)-fed rats, at least at short feeding times. The decrease in the activity of the mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier caused by KO was due to a reduced expression of the protein. Furthermore, in the KO-fed animals a greater reduction in the levels of hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol was found in comparison to FO-fed rats.

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Weight loss improves memory, research shows

Here's another good reason to lose weight: It may improve your memory and concentration, new research suggests.
Scientists know that overweight and obese people are at a greater risk for memory problems and other cognitive disabilities, but the latest study is one of the first to indicate that substantial weight loss improves brain health.
John Gunstad, an associate professor of psychology at Kent State University, and a team of scientists from several research centers analyzed memory tests taken by 150 people who weighed an average of 300 pounds. Many had several health problems, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea.

Of that group, 109 of them then had bariatric surgery — mostly gastric bypass surgery, which creates a smaller stomach and bypasses part of the small intestine. The other 41 obese patients did not have surgery.
The improved memory for the surgery patients likely is not solely due to improved blood pressure, because only a small number went from being classified as having hypertension to no longer having it, Gunstad says.

Here's another good reason to lose weight: It may improve your memory and concentration, new research suggests.
Scientists know that overweight and obese people are at a greater risk for memory problems and other cognitive disabilities, but the latest study is one of the first to indicate that substantial weight loss improves brain health.
John Gunstad, an associate professor of psychology at Kent State University, and a team of scientists from several research centers analyzed memory tests taken by 150 people who weighed an average of 300 pounds. Many had several health problems, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea.

Of that group, 109 of them then had bariatric surgery — mostly gastric bypass surgery, which creates a smaller stomach and bypasses part of the small intestine. The other 41 obese patients did not have surgery.
The improved memory for the surgery patients likely is not solely due to improved blood pressure, because only a small number went from being classified as having hypertension to no longer having it, Gunstad says.

Read More

To lose weight, put a little spring in your step

When it comes to weight control, almost nothing is easier and cheaper than brisk walking.

Going for a walk every day can improve mood, increase energy, lower blood pressure and protect against diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.

But to reap these benefits, you need to get the lead out and put some spring in your step.

It's not window shopping or taking a stroll in the park. Walk like you're late for the bus.

You should be able to carry on a conversation, but you'll be a little breathless when you talk, says Miriam Nelson, director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at Tufts University in Boston.

You should be able to feel that your heart rate is up. Keep in mind that a brisk walk for one person may be a stroll for another, she says.

Pace yourself. If you are just starting out with a walking program, you should try to work up to a pace of at least 3 mph, says Anne Lusk, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Here's another way to look at it:

• Less than 3 mph is considered slow walking.

•More than 3 mph is considered brisk walking.

•More than 4 mph is considered very brisk walking.

When it comes to weight control, almost nothing is easier and cheaper than brisk walking.

Going for a walk every day can improve mood, increase energy, lower blood pressure and protect against diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.

But to reap these benefits, you need to get the lead out and put some spring in your step.

It's not window shopping or taking a stroll in the park. Walk like you're late for the bus.

You should be able to carry on a conversation, but you'll be a little breathless when you talk, says Miriam Nelson, director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at Tufts University in Boston.

You should be able to feel that your heart rate is up. Keep in mind that a brisk walk for one person may be a stroll for another, she says.

Pace yourself. If you are just starting out with a walking program, you should try to work up to a pace of at least 3 mph, says Anne Lusk, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Here's another way to look at it:

• Less than 3 mph is considered slow walking.

•More than 3 mph is considered brisk walking.

•More than 4 mph is considered very brisk walking.

Read More