Tufts University researchers find that eating vegetables and fruits can help elderly men to protect against the bone loss that can cause hip fractures.

Study author Katherine Tucker, who is a professor of nutritional epidemiology at Tufts, said: “Vitamin C proves helpful to protect against inflammation that leads to bone absorption and bone loss and also considered essential for the creation of collagen that strengthens bones.”

The study will be published in The Journal of Nutrition in the October issue.

Katherine added, “There are some other studies that reached the same conclusion about fruits and vegetables, but we couldn’t separate vitamin C as a protective factor. Vitamin C also proved beneficial for some of the men in the study, but we can’t recommend the use of such supplements so soon.”

continue reading Vitamin C may protect bone loss in elderly men, a new study suggests

We all know that a healthy and balanced diet is essential for a healthy living. As the adage goes “Health is Wealth”, we tend to put in less effort to understand the underlying message. A well-balanced and nutritious diet is the most important requirement for all ages, especially with the kids and growing children.

Don’t we skip meals? More importantly, several research studies revealed that kids tend to skip the meals especially the breakfast. Some kids skip breakfast simply because they sleep late and tend to have no time in the morning to eat before they rush off to school and some think it’s a way. Again, some of the kids will step out of their homes, early morning with only a glass of milk. This practice is very harmful and kids tend to suffer from mid-morning hunger and those results in decreased attention in whatever they do. The attentiveness in academics too takes a downward dip. It also affects their energy levels. The chemistry is simple, brain cells need glucose to be active and a skip in breakfast meaning no energy to the cells and they remain dull and inactive.

continue reading Ready, Set a Healthy Breakfast for Your Kids

Wild Blueberries and other antioxidants-rich foods, if taken at every meal, help prevent ‘oxidative stresses. Oxidative stress has a direct linkage with the chronic diseases and aging. A recent study concluded by USDA scientists and published in the latest issue of the ‘Journal of the American College of Nutrition’ established the research findings.

The research study focused on antioxidants moved beyond the measurement of antioxidants in foods and actually examined the performance of specifically selected fruits for their impact on oxidative stress.

“It’s not just what you eat but when you eat it that matters. Phyto-chemicals in foods have varying degrees of bioavailability and generally are cleared from the blood 2-4 hours after they’re eaten. Ensuring that your body has a steady supply of antioxidant-rich foods can help combat oxidative stress throughout the day“, says Dr.Roland L.Prior, the lead scientist from USDA Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Centre.

continue reading Blueberries Help Fighting Oxidative Stress