The Malaysian Insider :: Food
The Malaysian Insider :: Food |
| DASH diet linked to lower kidney stone risk Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:52 PM PST Researchers compared a low-oxalate diet, which is frequently prescribed for prevention and treatment of kidney stones, to a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet, finding the latter potentially more effective in reducing risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones, the most common type. Oxalate is found naturally in a number of nutritious foods, including sweet potatoes, kale, rice bran, beets, navy beans, almonds, spinach and rhubarb. The National Kidney Foundation notes that most kidney stones form when oxalate binds to calcium as urine is being produced by the kidneys. New research suggests that rather than eliminating oxalate foods from the diet, eating and drinking calcium and oxalate-rich foods together may be more beneficial. Oxalate and calcium are more likely to bind in the stomach and intestines when eaten together, making it less probable kidney stones will form. Nazanin Noori, MD, PhD and other researchers studied 41 participants at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto over an eight-week period and found those who followed the DASH diet decreased their kidney stone risk by 35%, while those who went the low-oxalate route reduced their risk by 14%. Levels of calcium, oxalate, citrate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, uric acid, pH and calcium oxalate in urine were studied as kidney stone "risk markers". "Most people do not eat single, isolated nutrients, such as oxalate, but rather meals consisting of a variety of foods," says Noori. "So a practical diet plan for kidney stone prevention should be based on the cumulative effects of foods and the impact overall dietary patterns have on risk for stone formation rather than single nutrients." – AFP/Relaxnews, March 5, 2014. |
| Eating more fish shown to boost good cholesterol levels Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:41 PM PST The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE and found participants who increased their fish fatty consumption to three or four fish meals per week had more large HDL (high-density lipoprotein) – also known as "good cholesterol" – particles in their blood than those who did not eat fish so frequently. For the study, 131 participants with "impaired glucose metabolism and features of the metabolic syndrome" were divided into three groups. The first was asked to eat wholegrain products and bilberries as well as three to four weekly servings of fatty fish, the second was asked to eat whole grains in addition to their regular eating habits, and the third, a control group, was asked to eliminate whole grains and limit their intake of berries and fish. A total of 106 participants completed the trial. Daily fish intake in the three groups worked out to be 67g, 42g and 16g respectively. Participants who experienced the most positive changes were those eating three to four fish meals per week, and the greater the increase in fish intake, the greater the increase in concentration of large HDL. Fish consumed for the study included fatty options such as rainbow trout, salmon, vendace and herring. The fish were prepared without additional butter or cream. Cholesterol is generally divided into "good" and "bad", with good cholesterol capable of removing bad cholesterol from arteries in addition to lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. Bad cholesterol contributes to increased risk of this disease. "People shouldn't fool themselves into thinking that if their standard lipid levels are OK, there's no need to think about the diet, as things are a lot more complicated than that. Soft vegetable fats and fish are something to prefer in any case," postdoctoral researcher Maria Lankinen says. Researchers also emphasise the importance of maintaining a heart-healthy diet that's low in red meat and high in fish and other foods that lower bad cholesterol, such as olive oil, whole grains and nuts. – AFP/Relaxnews, March 5, 2014. |
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