Monthly Archives: December 2011

Vitamin C and Mortality

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Inflammation is increasingly being linked to a number of disease such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and also to the development of obesity. Increased levels of oxidative stress are associated with inflammation, and this may be the reason that antioxidant … Continue reading →

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Rye Versus Wheat

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Whole grains are associated with weight control and protection from obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Evidence suggests that that some of the health benefits of whole grains is on account of their high soluble dietary fibre content. However, there appears … Continue reading →

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Do Whole Grains Prevent Weight Gain?

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Whole grain foods contain the same bran, germ and endosperm ratios as the original plant material, and this gives them a high fibre and high nutrient content. Evidence suggests that including more whole grains in the diet is protective of … Continue reading →

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More on Obesity and Genetics

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Evidence is accumulating that contradicts the widely held belief that obesity and weight gain are caused by laziness and greed. Metabolic syndrome is now associated with abdominal adiposity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and research suggests that it is caused by … Continue reading →

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Supermarket Oils and Hypertension

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The health effects of dietary fats are complex and not fully understood. While most dietary fats are neutral in terms of their health effects, there are a small number of fats that can be classified as detrimental to human health. … Continue reading →

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Vitamin E and Carotenoids Inhibit Lipid Peroxidation

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Oxidative stress is now linked to a number of diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. The damaging effects of oxidation are thought to contribute greatly to age-related deterioration of tissues and organs. Because of the link between oxidation and disease, … Continue reading →

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Red Meat and Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing diabetes and is characterised by insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, abdominal obesity and alterations to blood lipoprotein levels. High levels of fructose in the diet are associated with metabolic syndrome, because fructose is … Continue reading →

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Vitamin D and Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Evidence is accumulating that the vitamin D level of a large percentage of the Western population is insufficient to meet normal metabolic function. Vitamin D is a hormone synthesised in the skin from the action of ultra violet light on … Continue reading →

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Coffee and Weight Loss

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Coffee and tea both contain methylxanthine compounds such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, that have been identified as potentially beneficial for weight loss. In addition, green tea contains a number of flavan-3-ol compounds that have been shown to aid weight … Continue reading →

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Iron Bioavailability from Beans

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is relatively rich in protein, starch, dietary fibre, as well as the minerals iron, selenium and molybdenum and the vitamins folic acid, thiamine and vitamin B6. The iron content of the common bean is particularly … Continue reading →

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