Monthly Archives: April 2015

The Tryptophan Paradox

Posted in Bananas, Brain, Carbohydrate, Depression, L-tryptophan, Melatonin, Serotonin | Comments Off on The Tryptophan Paradox

Zinc Deficiency: Altered Taste Perception

Zinc is an important trace mineral, required as a cofactor to more proteins than any other mineral in human nutrition. Evidence suggests that zinc intakes have been declining in Western nations as food habits have changed. In particular, the gradual … Continue reading

Posted in Digestion and Absorption, Salt, Sodium, Zinc | Comments Off on Zinc Deficiency: Altered Taste Perception

Zinc and Iron Mineral Absorption Interactions

Zinc is an important trace mineral required as a cofactor in a number of enzymes including the extensively researched antioxidant enzyme copper-zinc superoxide dismutase. Iron too is a trace mineral and is most well known for its role as a … Continue reading

Posted in Digestion and Absorption, Iron, Micronutrients, Multivitamin Multimineral, Trace Minerals, Zinc | Comments Off on Zinc and Iron Mineral Absorption Interactions

Very Low Calorie Diets: Sudden Death?

The ‘eat-too-much, do-too-little’ hypothesis of obesity suggests that weight gain is caused by a positive energy balance on account of greed and apathy by the individuals. In this regard, too much food or too little exercise is blamed for an … Continue reading

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Energy Expenditure, Potassium, Protein, Weight Loss | Comments Off on Very Low Calorie Diets: Sudden Death?

Sugar Intake In Children

High intakes of refined crystalline fructose cause insulin resistance in mammals. For example, rat experiments (here, here and here) have shown that fructose in high concentrations is a metabolic poison and leads to insulin resistance in just a few weeks. … Continue reading

Posted in Children, Fructose, Glucose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Insulin Resistance, Lactose, Sucrose, Sugar | Comments Off on Sugar Intake In Children

Anti-Inflammatory Effects From Fish Oils.mp4

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Delta 5-desaturase, Delta 6-desaturase, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Docosatrienes, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish Oils, Inflammation, Omega 3, Omega 6, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Rosavins / Salidrosides | Comments Off on Anti-Inflammatory Effects From Fish Oils.mp4

Black Currant Berries: Vitamin C and Polyphenols

The black Currant plant (Ribes nigrum) is a deciduous shrub with toothed and pointed leaves. Flowers form in loose pendulous racemes in the same axis as the leaves and are greenish-white in colour (figure 1). The black Currant plant is … Continue reading

Posted in Anthocyanins, Antioxidant, Berries, Flavonoids, Flavonols, Quercetin, Vitamin C | Comments Off on Black Currant Berries: Vitamin C and Polyphenols

The Role of Dopamine in Mood

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is synthesised in a chemical pathway originating from the amino acid L-phenylalanine. The enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase converts L-phenylalanine to L-tyrosine, and then the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase converts L-tyrosine to L-DOPA. Finally, L-DOPA … Continue reading

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The Alcohol Carbohydrate Link: Another Piece of The Puzzle

Evidence shows that those that drink alcohol regularly have lower body weights that avoid alcohol. Indeed, smokers also have lower body weights than non-smokers and some have suggested that this might partly result from the fact that smokers are more … Continue reading

Posted in Alcohol, Body Fat, Body Mass Index (BMI), Weight Loss | Comments Off on The Alcohol Carbohydrate Link: Another Piece of The Puzzle

Another Early Cholesterol Paper: Let’s Rip This One Apart For Fun

The cholesterol or lipid theory of cardiovascular disease states that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat are the cause of atherosclerosis, which in turn is the cause of cardiovascular disease. This hypothesis was made popular by Ancel Keys in his Seven … Continue reading

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Children, Cholesterol, Dairy, Fat, Fatty Acids, HDL, LDL, Lipoproteins | Comments Off on Another Early Cholesterol Paper: Let’s Rip This One Apart For Fun