It Makes a Difference When You Eat, And For How Long

New research findings at the Salk Institute suggest that obesity and metabolic diseases can be avoided by restricting food consumption to a 10-hour window, like 8am to 6pm, and fasting the other 14 hours.

"For many of us, the day begins with a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and ends with a bedtime snack 14 or 15 hours later," says Satchidananda Panda, a professor in Salk's Regulatory Biology Laboratory. "But restricting food intake to 10 hours a day, and fasting the rest, can lead to better health, regardless of our biological clock."

The research, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggests that the health problems associated with disruptions to animals' 24-hour rhythms of activity and rest, which in humans is linked to eating for most of the day or doing shift work, can be corrected by eating all calories within a 10-hour window.

Eating all food within 10 hours can restore balance, stave off metabolic diseases and maintain health, according to the researchers, who plan to study whether eating within 8-10 hours can prevent or reverse many diseases of aging. They have an app available which allows people anywhere in the world to get guidance on how to adopt an optimum daily eating/fasting cycle. By collecting daily eating and health status data from thousands of people, they hope to gain a better understanding of how the cycle sustains health.

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My Circadian Clock
The Slow Down Diet
Artwork: Eating

Domesticated Eggplants are Asian

Historical documents and genetic data have shown that the eggplant was first domesticated in Asia, but most of its wild relatives are from Africa.

Researchers from the Natural History Museum of London and the Finnish museum of natural history, University of Helsinki, have sequenced the plastomes of the eggplant and of 22 species directly related to the eggplant.

"Nearly all species of the group of the eggplant inhabit low land savanahs and more or less arid habitats; some species are very widespread across Africa. Our results suggest that there had been a dramatic expansion of the distribution range of the group over the last two million years," says the first author of the paper, Xavier Aubriot.

The researchers found that relatives of the eggplant originated in northeastern Africa some two million years ago. Plants then dispersed both eastwards to tropical Asia and southwards to southern and western Africa. In tropical Asia, the dispersal event gave rise to a species that scientists call Solanum insanum. It is from populations of this wild species that the modern eggplant was later domesticated.

Flame-Roasting Eggplants
Recipe: Moussaka 
Plants and Seeds
Artwork: Nadia Eggplant

Roasting to Perfection

Manipulating the temperature and the length of time under which cocoa beans are roasted can simultaneously preserve and even boost the potency of some bioactive and antioxidant compounds while protecting desired sensory aspects of chocolate, according to Penn State researchers

Researchers investigated the impact of whole-bean roasting on the polyphenol content, aroma-related chemistry and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of cocoa under a range of roasting conditions. The inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity is a potential anti-obesity strategy. Pancreatic lipase breaks down triglycerides into fatty acids, which then get absorbed through the lining of the small intestine. A pancreatic lipase inhibitor prevents the formation of fatty acids and therefore prevents absorption of dietary fats into the body.

The research findings suggest that cocoa roasting can be optimized to increase the content of some polyphenols and boost anti-pancreas-lipase activity, while maintaining a favorable aroma profile

Researchers found that cocoa roasted at 338 F or better inhibited pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity than cocoa roasted at lower temperatures. Cocoa aroma-related compounds increased with roasting above 212 F, whereas deleterious sensory-related compounds formed at more severe temperatures, 338 F.

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Artwork: Cocoa Beans

Acrylamide in Coffee

Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle recently ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry a cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process known as acrylamide, a possible carcinogen found in many cooked foods.

This ruling runs counter to many studies suggesting that coffee consumption helps reduce cancer risk, but acrylamide is considered a probable or likely carcinogen, based on animal research, and all coffee contains some acrylamide.

In 2016, the FDA published "Guidance for Industry Acrylamide in Foods" containing information to help growers, manufacturers, and food service operators reduce acrylamide levels in certain foods. Little is truly known about factors affecting acrylamide concentrations in coffee, but the FDA makes these observations:

"Robusta beans have somewhat higher acrylamide levels than arabica beans. Dark roast coffee has less acrylamide than light roast coffee (since acrylamide formed early in roasting is destroyed later in the roasting process). Acrylamide levels in roasted coffee decline during long-term storage. Also, different preparation methods (e.g., espresso versus filter brewed) result in different levels of acrylamide in coffee as consumed."

In 2006, the FDA published "Survey Data on Acrylamide in Food: Individual Food Products"
Results ranged from 175 to 351 parts per billion for six brands of coffee tested; the highest was for one type of decaf coffee crystals. By comparison, French fries ranged from 117 to 313 parts per billion, depending on the location tested, and some commercial fries had more than 1,000.

At present, no one knows what acrylamide levels in foods are safe or risky for human consumption. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended acrylamide limit for drinking water is zero.

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Artwork: Coffee Poster

Health Benefits of Tea

After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Unique phytochemicals in the Camellia sinensis plant used to produce white, green, black, and oolong teas contribute to their beneficient health properties. 

More than 2,000 studies conducted on tea over the past decade provide strong evidence that teas are associated with prevention of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Some teas are also associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and increased bone mineral density and mental alertness. There is also strong evidence that tea protects brain health.

Green tea is minimally processed and a great source of antioxidants that help ward off cell damage that leads to disease.  It has the highest concentration of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a very potent antioxidant that helps prevent cancers of various kinds, helps prevent cardiovascular disease, reduces oxidative stress on the brain, reduces risk of stroke, improves cholesterol, and helps reduce disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

A Japanese study that covered thousands of people showed that elderly adults who drank green tea showed less disability and were more agile and independent than their peers.

Black tea begins the same as green tea, but is processed differently and then fermented before being dried.  Both green and black teas contain high levels of healthy antioxidant polyphenols, but their properties and benefits.cA 2008 study found that people who drank the most black tea had a much lower risk of Parkinson’s.

White tea is uncured and unfermented, and has been associated with anticancer properties.

Oolong tea is processed uniquely and contains antioxidants that have been associated with lowering of “bad” cholesterol levels.

Whatever the variety, steep tea for three minutes to enjoy the benefits of the healthful phytochemicals and to produce a rich flavor.  Decaffeinated tea may have reduced phytochemical activity, as will most bottled and instant teas. The more processed the tea, generally the fewer healthful phytochemicals.

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Artwork: Japanese Green Tea



Source: University of Missouri Extension

Some Veggies Better Off Cooked

Some vegetables are healthier cooked than raw, according to Consumer Reports. Cooking breaks down the cell walls of some  veggies, making it easier for the human body to absorb the nutrients. Some examples:

Spinach is rich in calcium and iron, but to get the maximum benefit the leaves must be blanched lightly and then plunged into cold water. This reduces the levels of an acid present in raw spinach that inhibits absorption.

Carrots, when cooked, provide about 14 percent more carotenoids, an antioxidants.

White mushrooms, when cooked, have about double the amount of important nutrients like potassium, niacin, zinc and magnesium.

Asparagus, boiled until it turns bright green, has much more cancer-fighting antioxidants and phenolic acid.

Tomatoes, when cooked, have about 35 percent more of a disease-fighting antioxidant called lycopene and a deeper, more intense flavor experience.

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Artwork: Cooking Vegetables by Sher Sester
Source: Consumer Reports