6.7 grams of dark chocolate cut heart risk

From UPI.com Health News

CAMPOBASSO, Italy, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A large epidemiological study found new beneficial effects of chocolate in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Italian researchers said.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found 6.7 grams -- about 1/4 of an ounce -- of chocolate per day is the ideal amount for a protective effect against inflammation -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan enrolled 20,000 inhabitants of the Molise region for the study.

People having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood -- a biomarker for inflammation.

"The 17 percent average reduction observed may appear quite small but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one-third in women and one-fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome," lead author Romina di Giuseppe said in a statement.

The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week but beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear."

Soy has staying power as healthy option

By Sarah Hills
Latest news headlines

23-Sep-2008 -

Consumers in the US are increasingly turning to soy as a healthy choice as they constantly change their eating habits to improve nutrition, according to a study from the United Soybean Board.

Soy is popular for its potential health benefits and versatility and 85 percent of consumers view soy as healthy, the survey showed. This is an increase of 26 percentage points compared to 1997.

The 2008 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition survey, which is the 15th annual research study sponsored by the USB, also shows that a growing number of consumers specifically seek out soy foods to aid in weight management and promote heart health as well as to reduce the risk of some cancers.

Meanwhile food companies are taking note. According to the Mintel Global New Products Database, between 2000 and 2007 more than 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient were introduced in the US. This includes 161 new products last year alone.

The USB report describes soy as “a promising long-term phenomenon” and states: “Turning to soy protein, the ongoing trend toward healthy, versatile foods and an increase in offerings at mainstream grocery stores has promoted the increase of trial and awareness of soy foods and beverages.

“In 1997, 18 percent of consumers surveyed had tried soymilk. Today, this number has more than doubled to 40 percent, and consumption of other soy foods such as edamame and tofu are also on the rise.”

Consumers also continue to recognize soybean oil, commonly labeled as vegetable oil, as one of the healthiest cooking oils. It is relatively low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol and zero grams of trans fat, which have been linked to health risks as diverse as cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.

Click here to continue reading article at Nutra Ingredients USA

6.7 grams of dark chocolate cut heart risk

From UPI.com Health News

CAMPOBASSO, Italy, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A large epidemiological study found new beneficial effects of chocolate in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Italian researchers said.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found 6.7 grams -- about 1/4 of an ounce -- of chocolate per day is the ideal amount for a protective effect against inflammation -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan enrolled 20,000 inhabitants of the Molise region for the study.

People having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood -- a biomarker for inflammation.

"The 17 percent average reduction observed may appear quite small but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one-third in women and one-fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome," lead author Romina di Giuseppe said in a statement.

The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week but beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear."

Gardasil is Dangerous As Well As Unproven

By Dr. Mercola

Merck's Gardasil vaccine is supposed to prevent young women from getting cervical cancer. Now the FDA has approved a claim for two less common cancers as well. But whether it will actually prevent any kind of cancer is unknown.

As of July, the federal government's Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System has received over 9,700 reports of problems since the vaccine's introduction in 2006. These include paralysis, seizures, and miscarriage. Twenty deaths have been reported, although the government has not acknowledged a link yet.

Vaccines were originally developed to protect the public from extremely contagious diseases. Now dangerous and unproven vaccines are being mandated in the hope they will guard against diseases that require very intimate contact to transmit. Where will it end?

Sources:
Health Freedom Foundation

What the Chemical Industry Doesn't Want You to Know about Everyday Products

By Dr. Mercola

The global chemical industry annually produces about 6 billion pounds of bisphenol A (BPA), an integral component of a vast array of plastic products, generating at least $6 billion in annual sales. The value of BPA-based manufactured goods is probably incalculable. Environmental Working Group studies have found BPA in more than half the canned foods and beverages sampled from supermarkets across the U.S.

Soon after scientists Frederick Vom Saal and Wade Welshons found the first hard evidence that miniscule amounts of BPA caused irreversible changes in the prostates of fetal mice, a scientist from Dow Chemical Company showed up at the Missouri lab. He disputed the data and declared, as Vom Saal recalls, "We want you to know how distressed we are by your research."

"It was not a subtle threat," Vom Saal says. "It was really, really clear, and we ended up saying, threatening us is really not a good idea."

The Missouri scientists redoubled their investigations of BPA. Industry officials and scientist allies fired back, sometimes in nose-to-nose debates at scientific gatherings, sometimes more insidiously. "I heard [chemical industry officials] were making blatantly false statements about our research," says Welshons. "They were skilled at creating doubt when none existed."

The industry's increasingly noisy denials backfired. By the turn of the millennium, dozens of scientists were launching their own investigations of the chemical. But the chemical industry can expected to fight aggressively against more regulation. Earlier this year, the industry spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat a California legislative proposal to ban BPA in food packaging. The Chemistry Council and allied companies and industry groups hired an army of lobbyists. Tactics included an industry email to food banks charging that a BPA ban would mean the end of distributions of canned goods for the poor.

Sources:
AlterNet September 15, 2008