Scientists have identified an unexpected link between the way the body processes sugar and the development of alcohol addiction. This connection also points to a promising therapeutic target for treating alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). A study published in Nature Metabolism by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz reports … [Read more...]

In what could mark a major step forward for diabetes care, scientists have found extraordinary health benefits in a little-known desert plant. The fruit of Nitraria roborowskii Kom, long used in traditional medicine, showed strong potential to fight insulin resistance and restore healthy metabolism in diabetic mice. The plant extract not only helped stabilize blood sugar but … [Read more...]

Nearly one in five packaged foods and drinks in the United States contain synthetic food dyes, according to new research that analyzed 39,763 grocery store products. The study was recently published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Synthetic dyes are often added to make foods look more appealing, especially products aimed at children, but a growing … [Read more...]

More than half of the calories people consume in the United States come from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which include items such as fast food and packaged snacks that tend to contain large amounts of sodium, added sugars and unhealthy fats. While studies in adults have firmly connected these foods to type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, far less is known about how … [Read more...]

Smoothies are a quick and delicious way to load up on fruits and vegetables, but some ingredient combinations may not be as healthy as they seem. Scientists from the University of California, Davis, discovered that the types of fruits blended together can change how much nutrition your body actually absorbs. Their research, published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's … [Read more...]

Researchers at the Institute of Food Technology (ITAL) and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo, Brazil, working with colleagues from the Fraunhofer IVV Institute in Germany, have developed a new type of food made from sunflower flour that can serve as a substitute for meat. The process begins by extracting oil from sunflower seeds. To make the resulting flour … [Read more...]

Eating fruit may reduce the effects of air pollution on lung function, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The study was presented by Pimpika Kaewsri, a PhD student from the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester, UK. She explains: "Over 90% of the global … [Read more...]

A new study from UNC School of Medicine researchers, published in Neuron, reveals a unique look at how junk food rewires the brain's memory hub - leading to risk of cognitive dysfunction. This new research opens the door to early interventions that can prevent even long-term memory loss associated with obesity. Led by UNC School of Medicine's Juan Song, PhD, principal … [Read more...]

Taking vitamin D2 might lower the body's levels of the more efficient form of vitamin D, vitamin D3, according to new research from the University of Surrey, John Innes Centre and Quadram Institute Bioscience. Many people take vitamin D supplements to support their bone and immune health and meet the UK government recommendation of 10 micrograms (µg) each day, especially during … [Read more...]

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become public enemy number one in nutrition debates. From dementia to obesity and an epidemic of "food addiction," these factory-made products, including crisps, ready meals, fizzy drinks and packaged snacks, are blamed for a wide range of modern health problems. Some experts argue that they're "specifically formulated and aggressively marketed … [Read more...]

As we age, what and how much we eat tends to change. However, how meal timing relates to our health remains less understood. Researchers at Mass General Brigham and their collaborators studied changes to meal timing in older adults and discovered people experience gradual shifts in when they eat meals as they age. They also found characteristics that may contribute to meal … [Read more...]