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Tea: A Cup Of Good Health?

Tea: A Cup Of Good Health?

Tea, especially green tea, is often said to be good for your health. But if tea is good for you, how good? And why?

It turns out that tea contains substances that have been linked to a lower risk for heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. But if you just don’t like tea, take heart: Tea drinking alone will never come close to the most potent health promoter we know of — a healthy lifestyle. And coffee may provide a similar health boost.

“Tea consumption, especially green tea, may not be the magic bullet, but it can be incorporated in an overall healthy diet with whole grains, fish, fruits and vegetables, and less red and processed meat,” says Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.

What’s In Your Cup?

Tea contains certain substances linked to better health. The main players are chemicals called polyphenols, in particular catechins and epicatechins.

“These are enriched in tea, especially green tea,” Sun says.

The fermentation process used to make green tea boosts levels of polyphenols. Black and red teas have them, too, but in lesser amounts and types that are less strongly tied to improved health.

What do polyphenols do? For one thing, they’re antioxidants. Antioxidants latch on to and neutralize chemicals called oxidants, which cells make as they go about their normal business. Elevated levels of oxidants can cause harm — for example, by attacking artery walls and contributing to cardiovascular disease.

The catch is that in studies of antioxidants in humans, as opposed to experiments in rodents and test tubes, “the effect has not been substantiated,” Sun says.

What’s The Evidence?

Some of the best circumstantial evidence on tea and health has come from large, long-term studies of doctors and nurses based at the Harvard School of Public Health: the female Nurses’ Health Study and the male Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

By following these groups for long periods, researchers determined that tea drinkers are less likely over time to develop diabetes, compared with people who drink less tea. That makes sense, in light of research showing that polyphenols help regulate blood sugar (glucose).

As glucose rises in the blood, insulin shoots in from the pancreas to signal the cells to start metabolizing the glucose. Polyphenols seem to assist this process.

“It makes cells more sensitive to insulin’s effects,” Sun says.

Some research suggests that tea drinking might be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. That’s consistent with the lower risk of diabetes, which contributes to heart disease and stroke. Also, substances in tea may help to lower blood pressure or improve cholesterol.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Drinking tea regularly seems to be associated with better health. However, it remains unclear whether the tea itself is the cause and, if so, how it works its magic. The studies attempt to rule out the possibility that tea drinkers simply live healthier lifestyles, but it’s difficult to be sure.

That said, tea itself appears to have no harmful effects except for a case of the jitters if you drink too much caffeinated brew. It fits in perfectly fine with a heart-healthy lifestyle. So if you drink tea, keep it up, but don’t take up the habit thinking it will have a dramatic impact.

Although green tea has a high concentration of polyphenols, it does have a slightly bitter edge. You may find a weaker green tea brew more palatable if you are used to black tea.

But whatever you do, stay away from processed sugar-sweetened tea beverages and chai concoctions. These products may be loaded with extra calories, and consuming more than the occasional sweetened tea drink will tip you in the wrong direction.

“If there are any health benefits to green tea consumption, it’s probably completely offset by adding sugar,” Sun says.

Coffee Not All Bad

Coffee contains a complex mix of chemicals with known biological effects. As with tea, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances called polyphenols may account for coffee’s purported health benefits. Animal studies suggest the polyphenol chlorogenic acid, which is abundant in coffee, could reduce risk of diabetes.

Recent research pooled 36 studies involving over 1.2 million people and found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had the lowest risk of heart attacks and strokes.

(C) 2015. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

Photo: Frans Schouwenburg via Flickr

To Stay Healthy This Winter, Don’t Forget Vitamin D

To Stay Healthy This Winter, Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Two new studies indicate that low levels of vitamin D are linked to cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses — but only one offers enthusiastic support for supplementation in pill form.

Both studies, published recently in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), were meta-analyses of earlier research that looked at the relationship between various illnesses and vitamin D levels, as well as whether taking a daily D supplement had a positive impact on health.

The studies, which looked at data on more than one million people, confirmed previously reported evidence of the risks associated with vitamin D deficiency:

Inadequate vitamin D levels can increase your risk of dozens of serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, and even the common cold and influenza. And apparently, nearly all of us are at risk of vitamin D deficiency …

“Ninety-five percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D — that’s how big the problem is,” says John J. Cannell, MD, who heads the nonprofit Vitamin D Council. “It’s very difficult to overstate the seriousness of the situation.” —“The Vitamin D Debate” (Experience Life, December 2011)

One of the studies found that adults with lower levels of vitamin D in their blood had a greater mortality risk; they also had a 35 percent increased risk of death from heart disease, and 14 percent increased risk of death from cancer.

This study also looked at supplementation. The researchers found that middle-aged and older adults who took vitamin D3 had an 11 percent reduction in overall mortality compared to those who didn’t take the supplement. D3 is the type of vitamin D produced by the body in response to sun exposure and is also found in a few foods, such as wild salmon and shiitake mushrooms. (There was no apparent benefit to supplementing with another form of the vitamin, D2, the researchers found.)

The other study found that evidence suggested that high levels of vitamin D could protect against such illnesses as diabetes and hypertension — but they did not conclude that supplementation had a significant beneficial effect. (Research published late last year also showed that although low vitamin D levels are associated with higher risk of a wide variety of diseases, supplementation had little impact on disease occurrence.)

The researchers noted that exposure to sunshine (for 30 minutes, twice a week, sans sunscreen) and incorporating vitamin D-containing foods could help boost flagging D levels.

With all this information, you’re probably wondering: Should I take a supplement? And if so, how much should I take?

When we talked to our sources in the aforementioned “The Vitamin D Debate,” they were all in favor of supplementation — especially since most Americans are deficient. Here are some guidelines from that piece:

— Ask your doctor for a “25-hydroxy vitamin D” blood test. Levels below 30 ng/ml indicate a deficiency. The optimal level is at least 40 ng/ml. Surfers, lifeguards and people who spend a lot of time outdoors typically have levels of 70 to 90 ng/ml.

— If you don’t currently have a significant deficiency, and if during the summer you spend a lot of time in the sun, with at least your arms and legs exposed, and you are not always slathered with sunscreen, you probably don’t need to take vitamin D supplements.

— If it’s fall, winter or early spring, if you don’t get a lot of sun exposure, or if you know you are D-deficient, you should definitely take a vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol.

— If you have not taken a vitamin D blood test and you’re looking for general guidelines, it is suggested that children take 1,000 to 2,000 IU and adults take 2,000 to 3,000 IU daily.

— Follow up with blood tests to monitor your levels.

Republished with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

Photo: Roman Boldyrev via Flickr

Seven Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Seven Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

By Cathryne Keller, FITBIE.com (TNS)

Your fridge is more colorful than a Lady Gaga performance. Your gym clothes are still sweaty from last night. Your Instagram feed is all sneakers and salads. So why isn’t that jerk of a scale budging?

Changing your food and fitness habits is challenging enough as it is, but if your healthy efforts aren’t even paying off in the dressing room, we don’t blame you for considering ditching your weight-loss plan all together in the name of Netflix and Nutella. But don’t do it.

Even if you think you’re doing everything right, there are a few minor weight-loss missteps that can majorly sabotage your slim-down success. We hit up star trainer Harley Pasternack, author of the new 5 Pounds, to find out the biggest reasons you’re not losing weight (and what to do about it):

1. You sit too much

“People focus too much on exercise and not enough on activity,” Pasternak said. Studies show that intense exercise sessions don’t offset the effects of too much sitting. Pasternak’s recommendation? “Get an activity tracker (he likes Fitbit) and aim for a minimum of 10,000 steps per day.

2. Your workouts are played out

You’ve heard it before, and Pasternak will say it again: Mix it up at the gym. “If you’re bored, so are your muscles,” he said. “To keep your body changing, you have to keep the workouts changing.” Need some fitspiration? Try a new class or add strength training to your cardio sessions.

3. You’re guilty of cardio overkill

Sprinting and spinning until you pass out is not only grueling, but it can actually backfire. “There’s no need to always push yourself to exhaustion,” Pasternak said. “Too much cardio can increase your stress hormones and create an aversion to exercise.” Plus, all those burned calories increase your appetite and can lead to what Pasternak calls the “permissive effect”: “If you’ve killed it at SoulCycle, you’re more likely to avoid extra activity — like walking to meet a friend instead of driving — and say yes to the dessert tray because you tell yourself, ‘I’ve already spun today. I don’t need to do any more exercise and I deserve a treat.’ ”

4. You’re on a juice cleanse

“First of all, there is no such thing as a cleanse,” Pasternak said. “Our body is constantly replacing all of its cells and cleansing itself.” What’s more: Most juices are closer to dessert than a balanced meal. “Because of its high sugar content and lack of the three nutrients essential to qualify your food as a healthy meal — protein, fiber and healthy fats — a juice cleanse will make you hungry, irritable and can even make you gain weight in the long run.”

5. You’re never in your kitchen

“We’re eating out more than we ever have as a culture,” Pasternak said. “As a result, we have less control over what goes in our food, how it’s made, and its portion size.” Making your own food is key if you’re trying to slim down, and one easy way to whip up a healthy meal is to start blending. “Smoothies allow you to make a complete healthy meal in under a minute,” he said. Just be sure to include a little fat to fill you up, and some protein to help you build lean, metabolism-boosting muscle. Not sure what to put in your blend? Here are Harley’s top tips for building the perfect smoothie. (His new Power Blender can help you get the job done, too.)

6. You have a cheat day

“In the past, I used to agree that people could benefit from a cheat day, but it’s really too restrictive the other six days of the week,” Pasternak said. We end up gorging so badly on the seventh day that we tend to set ourselves backward and make ourselves feel ill in the process.” But that doesn’t mean you can’t splurge every once in awhile. Pasternak’s advice for indulging your cravings without getting off track: “Replace the word ‘cheat’ with the word ‘free’ and replace the word ‘day’ with ‘meal,’ and allow yourself to have two ‘free meals’ a week.”

7. Your water bottle is empty

Downing a lot of water may be hard for some of us, but it’s worth it if you want to drop pounds. “Unchecked dehydration can be mistaken as hunger,” Pasternak said. “Stay hydrated with calorie-free beverages throughout the day.” His personal favorite? Sparkling water with a wedge of lime.

Photo:  Nottingham Trent University via Flickr

Strive For A Nutrient-Dense Diet

Strive For A Nutrient-Dense Diet

By Matthew Kadey, M.Sc., R.D., Environmental Nutrition Newsletter

When you turn over a packaged product in the grocery store to read the nutritional breakdown, it’s tempting to look at the calories first. We’ve been bombarded for years with messages that calories count most when it comes to the battle of the bulge. Yet, nutrition experts are increasingly using the terms “nutrient density” and “nutrient-rich” to describe the foods–fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins–we should be eating more of, with less focus on their calories.

What does nutrient-rich mean? Nutrient-density equals nutrients per calorie, says Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T., author of The Vegiterranean Diet.

“Thus, the more nutrients packed into a food calorie, the more beneficial it is toward making every calorie count most efficiently,” Hever notes.

In addition, nutrient-dense foods are items that have not been diluted by the addition of calories from added solid fats or added sugars, according to The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Nutrient-Rich Shopping

Hever says foods from nature, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grains, nuts and seeds are often the most nutrient-dense edibles in the grocery store. In particular, she extols brightly colored vegetables like red bell peppers and dark, leafy greens for giving you a significant nutrient and antioxidant windfall for little caloric cost.

A University of Washington study found that among whole vegetables it was potatoes (both sweet and white), carrots and broccoli that deliver the most nutrients for the least cost. In addition, items like lower-fat dairy, eggs and seafood are also often rich in nutrients without an appreciable caloric cost.

The Nutrient-Rich Bonus

A nutrient-rich eating style gives you a concentrated amount of the valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and antioxidants needed for healthy aging.

A University of Florida study discovered that people who consumed more plant-based foods and, in turn, higher amounts of nutrients, such as phytochemicals and minerals, maintained healthier body weights and experienced less internal inflammation linked to chronic diseases than people with lower intakes of nutrient-dense foods, even though both groups took in about the same number of daily calories.

Consider, too, that people who spend a greater amount of time on home food preparation consume a diet consisting of higher quality calories, reports a 2014 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Nutrient-Poor

“These would be foods that are high in calories, but low in nutrients, such as processed foods, oils, refined grains and sugars,” says Hever. Many highly processed, packaged foods marketed as “low-calorie” or “low-fat,” such as baked potato chips or white bread, provide little in the way of vital nutrients in their calorie load.

For example, refined white rice contains fewer calories cup for cup than brown rice (205 vs. 216, respectively), but you’d have to consume about four times as much white rice just to get the same amount of magnesium found in the brown rice, a mineral linked to lower heart disease risk.

Diets too heavy in foods that provide mainly empty calories, such as soda and pastries, are the reason people can be overweight yet still nutrient-malnourished.

All Calories Are Not Equal

Increasingly, science shows that a calorie from a nutrient-loaded avocado is not the same as a calorie from a nutrient-poor, sugary muffin. Indeed, nutrient-rich items can be both very low and, surprisingly, higher in calories.

Almonds, for example; while a mere ounce of the nuts delivers about 164 calories, it possesses a range of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that make them a nutrient-rich food, despite the calories they contain.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

Photo: Prayitno via Flickr