This week, read about another reason to limit fruit juice, how you can you be your fittest at 50 (and older), increasing your iron intake with teff, killer chairs, anti-inflammatory diets, and more.
Another Reason to Limit Fruit Juice
Many people think fruit juice is a healthy choice, but the evidence is mounting that juice’s health impact is similar to that of other sugary beverages. A study out this week adds to the evidence, suggesting that daily fruit juice drinkers had significantly higher central systolic blood pressure than those who consumed fruit juice rarely or occasionally. It was a small observational study and didn’t look at overall sugar intake, but the findings provide insight for more rigorous research. (Appetite, 84; Jan 2015)
Similar to soda and other sweetened beverages, fruit juice gives your body a huge amount of sugar to process at once, and liquid calories are not as filling as whole foods. Do you think juice is natural? Not really (when would you eat 6 oranges, without their fiber, in one sitting); read more on the “naturalness” of juice in this great article by Travis Saunders. Also, juicing removes more than just the fiber (health-promoting substances, polyphenols, are bound to the fiber). Your best bet? Skip the juice and choose whole fruit instead.
New Recipe: Apple Walnut Cake
Slowly but surely, I am adding recipes to my recipe page. This apple cake is a winner in many ways: simple to make, seasonal and common ingredients, healthy, and great tasting!
More links of interest this week:
- Can you get fitter at 50 than you’ve ever been in your life? A review of Margaret Webb’s book looking into the possibility of achieving peak physical condition at 50. Overall this look like a good book, and I liked the article, but was discouraged at the promotion of a fad (paleo-style) diet (Macleans Magazine).
- Eating teff (iron-rich grain), can boost iron intake in endurance athletes. A recent study showed that a dietary intervention to increase teff consumption can increase iron intake in runners. Teff is an iron-rich grain, popular in Ethiopia and the main ingredient in injera (Ethiopian flatbread). I’m curious, and will be looking into this grain (so far I have found out it can be pricey . . . ). Many athletes don’t get enough iron from their diet – check out my tips for getting more iron in your diet here. (Competitor Magazine, J Int Soc Sports Nutrition 2014; 11(1): 50.)
- Excellent athlete profile: how Canadian trampolinist Rosie MacLennan overcame fear, body image concerns, and went from “never the best” to world champion. (CBC Sports)
Killer Chairs. Sedentary behavior and obesity expert James Levine reviews the emerging area of research showing that standing more, even at a desk job, could lower risk for obesity, illness and death. (Scientific American)- Chasing big things and caring a lot has some gnarly side effects. Another great article by runner Lauren Fleshman. (Runners World).
- Where Age Equals Happiness. Study examines trends in well-being across age, region, gender, and income. Some fascinating findings! (The Lancet, Nov 6 2014, reported in the The Atlantic)
- What’s the Ideal Age for Marathoning? Alex Hutchinson examines the question of whether top marathoners getting younger, older, or both. (Runners World)
What’s so bad about “quality carbs”? Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark addresses the “Carbs are bad for us” message that is popular in the media these days, and does a good job clarifying carbohydrate confusion. (Nancy Clark)- Anti-Inflammatory Diet: As Hot as It Seems? A good look at the evidence to date. (Karen Collins)
- Bring Back the Mandatory Long-Form Census. Ending Canada’s mandatory long-form census was a bad idea in many ways, ignoring the importance of how good data is critical to research, public policy and many other important areas. Bill C-626 is a private member’s bill that would restore this survey and protect the Chief Statistician of Canada from political interference, but unfortunately the bill has little support. Three exerts argue about the importance of bringing back this important survey in this week’s Globe and Mail: Ending mandatory long-form census has hurt Canada; Poor census data is crippling Canada’s ability to compete; Policy making suffering in Canada without the long-form census.
