May 19, 2005 Recent News 
Fight Fat with the Help of Food
Low Glycemic Diet Better than Low Fat Diet
Whole Grains May Re-Energize Consumption
Americans drinking most of their calories
Weighing the New Building Blocks
Best Way to Lose Weight
Combining the best components of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets could be the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off. Low carbohydrate diets such as Atkins, which largely exclude fruit, vegetables and grains, produce a greater weight loss initially than reduced-fat plans but in the long-term they are no better and may have side effects. Combining some of the good things from the low carb with the good things from the low fat diets seems to be satiating and also to enhance weight loss. Studies have consistently shown that a 10 percent reduction of fat in the diet produces weight loss in overweight and obese patients. The popularity of low-carb diets which encouraged people to shun bread and pasta in favor of protein such as meat and cheese has faded. In Europe the low glycemic index (GI) diet has become popular. Despite a multi-billion dollar diet industry, the number of overweight and obese people is increasing worldwide. Thirty percent of adults, 60 million people in the United States alone, are obese.
(Excerpted from Reuters June 2, 2005)
Carbohydrate Diets
According to a Food Marketing Institute study, "U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2005," consumers place the most importance on value along with quality food, a good store environment and convenient mealtime solutions. The change in the make-up of households, with more single parent and single person households also has implications for food purchasing behavior. The article includes information of where shoppers tend to buy their food and how much they are likely to spend. The study also found that respondents knew their diets needed help but were doing little about it, claiming confusion, expense, or the fact that healthy choices don't exist in restaurants. Only 42% were familiar with the Dietary Guidelines and 43% did not include vigorous exercise in their routines. More attention is being paid to fat, cholesterol, trans fats, whole grains and fiber, while there has been a strong drop in interest in carbohydrates, except among dieters. Ninety-two percent said they had home-cooked meals at least once a week and 79% prepare them at least three times a week. Respondents reported eating their evening meal out 1.5 times a week, with younger shoppers eating out more frequently than others. Fast food was their main source.
(Excerpted from Milling & Baking News’ Food Business News May 10, 2005)
Fight Fat with the Help of Food
You can increase your body’s fat-burning power by eating more foods that help your liver to burn fat better, resulting in a leaner body. These are some of the foods that fight fat. Oatmeal: This complex carbohydrate is slow to digest and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable while keeping you feeling full. Leafy Greens: Spinach, spring mix, mustard greens, and other dark leafy greens are good sources of fiber and powerhouses of nutrition. Beans and Legumes: Legumes are the best source of fiber of any foods. They help to stabilize blood sugar while keeping you regular. They are also high in potassium, a critical mineral that reduces dehydration and the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Garlic and Onions: This dynamic duo of foods contains phytochemicals that break down fatty deposits in the body, while also breaking down cholesterol; killing viruses, bacteria and fungi; and protecting against heart disease. Cayenne: This hot spice lessens the risk of excess insulin in the body by speeding metabolism and lowering blood glucose (sugar) levels, before the excess insulin can result in fat stores and Cinnamon: Research showed that a quarter to one teaspoon of cinnamon with food helps metabolize sugar up to twenty times better than food not eaten with cinnamon. Excess sugar in the blood can lead to fat storage.
(Excerpted from Cochrane Times May 25, 2005)
Low Glycemic Diet Better than Low Fat Diet
A recent study published states that diets with a low glycemic index are better than low fat diets when it comes to the overall health benefits. The study finds that a low glycemic diet helps lose weight as effectively as a low-fat diet during a 12-month follow-up even though the low glycemic dieters are allowed to eat as much of carbohydrates as they want. One benefit with a low glycemic diet is that the dieters lower the fatty substances in their blood, which are associated with a higher heart disease risk. Also a protein that interferes with the body breaking down blood clots is lower in the low glycemic dieters. In contrast, the low fat diet is found to have higher levels of the interfering protein, meaning that the low fat dieters have a higher risk of heart disease. The study found that the low glycemic index dieters did not overeat even though they were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. The authors believed that the reason they felt less hunger was because it took longer to digest the low glycemic foods.
(Excerpted from Food Consumer June 6, 2005)
Whole Grains May Re-Energize Consumption
Whole grains are pumping new life into grain consumption, which slumped during an Atkins/low-carb diet trend. Interest and attention to whole-grain products are being spurred by the Whole Grains Council that developed a stamp delineating whole-grain products. The website is {www.WholeGrainsCouncil.org}. Now, in the waning days of the low-carb mania, consumers are somewhat reluctant to eat foods higher in carbohydrates. However, they will consider eating whole-grain foods and may go back to grains through the whole-grains group. The new whole-grain stamp will appear on many product packages in mid- to late summer as companies switch over to new labels. To date, manufacturers have anecdotal evidence — but not hard data — that consumption of whole-grain products is up. The recently announced new USDA dietary guidelines are making a difference.
(Excerpted from FarmWeek May 18, 2005)
Americans drinking most of their calories
The leading source of calories in the average American diet used to be from white bread, now, according to preliminary research Americans are drinking these calories instead more than two thirds of studied American adults reported drinking enough soda and/or sweet drinks to provide them with a greater proportion of daily calories than any other food. In addition, obesity rates were higher among these sweet drink consumers. Consumers of 100% orange juice and low fat milk, on the other hand, tended to be less overweight, on average. These results are startling and indicate that we need a much better understanding of how the American diet has changed.
(Excerpted from myDNA News May 27, 2005)
Weighing the New Building Blocks
Once again, consumers, marketers and nutrition experts find themselves at odds over what constitutes a healthy balanced diet. There’s a lot at stake in the debate. A large segment of the food industry is trying to recover from the negative impact of the low-carb trend, which has ebbed, and believes it has found an answer in whole grains. Recent history suggests that dieting trends can quickly become fads, especially when a single ingredient such as oat bran or the low-fat substitute Olestra is hailed as a panacea. Whether whole grains will remain a lasting and viable alternative is unclear, though some health experts point to their established nutritional benefits as cause for optimism. The USDA’s new customizable food pyramid marks the most significant overhaul of the guide since its introduction in 1992. My Pyramid.gov requires Internet users to input their age, gender and activity levels to obtain specific daily recommendations of food amounts. MyPyramid has drawn criticism for alienating minority groups and consumers from lower education levels. Other analysts point to the questionable impact of the dietary guidelines on consumers lives, arguing that Americans do not like to be told by the government what to eat. But the facts about nutrition are clear: Most adults are barely consuming one serving of whole grain or fiber a day; for kids, it is even less. Which is why many companies are clinging to the health benefits of whole grains, whose seeds are rich sources of vitamin B, fiber, protein and minerals, and help stem maladies such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
(Excerpted from Brandweek May 2, 2005)
