When you think of whey protein you tend to think of body builders and people looking to “bulk up”.  The idea of drinking down 50 grams of protein shakes a day does not bring up images of people looking to lose weight.

New Study Shows Whey Protein May Help Overweight People

A new study done by Associate Professor Sebely Pal and colleagues from Curtin University and funded by Dairy Australia, evaluated the effects of whey protein supplementation on a number of health risk factors in a group of overweight or obese adults. What they found was that whey protein improved a number of health risk factors in overweight or obese adults.

“The subjects – 70 overweight or obese men and women – were randomly allocated to replace a portion of their normal diet with whey protein, casein or glucose for 12 weeks.

After the 12 weeks, the researchers found that the whey protein group showed improvements in their cholesterol levels, insulin levels, blood pressure and artery stiffness.”

- Dairy Australia Study – May 10, 2010

Is Dairy Australia Really An Objective Source?

We are with you – we had the same reaction when we read the story, however, the study looks like it is for real.  The study is set to be published in two peer-reviewed journals – Obesity and the British Journal of Nutrition.  Yes, it was only done with 70 subjects, but it does show that whey protein has more health benefits then we may have imagined.

Whey Protein – Not Just For Body Builders Any More

Is Whey Protein really some diet miracle  – no.  The study does not show people lost weight when using whey protein, but it did show that overweight and obese people who consume whey protein have less health issues.   It does seem that if you are looking to lose weight the idea of replacing a high calorie meal with a good whey protein shake can help you shed some pounds and reduce some of the health risks associated with being overweight.

It turns out Whole Foods must have a soft spot for whales, seals and penguins – as they have decided these animals deserve to eat their Krill!  Yes, seals and penguins are cute animals we can all connect with – those tiny, creepy shrimp like Krill – not so much.

Omega 3’s Good – Penguins and Seals Dying So We Can Eat Omega 3’s – Not Good

If you are reading this blog it is probably safe to assume you already know all about the positive health benefits from Omega 3 Fatty acids.  Omega 3’s can come from fish oils and they also come from Krill.  Krill are tiny little shrimp like animals that sit way down on the food chain.

Manufacturers in recent years have started to make Omega 3 supplements using Krill.  The advantage is that Krill does not have the mercury contamination issue that you can have when using fish for Omega 3 supplements.  In fact, Krill Supplements have become so popular that the krill population is being depleted.  As whales, penguins and seals basically survive by eating krill, there is a belief that Krill supplements are starting to hurt the whale, penguin and seal populations by drying up their food supply.

Whole Foods Bans Krill Oil Supplements

Whole Foods has decided to take action to protect the whales, penguins and seals of the world…

“Krill are an important source of food for marine animals including penguins, seals, and whales in the Antarctic. Declines of some predator populations in the areas where the krill fishery operates suggest that fishery management needs to better understand how to evaluate the prey requirements of other marine species in order to set sustainable catch levels for krill.

Consequently, at present we are choosing to discontinue the sale of krill supplements as we continue to evaluate this emerging research. Please consider alternatives to krill oil supplements such as fish oil or astaxanthin supplements.”

-Whole Foods Statement

In The Least Surprising Move of the Day – Krill Industry Denies There Is A Problem

Guess who disagrees with Whole Foods?  That’s right, companies that make Krill Supplements.  The industry points out that some Krill supplements are made with farmed Krill – so this has no impact on the food chain for other animals.  Others in the industry argue that Krill is harvested in a sustainable matter and is not having a negative impact.

We are not sure how this will play out,  perhaps Whole Foods is using its leverage to get more accountability for how Krill is harvested and to make sure it is done in a responsible and sustainable way.  If this is the case we say… way to  go Whole Foods!

Krill Say – “Looks Like a Lose Lose For Us.  We die either way!”

It must suck to be a Krill!  Whole Foods cares about penguins, seals and whales – but what about the Krill?  Let’s see, the supplement industry wants to kill Krill to make supplements.  Whole Foods says – don’t kill the Krill… let the penguins, seals and whales kill them!  I guess that is life (a very short life) on the bottom of the food chain.

We love clinical studies – the more clinical studies the better, we just can’t get enough of them.  The only problem is that we seem to spend a lot of money and time to conduct studies that just prove what we already know – eating crap is bad for you!

Healthy Diet Plays a Role in Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

A study in the April 2010 edition of Archives of Neurology finds that consuming a diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish (basically the Mediterranean diet) appears to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, when compared to individuals who eat a diet made up of more high-fat dairy products and red meats.

“The results of the current study indicate that higher consumption of certain foods (salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, dark and green leafy vegetables) and lower of others (high-fat dairy, red meat, organ meat, and butter) may be associated with a decreased risk of developing AD via a more favorable profile of nutrients (ie, lower ingestion of SFA and higher ingestion of PUFA, vitamin E, and folate). Our findings provide support for further exploration of food combination–based dietary behavior for the prevention of this important public health problem.”

- “Food Combination and Alzheimer Disease Risk”, Archives of Neurology – April 2010

Don’t Get Us Wrong – This is Excellent News and a Sound Study

Don’t get us wrong – this is a gret study – done by researchers at Columbia University.  Obviously, anyone who is at risk for Alzheimer’s should seriously consider changing their diet to help reduce their risk.  Our point is simply this – this study shows what most of us in the natural food world know and what our mother’s have told us for generations – eat well to feel well!

How Much More Proof Do We Need that Natural Foods are Good for Us???

While pharmaceutical companies deal with more and more of their drugs being pulled from the market for being unsafe, study after study are proving the obvious- our diet directly effects our health! You want to live longer – eat a healthy diet and avoid taking pharmaceuticals that may have unpleasant side effects… like death!

So, keep the studies coming – keep doing research on the health benefits of eating more fruits and veggies and less Big Macs – let’s see all the “shocking” results.  Maybe someday soon cutting edge, on the fringe doctors will prescribe crazy experimental “drugs” like lettuce and broccoli to keep their patients healthy and feeling great.

We are often asked – “If I could take only 5 Supplements – what should I take?”  Seems like a very reasonable question and we have been guilty of answering it in the past.  Sure we love things like Acai, Resveratrol, Omega 3’s, whole food vitamins, etc.  The problem is that the top 5 Supplements that work for us, may not work for you.

Nutrigenomics – A Fascinating Science That Is Stuck in 1st Gear

Nutrigenomics or Nutritional Genomics is the study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences can affect the way we respond to nutrients in the foods we eat.  In short, Nutrigenomics explains that food and supplements contain more than calories and nutrients, they contain messages that instruct our genes to turn on or off.

The idea behind Nutrigenomics is that we can customize our diet, based on our genetic makeup, and create personalized supplements and diets that will help us feel better and live longer.   Let’s say your genes show that you are at high risk of heart disease, you may get a personalized supplement and diet that will trigger genes in your body that will help your body fight off heart disease.  Your diet for fighting heart disease may be very different than mine, it all depends on our genes.

The only problem is that Nutrigenomics has been around for years and seems to be always on the brink of a major breakthrough.  We see studies showing that our response to food definitely differs based on our genes, but the ability to accurately create customized supplements has still not emerged.  For now, Nutrigenomics is filled with potential, but has had limited practical success.

Please repeat – “Foods are more than just calories, they are messengers”

Dr. Mark Hyman has written extensively on this topic – we need to start looking beyond just the calorie content of food.  On Dr. Hyman’s blog he discusses a fascinating study from the Journal of Clinical Nutrition -

In this study, researchers from Finland took two groups people with metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes) and gave each group a different diet.

Well, sort of. It was different ONLY in the type of carbohydrates they consumed for 12 weeks. The rest of their diet was identical — the same calories and the same amount of fat, protein, carbohydrate, and fiber.

The first group had wheat, oats, and potatoes as the source of their carbs.  The second group ate rye as their source of carbohydrate.   (As I mentioned in my book, UltraMetabolism, rye has some very special properties because it is slowly absorbed by the body and has phytonutrients that help you lose weight and improve metabolism.)

After the 12 weeks, the researchers took a fat sample or biopsy and analyzed it to find out which genes were turned on or off.

So what happened?

In the wheat, oat, and potato group, 62 genes were activated that increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and the stress response, worsened blood sugar balance, and generally amplified all of the forces in the body that lead to obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease!

It was a 100 percent effect — NO good genes were turned on.

In the rye group, 71 genes were turned on that prevent diabetes, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and improve blood sugar control.

This was a 100 percent GOOD gene effect.

- The Overwhelming Evidence of the Healing Power of Food, Ultrawellness.Com Blog – Dr. Hyman

We Agree With Dr. Hyman… in Part…

The study clearly shows that nutrients play an important role in triggering genes in our body.  So, yes, nutrients provide information to our body – telling genes to turn on or off.   The difference we would suggest is that the above study only shows one part of nutrigenomics – that food effects gene expression.  The second part is that our individual genetic makeup will also play a role in how our body reacts to a food or supplement.  It may be your response to rye bread is very different than mine due to genetic differences.

Nutrigenomics Tells Us that Top Supplement Lists are Fatally Flawed

As we all have a slightly different genetic makeup, it stands to reason that the top supplements we need will also vary from person to person.  Hopefully some day we will be able to swab some DNA from our mouth and instantly know what foods and nutrients we need to stay healthy.   Until that day comes, it makes sense to follow general health advice, but just be wary of any company that swears they know the best supplement for you!

Forget Resveratrol. Forget Acai Berries. No, if you want to turn back the clock on aging you need something new, something exotic, something like…. Whey Protein !?!? Yes this sounds crazy and maybe it is, but we recently read a piece that got us thinking there may actually be something to plain old whey protein helping with aging.

Telomere, DNA, Aging and Whey Protein – What is The Connection?

There are many theories of why we age. One popular theory is that as our cells age, we age. Cells are made up of chromosomes and DNA. At the end of the DNA is something called the Telomere. We start with a telomere that is about 15,000 bases long and by the time we die our telomere is 5,000 bases long. This is an amazing oversimplification, but the concept is – as our telomer shortens (less bases) we age and eventually die. So, if we could decrease the rate of telomere shortening we could slow the aging process.

The Whey Protein Connection

We think whey protein is a great way to increase protein intake and terrific for people looking to put on muscle mass. We never considered whey protein an anti-aging superfood until we read Dr. Mercola’s article (link at the bottom). It turns out that some studies have shown that increasing glutathione levels will actually slow telomere shortening.

As our cells need to produce glutathione, we can not just take a glutahione supplement. However, Whey Protein has the sulfur amino acids that your body needs to synthesis glutathione! The theory is, if you feed your body whey protein – you give your body what it needs to release an enzyme that stops the telomere from shortening.

1 Part Science and 1 Part Science Fiction

We want to be clear that this is just a theory, which while based on some sound science, could still turn out to be science fiction. There are a few to many “ifs” and “maybes” for us – but it is interesting. As whey protein is already considered a very strong supplement for many other health benefits, this would just be an incredible bonus to an already strong supplement.

Additional Resources:

Read the Entire Dr. Mercola Piece and Video Here. We have greatly simplified things here and he even has pretty pictures and a video! The end of the article is basically a commercial for his whey protein, but the rest of the article is very interesting reading.

By now we all know that a diet very high in fatty foods is bad for us, but we also know that some of those fatty foods taste really good! Well, it looks like taking Acai may actually help counteract some of the negatives associated with fatty food!

New Study Shows Acai Helps Make a High Fat Diet… Not So Terrible

A study just published in the December 2009 Journal of Nutrition found that rats feed a high fat diet AND acai pulp, had lower levels of total Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) then rats who just ate a high fat diet.

“This is the first study, to our knowledge, addressing the potential benefits of açai intake in the cholesterol profile,” wrote the researchers, led by Maria Lucia Pedrosa from the Federal University of Ouro Preto.

“We observed that the addition of açai pulp in the hypercholesterolemic diet had a hypocholesterolemic effect by reducing cholesterol levels (total and non-HDL), which could be explained by a lower food intake and higher faecal excretion,” they added.

How Does Acai Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels?

The study just looked at end results – it did not try to answer how Acai might have achieved its positive results. To be honest the results do not surprise us, we have been talking about the health benefits of Acai for a few years now. Our theory is that Acai is a powerful antioxidant and thus it can stop cholesterol from oxidizing and becoming the very dangerous oxidized LDL Cholesterol. We wrote a whole article on fruits and oxidized LDL cholesterol, that you can read here.

But What If I Am Not a Rat?

Our most recent survey indicates that, surprisingly, the vast majority of our readers are actually not rats. So, since the study was done with rats – what can we humans take from it? Rat studies are a good first step in understanding how something like Acai may work in our body. Often what we find true in rats is also true in humans – but not always.

The only way to confirm the findings of this study are to do human clinical trials with Acai and a high fat diet. Until those studies are done, there will be debate on whether Acai can really reduce LDL cholesterol in humans with a high fat diet.

So, if you are taking Acai now, we would not recommend loading up on fatty foods and hoping the Acai balances things out. However, if you are not taking Acai now, but are eating a high fat diet, and just can’t stop – now might be a good time to look into some high quality Acai Supplements.

Additional Resources:

Diet supplementation with acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves biomarkers of oxidative stress and the serum lipid profile in rats. Journal of Nutrition, Published online 21 December 2009.

We have an Obesity issue in this country – so Weight Loss Supplements are sold as the solution to our weight problems.

We have an issue with drug addiction and crime associated with drug use, so the War on Drugs is our solution to our drug problem.

We have an issue with global warming and oil dependency, so Hybrid Cars are the solution to our energy problems.

Weight loss supplements, The War on Drugs and Hybrid Cars are all connected because they are presented as solutions to real problems, but they are actually flawed and failed solutions!

Why Our Solutions Don’t Address the Problems and Just Treat the Symptoms

We humans, we are a complicated bunch. We often do things that we know are not healthy (smoking, over eating, excessive drinking, drugs, driving too fast, etc) because there are deeper reasons why we are indulging in something we know is not healthy. I don’t think I am breaking any news here, we all know we sometimes act in a way that benefits us short term, but hurts us long term.

The problem is that when we come up with solutions to our problems, we only address that short term issue – and this misses the whole root of the problem. Let’s take a look at our examples again…

The War on Drugs

We have been waging a War on Drugs for over 30 years and addiction rates are still very high. The War on Drugs looks to address the short term issue – make it harder to buy drugs by reducing the supply of drugs on the street. The problem is, the real long term issues – why people turn to drugs, the issues in their lives that force them to want to do drugs (even when they know they are bad) and of course the chemical addiction – are not addressed by this War on Drugs Solution. In the end, the War on Drugs is a failed solution to drug abuse because it fails to address the deeper issues of why we use drugs in the first place.

Oil Dependency and Global Warming

If reducing our Oil Dependency was as simple as making hybrid cars, then we could cure obesity by making only small size clothes. Again, making Hybrid cars is great, but the solution has to lie in figuring out what it is in humans that makes us WANT to drive high powdered, gas guzzling cars. Short term – we know driving a gas guzzler is bad, but many of us still do even as hybrids enter the market. It is hard, but we need to dig deeper and figure out the root of our problems and not just treat the symptoms of our problems.

Weight Loss Supplements

This is a nutrition blog, so let’s look a little deeper at the whole weight loss supplements issue. Let’s assume that weight loss supplements actually were very effective and helped you lose some amount of weight. A major assumption, but let’s run with it. The problem is, dealing with getting our body to burn more calories is only a small part of the problem. The real problem is why we want to eat more than we should, or eat the wrong foods, or not exercise. It may be because we are depressed and food is a comfort to us. A weight loss supplement will not address the real problem – why we are depressed, why we are eating too much and why we are not exercising.

You might argue that it doesn’t matter why we are eating, if a weight loss supplement helps us lose weight, then we have a solution to obesity. I would argue at best we have a very short term solution to obesity. Once we realize we can pop a pill and lose weight, we will eat more – because we can and because we have done nothing to address the issue of why we are overeating. In addition, all the issues that come with overeating – diabetes, heart disease, etc – will still be present.

Obesity is a symptom of a larger problem – we need to address the larger problem.

2010 New Year’s Resolution – Figure Out Why You Eat

I get it – this sounds silly, but it really is more important than just saying you want to lose 10 pounds. We have sold weight loss supplements over the years and some really do help you lose weight – but strangely the results are very temporary. People lose their 10 pounds (treat the symptom), but the larger issue or why they are eating more than they should or why they don’t exercise is not addressed. Eventually their body adapts to the supplement, they don’t continue to see the same weight loss results and since they have not figured out why they eat, the weight goes right back on.

We really are not making light of this, it can be very hard to figure out why you eat more than you should or the “wrong” foods. In addition to mental aspects, there are real biological and chemical reactions at play in the body. However, once you can resolve the real reasons for your weight gain, you will have a much easier time solving the problem.

Let’s make 2010 the year we stop looking for quick fixes and start moving toward real long term solutions.

It is December, which can mean only one thing… time for everyone to start predicting what will happen next year. While we wish someone could predict the winning lottery numbers for us, for now there seems to be more interest in predicting what people will eat and buy.

New Trends for 2010

Mintel, a market research firm, has released their new report – 2010 Global Consumer Packaged Goods Predictions. What incredible new things do they predict? The same things we saw in 2009, but with a twist. Right, that doesn’t make much sense to us either – here is the explanation from their press release…

“Post-recession, we don’t expect manufacturers to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we predict 2010’s new products will give shoppers something familiar paired with something new to better satisfy their needs,” states David Jago, Director of Trends and Innovation at Mintel. “On retail store shelves, we expect today’s familiar megatrends – health and wellness, convenience, sustainability – to get a fresh, new makeover for 2010.”

That clears it up – right???

Seven Core Trends That Will Impact All New Products

Mintel is predicting that the following 7 core trends will have an impact on all new products in 2010….

1. Symbol Overload: Labels are confusing and consumers want cleaner and less cluttered labels for 2010

2. Sodium Reduction: Look for lots of “New and Improved – Now with Less Salt”

3. Local Gets Stretched: Local used to mean from your town or the town next door. That is so 2009 now. Local will expand in 2010, for example buying from a few states away – local – buying from Mars – not local.

4. Simple Made Special: Buying your bottle of OJ getting a little boring? Fear not, in 2010 new exciting packaging will make buying the simple things in life into a “special” moment you will cherish forever.

5. Color Coding for Convenience: Trouble finding your cereal on the supermarket shelf – don’t worry color coding is coming!

6. Iconic Budget Brands: Private Label brands will be big in 2010. Looks like a worldwide recession has a way of making people care a little less about buying brand names.

7. Gen Y Cleans Up: Gen Y likes to get things done quick and easy. Cleaning up? Give a Gen Y’er something to get it done quick and easy. New products will highlight simplicity of use and quick, easy results to appeal to younger shoppers.

Good Luck inVegas

You can now head out to Vegas and place a bet on how many new products in 2010 will say “Low Sodium”. Good luck, and when you strike it rich, remember you heard it here first!

Additional Resources:

Full Press Release on Mintel 2010 Trends Report

With Thanksgiving just 2 days away, now is the time that most people start to realize that Turkey’s take way too long to cook! How long do you cook a turkey for? How do you know if it is done? How bad can a touch of Salmonella be anyway? Fear not, calm and never sleepy Karen is here to help you…

Ask Karen – Your 24/7 Friend for All Your Food Questions

Sure we pay a lot in taxes, but it is those tax dollars that allow the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to create a virtual assistant who is available to answer any of your food safety related questions 24 hours a day. Her name is Karen and she even gets her own web site -

AskKaren.Gov

Go ahead and try her out.

Don’t Order Yet – The Government Has More to Offer for Holiday Fun…

If asking holiday questions to a robot is not your thing, don’t worry – the government has you covered. Just take a look at -

Holiday Food Safety

In a surprising well done format, the government has laid out everything you need to know to make sure your holiday celebration does not turn into ground zero for the next plague.

Now if you’ll excuse us we need to go start cooking our Turkey – yikes – less than 48 hours until T-day!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

We sure like to put the word “super” in front of anything in this industry. Superfoods, SuperFruits, SuperSize …whoops – that one is for the fast food industry! Around this time of year you hear a lot of talk about what will be the top SuperFood of 2010. Of course, that question would be easier to answer if we could all agree on a definition for superfoods.

What is a SuperFood Anyway?

Here is how Wikipedia defines a SuperFood -

Superfood is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that may confer health benefits as a result.

That clears it all up, right? No, such a broad definition of SuperFood would make almost any fruit, by definition a SuperFood. When every fruit can fall into a definition, that definition loses any significance. If every fruit is a superfood or superfruit, what makes one fruit more super than the next???

How Does the FDA Define SuperFoods and SuperFruits

They don’t! It is important to understand that there is no legal definition of SuperFoods or SuperFruits. There is no science to apply to a food and determine if it is a super food. As far as the FDA is concerned, all this talk about Superfoods is just marketing.

What About Acai, Muscadines, Resveratrol, Noni, etc. – I thought they were SuperFoods?

We do believe that Muscadine Grapes, Acai Berries and Resveratrol all have super nutritional profiles and some impressive health benefits. So, it seems fair to call these elite fruits SuperFoods – and almost everyone does. However, if you twist our arm and ask us what scientific formula we use to determine if a food makes it to SuperFood status – we have a one word answer – Oprah!

Oprah Gets to Decide What is A SuperFood???

Yes – but don’t worry she has help. People like Barbara Walters, anyone from 60 Minutes, The Today Show, any doctor with a book to sell, a staff writer at People Magazine and the list goes on. Yes, in the end it is really mainstream media that ends up (often very unintentionally) pushing a food or fruit to Super Food status.

Acai was a popular fruit until Dr. Perricone went on Oprah and declared it the top superfood. Resveratrol was an interesting component of grapes until Dr. Oz started talking about it on Oprah and 60 Minutes did a piece – now it is a SuperFood. I wish I could tell you that foods became superfoods based on exhaustive clinical studies and research – but the fact is a lot more people watch Oprah than read things like the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.

Rhodiola Rosea – Proof That SuperFood Determination is Not Based Solely on Science

Rhodiola Rosea is an adatogen herb that has truly incredible health properties (click here to read our whole special report on Rhodiola Rosea). Once you read the 40 years of research on Rhodiola, it clearly has high nutrient content and strong health benefits. However, Rhodiola has not been a feature in the mainstream media – so it is generally not called a SuperFood. Note to Oprah if you are reading – do a story on Rhodiola! It really should be a SuperFood!

The Last Person Who You Should Trust When it Comes to SuperFood Status

Here is an industry secret – ask an ingredient supplier what is the top superfood and he will tell you the ingredient he has the most of in stock!

Take with a large grain of salt any superfood predictions made by an ingredient supplier. Ask someone who sells Maqui what the top superfood of 2010 will be and guess what? They will say Maqui! It is almost like asking the CEO of a pencil company which is better pens or pencils. Is it really news when she declares pencils?

We only bring this up because it seems that many of the media stories on SuperFoods tend to quote predictions from the companies that make the foods that want to be SuperFoods. When reading a news story, just be aware of the source.

SuperFoods, like beauty, are In The Eye of the Beholder

I may like Muscadine grapes, you like Acai – it really doesn’t matter. Trying to come up with exactly what makes something a better or more super superfood than the next one, really is pointless. So, while we don’t love the lose definition of SuperFoods, we do like the concept.

It is great if we all start thinking more about what we put into our bodies. Food should have nutrition and provide some health benefits. Let’s take baby steps first. To start, maybe we should worry less about getting one or two superfoods each day and try to make everything we eat at least “GoodFood”. A day filled with “GoodFood” is much better than eating 3 SuperSized Big Mac Meals and then trying to balance that out with the latest SuperFood of the day.