Nuts are in the news: a recent study has offered evidence for a big reason our bodies are so nuts for nuts. They are apparently almost all our big brains needed to survive— thus almost all we ate— from 1.4 to 2.4 million years ago.
Activation of a single type of neuron in the prefrontal cortex can spur a mouse to eat more— a finding that may pinpoint an elusive mechanism the human brain uses to regulate food intake.
A team of Australian researchers has taken a step towards controlling a growing problem in the wine community. They have identified special yeast that produce a lower level of alcohol, helping to preserve the flavor. The alcoholic content of wine has crept gradually northward in the last 10-15 years, from 12-12.5 percent to beyond 15 percent and is seen by some as a disturbing trend, threatening the flavor and character of some wines.
For some people, nothing can top a morsel of luxuriously rich, premium chocolate. But until now, other than depending on their taste buds, chocolate connoisseurs had no way of knowing whether they were getting what they paid for. Scientists are now reporting a method to authenticate the varietal purity and origin of cacao beans, the source of chocolate’s main ingredient, cocoa.
High concentrations of serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a University of Eastern Finland study. The sources of these fatty acids are fish and fish oils. The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) determined the serum omega-3 fatty acid concentrations of 2,212 men between 42 and 60 years of age at the onset of the study, in 1984–1989.
Children are likely to have stronger muscles if their mothers had a higher level of vitamin D in their body during pregnancy, according to new research.
Researchers have identied links between the palatability of various tastes and circulation in different parts of the face. Tastes deemed "pleasant" increase blood flow in the eyelid, according to the study.
New research results suggest a link between the increasing number of people who have developed allergic asthma in the West and a lack of fruits and vegetables in Western diets.
Health advocates cheered last month’s FDA proposal to ban partially hydrogenated oils— which contain trans fats that increase the risk of heart disease— but some wonder whether the substitutes for these fats will be any healthier.
Prescribing an apple a day to all adults aged 50 and over would prevent or delay around 8,500 vascular deaths such as heart attacks and strokes every year in the UK, according to a new study.
Citing a potential threat to public health, the Food and Drug Administration is taking steps toward phasing out the use of some antibiotics in animals processed for meat.
Mothers typically get all the attention, but a new study suggests that the father’s diet before conception may play an equally important role in the health of their offspring.
After conducting a major review of evidence, the European Food Safety Authority has found that the artificial sweetener aspartame is safe for people to consume at the levels currently used in diet soft drinks.
Yes, our prehistoric ancestors had to fend off saber-toothed cats and gigantic hyenas. But did they ever have to take an organic chemistry final or host the in-laws for the holidays? Now that’s stress. And what we eat can either help our bodies fight stress– or hurt the effort.
The most active component of grape seed extract, B2G2, induces the cell death known as apoptosis in prostate cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered the first evidence that the nerves in the stomach act as a circadian clock, limiting food intake to specific times of the day.
New findings show that eating a high-fat diet beginning at puberty speeds up the development of breast cancer and may actually increase the risk of cancer similar to a type often found in younger adult women.
Asparagine, found in foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, was until now considered non-essential because it is produced naturally by the body. Researchers have now found that the amino acid is essential for normal brain development.
The caffeine in a cup of coffee might help your small blood vessels work better, according to a new study showing that drinking a cup of caffeinated coffee significantly improved blood flow in participants' fingers.
Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score— a measure used to predict cancer recurrence— than men who ate a typical Western diet, researchers found.
Tiny amounts of a specific type of lipid in the small intestine may play a greater role than previously thought in contributing to clogged arteries. Researchers were able to reduce the negative effects of these lipids in mice by feeding them a genetically engineered tomato, designed to mimic HDL ("good") cholesterol.
More than 90 tons of ready-to-eat salads and sandwiches by a California catering company are being recalled after 26 people in three states were sickened by a bacterial strain of E. coli linked to its products.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food.
Onions now come in a tearless version that scientists are now reporting could pack extra health benefits like their close relative, garlic, which is renowned for protecting against heart disease.