Almonds have 20 percent fewer calories than previously thought
Using a new method of measuring calories, which gives a more precise determination of how many calories are actually digested and absorbed from foods, USDA scientists at the Agricultural Research Service determined a one-ounce serving of almonds has 129 calories, not the previously estimated 160 stated on nutrition facts panels.
(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2012)
Cutting food into smaller pieces may aid weight control
Preliminary research by scientists at Arizona State University found that cutting energy-dense foods into smaller pieces may be perceived as more food and therefore provide greater satiety. Two groups of 301 college students were given equal portions of a bagel and cream cheese – one received a whole bagel, the other, a quartered bagel. Those with whole bagels ate more than the other group, and subsequently ate more of the free meal that followed.
(Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, July 2012)
Berry consumption may stall memory decline
High intake of flavonoid-rich blueberries and strawberries by older women appears to delay cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years compared to those consuming less. Data focused on more than 16,000 women over age 70 whose memory and cognitive function was tested every two years between 1995 and 2001. Two or more weekly servings of blueberries and strawberries reduced memory decline.
(Annals of Neurology, April 25, 2012)
Frequent cooking linked to longer life
A 10-year study of Taiwanese people aged 65 and over revealed that those who cooked most frequently (up to five times a week) were more likely to be alive at the end of the study period compared with those who never or rarely cooked. Those cooking the most and living the longest were typically non-smoking, non-drinking women who were either unmarried and lived alone or cooked for a spouse or family; used public transportation, walking and cycling; and ate more nutritious diets than other subjects.
(Public Health Nutrition, March 30, 2012)
