Now, chocolate bar that keeps wrinkles at bay

May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 21 (ANI): Good news for chocolate lovers: A new kind of chocolate has been created that apparently slows the ageing process and fights wrinkles.

Made by the world”s largest chocolate manufacturer, Acticoa is packed with natural antioxidants, which can protect the skin from damage by harmful free radicals.

Studies have shown that just 20g a day of the chocolate could help prevent wrinkles by hydrating the skin and improving elasticity.

The time-defying bars, drinks and buttons are the brainchild of chocolatiers at Barry Callebaut, whose 7,500 strong workforce in 26 countries make 3- billion-pound worth of chocolate each year, supplying household names like Cadbury and Thorntons.

“Chocolate and health do not seem to fit together but it is a very interesting proposition: if I can eat something I like and it is good for me, that is great. Chocolate is probably at the bottom of the list when you think about making food healthier,” the Telegraph quoted Harry Vriens, of Barry Callebaut, as saying. (ANI)

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Clove the best antioxidant spice

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 17 (ANI): Clove is the best antioxidant spice, say Miguel Hernández University (UMH) researchers.

Using spices eaten in the Mediterranean diet as natural antioxidants is a good way forward as far as health is concerned.

Boffins from the Miguel Hernández University have identified cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) as the best antioxidant spice, due to the fact they contain high levels of phenolic compounds, as well as having other properties.

“Out of the five antioxidant properties tested, cloves had the highest capacity to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the best iron reducer”, Juana Fernández-López, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the UMH, tells SINC.

As a result, the research study published in the latest issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal ranks this spice as the best natural antioxidant.

“The results show that use of the natural oxidants occurring in spices used in the Mediterranean diet, or their extracts, is a viable option for the food industry, as long as the organoleptic characteristics of the food product are not affected”, adds the researcher.

“These substances exhibit high antioxidant capacity, and could have beneficial effects for health”, says the researcher.

The team also evaluated the antioxidant effect of the essential oils from other spices used in the Mediterranean diet – oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary, (Rosmarinus funcionarios cinalis) and sage (Salvia funcionarios cinalis).

The objective of the study is to enable these spices to be incorporated into food products (above all meat products) as natural antioxidants.

“Lipid oxidation is one of the main reasons for foods deteriorating, and causes a significant reduction in their nutritional value, as well as loss of taste”, says Fernández-López.

These alterations lead to a reduction in the useful lifespan of the food product. To avoid such deterioration, the food industry uses synthetic antioxidants in its products. However, as these are chemical compounds, questions have been raised about their potential toxicity and side-effects.

As a result, there is a growing interest in using plant-based products (spices, aromatic and medicinal plants) with potential antioxidant activity, in order to replace the synthetic antioxidants with “natural” substances. (ANI)

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Eating tart cherries may boost antioxidant activity in the body

April 20, 2009 By 1 Comment

Washington, April 20 (ANI): Eating tart cherries could significantly boost antioxidant activity in the body, according to a new study.

Researchers at University of Michigan found that healthy adults who ate a cup and a half of frozen cherries had increased levels of antioxidants, specifically five different anthocyanins – the natural antioxidants that give cherries their red colour.

They randomly assigned 12 healthy adults, aged 18 to 25 years, to eat either one and a half cups or three cups of frozen tart cherries.

The researchers analyzed participants’ blood and urine at regular intervals after they ate the cherries and found increased antioxidant activity for up to 12 hours after eating cherries.

“This study documents for the first time that the antioxidants in tart cherries do make it into the human bloodstream and is coupled with increased antioxidant activity that could have a positive impact,” said Sara L. Warber, MD, Co-Director of University of Michigan Integrative Medicine and principal investigator of the study.

“And, while more research is needed, what’s really great is that a reasonable amount of cherries could potentially deliver benefits, like reducing risk factors for heart disease and inflammation,” Warber added.

Previous animal studies have linked cherries and cherry compounds to important benefits, including helping to lower risk factors for heart disease and impacting inflammation.

Warber’s colleagues at the University of Michigan have earlier shown in animals that cherry-enriched diets can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce triglycerides, an unhealthy type of blood fat.

Other benefits of cherries found in animal studies include a 14 percent lower body weight and less “belly fat,” the type linked with increased heart disease risk and type 2 diabetes.

“It’s encouraging when research like ours finds that great-tasting fruit can lead to real-life benefits, continuing to underscore the importance of whole foods in the diet,” said Warber.

The study was reported at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting in New Orleans. (ANI)

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Antioxidants in grapes may fight blood pressure

October 31, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Antioxidants in grapes may fight blood pressureA study by University of Michigan indicates that grapes act as a shield against blood pressure. The study indicates that black, green and red grapes contain high levels of natural antioxidants that reduce hypertension. Flavonoids found in the skin, pulp and seeds of grapes help in lowering the blood pressure.

Experiments were conducted on two groups of rats. The researchers found that after 18 weeks, rats that ate the grape-enriched powder had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced inflammation throughout their bodies. Whereas the second group which did not didn’t get the mixture and was treated with hydrazine, a blood pressure medicine, showed less healthy hearts.

“Though it’s true that your mom told you to eat all your fruits and your vegetables, and that we are learning a lot about what fruits, including grapes, can do … we would not directly tell patients to throw all their pills away and just eat grapes,” says Steven Bolling, MD, who heads the program.

“These findings support our theory that something within the grapes themselves has a direct impact on cardiovascular risk, beyond the simple blood-pressure-lowering impact that we already know can come from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables,” says Seymour, who manages the University of Michigan Cardioprotection Research Laboratory.

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