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Exotic vegetable cultivation picks up in Jammu and Kashmir

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gopalpura (Jammu and Kashmir), Aug 29(ANI): Vegetable farmers in Jammu and Kashmir have opted for cultivation of exotic vegetables, as it has turned out to be more beneficial to them than growing the indigenously grown varieties.

Mohammed Shafi, a farmer and a seed dealer from capital Srinagar has been experimenting with the cultivation of exotic vegetable varieties bringing most of the seeds from European Union nations.

Shafi has been growing varieties like red cabbage, savoy type cabbage, green rocket, Broccoli, B Sprouts, red fire lettuce and a host of others.

He also claims that the medicinal values of these vegetables are very high and are used in curing different kinds of ailments like the stomach ulcer.

“It has good medicinal values. I read in an American journal about the medicinal value of Broccoli which helps to cure a big disease like stomach ulcers. It has food value and medicinal value hence people are now slowly getting aware of its benefits,” said Shafi.

Meanwhile, Bashir Ahmed Dar, Director of Agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir, believes that the farmers in the state are steadily getting aware of the potential in cultivating these varieties.

Dar also said that the clientele of these vegetables is the upper middle class due to which the prices are high.

“They are very good vegetables hence we thought of introducing it here. We have broccoli, lettuce, Chinese cabbage and gradually people are consuming it. However, its consumption is among the people from the high society. There is a demand of these vegetables in hotels and also from the tourists coming here,” Dar said.

It is believed that Jammu and Kashmir can be a vast market for such vegetables as the valley has a seasonal edge over other states

These vegetables have an advantage of withstanding temperature fluctuations during the spring in Kashmir. They mature in lesser number of days than the open pollinated types. By Parvez Bhatt(ANI)

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Kolkatans worried over rise in prices of vegetables, fish

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kolkata, Aug 28 (ANI): People of Kolkata are a worried lot as prices of vegetables and fish have increased in the city.

The vegetable vendors are selling potatoes at the rate of Rs.18 per kg which were earlier being sold at Rs.6. Earlier, prices of tomatoes were Rs.20 per kg but now they are being sold at Rs.30 per kg. The prices of other vegetables have also increased.

Vegetable sellers say that less production of vegetables have increased the price this year.

“The prices of vegetables were low earlier. But now the prices are increasing because of less production. There is a gap between supply and demand,” said Sahadeb Poira, a vegetable seller.

Residents say that prices of vegetables are becoming unaffordable for them.

“Here if I go to market for potatoes I have to pay 18 rupees more than that. And say now when you—-purchase 5 rupees or 6 rupees per kg now its three times therefore we can’t afford it,” said RN Chakraborty, a resident of Kolkata.

The prices of food grain, sugar and other items of daily needs have created an explosive situation in India because of weak monsoon and drought like situation.

Food prices surged an annual 13.3 percent in mid-August even as the overall wholesale price index fell, and the impact of a poor monsoon on inflation and the economy could prompt further government relief steps.

The prices of ‘Hilsa’ fish have also increased in the region. Sayeed Anwar Maqsood, secretary, Fish Importers Association says that prices have increased because of less procurement from neighbouring Bangladesh.

“The prices of Hilsa fish have gone up because of the fact there is a scarcity in the market. We fish importer association used to bring every year more than 5,000 metric ton of Hilsa fish. But then we are not able to bring fish this year from Bangladesh. The major reason is because fish availability in Bangladesh itself is very little,” said Maqsood.

Hilsa prices in Kolkata, as a result, have shot up substantially from 100-120 rupees (2.3- 2.7 US Dollars) a kilogram to 350-400 rupees (8.15- 9.31 US Dollars), putting the fish out of reach of middle class Bengalis. (ANI)

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Soluble fibre ‘effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome’

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug 28 (ANI): A new study by researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands has suggested that a soluble fibre supplement called psyllium should be the first line of attack in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

In the study, researchers compared adding bran, psyllium and a dummy supplement to sufferers’ diets.

They found psyllium was the most effective, warning that bran may even worsen the symptoms of the condition.

IBS is characterized by abdominal pain and an irregular bowel habit.

Its exact cause is unknown and recommendations for treatment include dietary advice, antidepressants and drug treatments.

Many relying on dietary adjustments still turn to bran in a bid to help improve the way the intestines work.

However, the new study of 275 patients questions the wisdom of this approach.

The researchers gave patients 10g of either psyllium, bran or rice flour twice a day for 12 weeks.

At the end of the study, those on psyllium, a naturally occurring vegetable fibre, reported symptom severity had been reduced by 90 points using a standard scale of rating problems.

For bran it was 58 points and for the placebo group, 49.

The study also showed that patients seemed less tolerant of bran, with more than half of the group dropping out during the trial, mostly because their symptoms worsened.

Soluble fibre can also be found in fruit such as apples and strawberries, as well as barley and oats.

“I think adding psyllium to the diet is the best treatment option to start with. In the study, people did this by adding it to things such as yoghurt and it had a real effect,” the BBC quoted Dr Niek de Wit, one of the researchers, as saying.

The study has been described in the British Medical Journal. (ANI)

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Hike in vegetable prices leaves Bihar residents in harried state

July 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Patna, July 12 (ANI): The high prices of vegetables have upset household budgets of people in Bihar, leaving them both harried and troubled.

The hike in fuel prices and a delay in monsoons have adversely affected vegetable prices. People say the prices are too high.

“For the past month or so, vegetables have become very expensive. Whatever was around rupees eight has gone up to 25 rupees. Ladyfinger which was rupees six per kg has gone up to rupees 25-30. Tomatoes, which used to be rupees 10-12, are now being sold at rupees 35-40. Sometimes it goes beyond what we can afford, but we have to manage. We now buy lesser quantities,” said Sunil Kumar Agarwal, a customer.

People say think before buying vegetables or buy just as per their needs.

“The vegetables have become very expensive. We have to think before buying. Previously, we could buy in stock and keep it in the refrigerator. But now, we just buy as per our needs,” said Archana Kumari, another customer.

Vendors say the rise in fuel prices have had a cascading effect on vegetable prices and the prices of other essential commodities.

“The rains were delayed this year so the crop was destroyed. And all the vegetables that we get from outside, they are expensive as the petrol and diesel prices have increased. We spend more, so we sell it for more,” said Guddu, a vegetable vendor.

The hike in petrol and diesel prices has irked the common man. (ANI)

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Now, tires made of oil from orange peels

July 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 11 (ANI): Reports indicate that tire manufacturer Yokohama is now selling a model made with 80 percent non-petroleum material, substituting orange oil as the primary ingredient to make vulcanized rubber.

According to a report carried out in www.earth911.com, the new tire is called the ‘Super E-spec’ and has already received the Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice Award in 2008.

Yokohama will initially market the tire for hybrid car models such as the Toyota Prius.

“The eco-focused dB Super E-spec mixes sustainable orange oil and natural rubber to drastically cut the use of petroleum, without compromising performance,” said Yokohama vice president of sales Dan King.

“It also helps consumers save money at the gas pump by improving fuel efficiency via a 20-percent reduction in rolling resistance,” he added.

Orange oil is considered sustainable because it is produced from a renewable resource.

The same philosophy of reducing petroleum use is utilized in producing plastics from corn starch or vegetable oil.

The process for recycling tires involves devulcanizing the rubber, which would essentially remove the oil and extract natural rubber.

Because this is an expensive process, used tires are often shredded and turned into playground surfacing or additives for the soil in sports turf. It can also be reused as artwork. (ANI)

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Weed killers can improve nutritional value of important food crop

July 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 9 (ANI): In a new study, scientists have obtained first evidence that the use of weed killers in farmers’ fields boosts the nutritional value of an important food crop.

The study determined that the application of two common herbicides to several varieties of sweet corn significantly increased the amount of key nutrients termed carotenoids in the corn kernels.

In the new study, Dean Kopsell and colleagues note that farmers grow about 240,000 acres of sweet corn in the United States each year, making it an important food crop.

Corn is among only a few vegetable crops that are good sources of zeaxanthin carotenoids.

Consuming carotenoid-rich vegetables may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (a leading cause of vision loss among older people), heart disease, and cancer, the study noted.

The scientists exposed several varieties of sweet corn plants to the herbicide mesotrione or a combination of mesotrione and atrazine, another commonly used weed killer, and harvested mature corn 45 days later.

Herbicide applications made the corn an even-better source of carotenoids, boosting levels in the mature kernels of some varieties by up to 15 percent.

It specifically increased levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, the major carotenoids in sweet corn kernels, which studies have linked to a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. (ANI)

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Fruit, vegetable intake cuts upper respiratory tract infection risk in pregnant women

July 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 10 (ANI): Eating nutritious foods, especially fruits and vegetables, could reduce pregnant women’s risk of developing an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), according to a new study.

Researchers Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that consumption of at least seven servings per day of fruits and vegetables moderately reduced the risk of developing URTI in expectant mothers.

URTIs include the common cold and sinus infections, which can lead to lower respiratory problems, such as asthma or pneumonia.

Even though the majority of URTIs are uncomplicated colds, identifying ways to prevent their occurrence is important because colds are the most common reason for school and work absences.

Eating fruits and vegetables improves immunity but hadn’t previously been associated with reducing the risk of URTIs in pregnant women.

The researchers studied more than 1,000 pregnant women and found those who ate the most fruits and vegetables were 26 percent less likely to have URTI relative to those who ate the least amount.

Neither fruit nor vegetable intake alone was found to be associated with the five-month risk of URTI.

The patterns observed for total fruit and vegetable intake and either fruit or vegetable intake alone in relation to the three-month risk of URTI were consistent with those when assessing the five-month risk of URTI.

Women in the highest quartile of fruit and vegetable intake had a stronger reduced three-month risk than the five-month risk of URTI. Moreover, there was a significant decreasing linear trend for the three-month risk of URTI with consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Pregnant women have been recommended to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. This study showed that intake of higher levels, 6.71 servings per day, was associated with a moderate risk reduction for URTI.

“Pregnant women may require more fruits and vegetables than usual because of the extra demands on the body,” said senior author Martha M. Werler, M.P.H., Sc.D., professor at Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University.

The study appears online in the journal Public Health Nutrition. (ANI)

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Component of vegetable protein linked to lower BP

July 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, July 7 (ANI): A new study has shown that consuming an amino acid commonly found in vegetable protein is associated with lower blood pressure.

The study, conducted by Jeremiah Stamler, M.D., lead author of the study, and colleagues, showed that a 4.72 percent higher dietary intake of the amino acid glutamic acid as a percent of total dietary protein correlated with lower group average systolic blood pressure, lower by 1.5 to 3.0 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Group average diastolic blood pressure was lower by 1.0 to 1.6 mm Hg.

In the study, researchers examined dietary amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

Stamler, professor emeritus of the Department of Preventive Medicine in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill, said that glutamic acid is the most common amino acid and accounts for almost a quarter (23 percent) of the protein in vegetable protein and almost one fifth (18 percent) of animal protein.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 4,680 middle-age people participating in an international population study on the effects of dietary nutrients on high blood pressure. Participants were from the U.S., U.K., China, and Japan.

The results showed that a nearly 5 percent higher intake of glutamic acid as a percent of total protein in the diet was linked to lower average blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure was lower by an average of 1.5 to 3.0 points and diastolic blood pressure was lower by 1.0 to 1.6 points.

Stamler said that the study might help explain on a molecular level why the Dieatary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet lowers blood pressure.

The DASH eating pattern, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat and nonfat dairy products as well as whole grains, lean poultry, nuts and beans.

The study has been published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. (ANI)

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Shiv Sena protests vegetable price rise in Mumbai

July 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, July 4 (ANI): Shiv Sena activists staged a protest here against the rise of vegetable on Friday.

They alleged that the rise in fuel prices had had a cascading effect on the prices of vegetables and other essential commodities.

Raising slogans against the price hike, they demanded that the government roll back the fuel price hike.

“Two months back the prices of coriander leaves were Rupees 35 but now it has shot up to Rupees 70. It is an essential material for cooking material making it difficult for us to buy. This price hike is because of the Congress government and in future if the prices don’t come down then along with the locals we will stage further such protests,” said Kishori, Shiv Sena activist.

“The prices of potatoes and onions were around Rupees eight but now it has gone up to Rupees 16. How can we afford buying vegetables at such a high rate?” said Mahananda, a local.

Despite price increase, oil firms are likely to suffer a revenue loss of 560 billion rupees this fiscal. (ANI)

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CPI, SUCI activists protest against fuel price hike

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Activists of Communist party of India and Socialist Unity Centre of India staged demonstrations against the increase in prices of petrol and diesel here on Friday.

Shouting slogans against the ruling Congress party, protesters demanded the government to roll back the hike.

“The prices of essential commodities like vegetable, pulses, sugar, rice will increase due to hike in petrol and diesel prices as transportation will become expensive. This is a slap on the face of public who voted for Congress. We strongly condemn the fuel prices hike and ask the government to roll back the hike,” said Amarjeet Kaur, CPI’s state secretary.

The hike will aid margins for state-owned refiners forced to sell at government-set prices, and may be only a prelude to greater free-market price reforms in next week’s budget.

Activists of SUCI said that the fuel prices hike will increase the inflation rate.

“It is ironical that fuel prices have been hiked at a time when the government is announcing100 day agendas for the country. On one side the government is all set to come-up with packages to help capitalists overcome economic crisis and on the other hand it is increasing the inflation rate for the commoners,” said Pratap Samal, SUCI’s state secretary.

Fuel prices were last raised in June 2008, but they were cut in December and again in January as oil prices tumbled.

The crude oil prices have more than doubled since a February low, with second-quarter gains the highest since 1990.

Despite price increase, oil firms were likely to suffer a revenue loss of 560 billion rupees on sale of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene this fiscal. (ANI)

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Farmers oppose fuel price hike

July 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Rohtak (Haryana)/Mumbai, July 2 (ANI): Farmers have reacted strongly to the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.

The delayed monsoon is forcing them to irrigate their fields through tubewells, which consume around 15-20 litres of diesel. They said the price hike would make the running of tubewells very difficult.

“This is the time to sow paddy in the fields. The monsoon has not arrived as yet. We have to use tubewell water to irrigate the fields. The tubewell consumes around 15 to 20 litres of diesel. But now, after the hike in prices of fuel, how will we arrange for so much money to run the tubewell? It will be very difficult for us. We will face heavy losses,” said Rajendra, a farmer.

The farmers said the prices of vegetables and other commodities would also go up, as transportation costs would rise because of the fuel hike.

“With the increase in fuel prices, the prices of vegetable will also go up,” said Bheema Chavan, a vegetable seller in Mumbai.

Petrol and diesel prices rose by as much as 10 percent in India, on Wednesday, the first increase this year and one of the steepest ever.

Petrol prices rose by four rupees a litre, while diesel rates were hiked by two rupees a litre.

Prices were last raised in June last year, when the average price of India’s crude imports were 113 dollar a barrel, but they were cut in December and again in January as oil prices tumbled.

The government has not increased the price of cooking gas and kerosene to protect the poor and middle-class.

Despite price increase, oil firms say they were likely to suffer a revenue loss of 560 billion rupees on sale of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene this fiscal. (ANI)

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Scientists use microbial cultures to convert organic wastes to eco-friendly plastics

May 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): In new research work, scientists have used technology derived from wastewater treatment systems to develop a process using open microbial cultures to convert organic wastes to eco-friendly plastics.

“Organic waste from agriculture, industries and households forms a very large resource that is currently discarded or at best transformed into biogas. From a sustainability point of view it is desired to convert these organic resources in chemicals,” said Mark van Loosdrecht of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

van Loosdrecht has been working on using bacteria to transform this waste into bioplastics known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs).

PHAs are linear polyesters produced by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids (fats). They are produced by the bacteria to store carbon and energy.

More than 150 different monomers can be combined within this family to give materials with extremely different properties.

These plastics are biodegradable and are used in the production of bioplastics.

However, the high cost of PHA production compared to conventional plastics has limited their use in a wide range of applications.

Using technology derived from wastewater treatment systems, van Loosdrecht and his lab have developed a process using open microbial cultures to convert organic wastes to PHAs.

This new process is able to produce just as much PHA as existing processes at specific rates that are up to three times faster.

Kevin O’Connor at the University College in Dublin, Ireland, has also developed a new process using bacteria to produce PHAs from waste, only the waste is not organic.

O’Connor has found a way to transform traditional plastics into biodegradable plastics.

Using a process called pyrolysis, the waste plastics are heated in the absence of air, causing a breakdown of the molecular bonds.

What’s left is an oil that is then fed to natural soil bacteria that use it to produce PHA.

In another research, Richard Gross from the Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, New York, is using bacteria that produce a building block from vegetable oils that can be used to make a plastic that is very much like polyethylene.

However, unlike polyethylene, when it becomes waste, it can be converted by mild enzymatic methods to biodiesel fuel.

“We are now looking for a really efficient enzyme that can convert the plastic back to its building blocks. We have found microbes and enzymes that do break it down completely, but we still need to improve their efficiencies,” said Gross. (ANI)

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Monkeys and humans share ‘diet control’ habits

May 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): In a new research, behavioural ecologists working in Bolivia have found that wild spider monkeys control their diets in a similar way to humans, contrary to what has been thought up to now.

Rather than trying to maximize their daily energy intake, the monkeys tightly regulate their daily protein intake, so that it stays at the same level regardless of seasonal variation in the availability of different foods.

Tight regulation of daily protein intake is known to play a role in the development of obesity in humans, and the findings from this research suggest that the evolutionary origins of these eating patterns in humans may be far older than suspected.

The research also provides valuable information about which trees are important for the monkeys’ diet, which is relevant to conservation.

In addition, it may help to improve the care of captive primates, which can be prone to obesity and related health problems due to their diet.

Dr Annika Felton, a Departmental Visitor at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, spent a year in the Bolivian rainforest, familiarizing the Peruvian spider monkeys to her presence and then observing their feeding habits.

She followed 15 individual monkeys (7 adult males, 8 adult females), conducting continuous observations of the same animal from dawn to dusk, and following each of the monkeys for at least one whole day a month.

During observations, she recorded everything they did and ate and for how long.

Where possible, she counted every fruit and leaf they ate, and collected samples of what they had eaten from the actual trees the monkeys had chosen.

The samples were then dried and sent to the laboratory in Australia where they were analysed for their nutritional content.

It is unusual for a study of feeding habits in wild primates to be conducted in this detailed way.

It enabled Dr Felton and her colleagues to calculate how much an individual monkey had consumed and the nutrients involved.

According to Dr Felton, “We found that the pattern of nutrient intake by wild spider monkeys, which are primarily fruit eaters, was almost identical to humans, which are omnivores.”

“What spider monkeys and humans have in common is that they tightly regulate their daily protein intake, that is, they appear to aim for a target amount of protein each day, regardless of whether they only ate ripe fruit or mixed in other vegetable matter as well,” she said. (ANI)

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Ex-England cricketer Lewis ‘smuggled 3kg of cocaine in fruit and veg tins’

May 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): Former England cricketer Chris Lewis smuggled over three kilograms of pure cocaine into Britain in Caribbean fruit and vegetable tins that were crammed into his kit bag, a jury heard on Monday.

Lewis, who was once described as the sporting heir to Ian Botham, was stopped at Gatwick Airport in December last year as he returned from a week-long trip to St Lucia.

Customs officers seized five tins inside his Puma cricket bag that contained a brown liquid that smelt of chemicals and was in fact 100 per cent pure cocaine.

The Croydon Crown Court was told that the 41-year-old all-rounder’s friend, Chad Kirnon, 27, was stopped 10 minutes later and three tins of the liquid cocaine were seized.

The total street value of the drugs, which weighed 3.37kg, was 140,000 pounds.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Tom Wilkins said both men had masterminded a plot to carry the “valuable consignment” of Class A drugs into Britain.

“The question is, did they know that they were bringing in cocaine?” he said. “They had come from St Lucia together and flown out there together. They knew one another and, the Crown says, they were acting together.

“There’s overwhelming evidence each of them knew they were smuggling cocaine when they came back into Gatwick,” Wilkins claimed.

When Lewis was told by the officer that he was carrying cocaine, he replied:

“Could there be some mistake?” before refusing to answer police questions.

Earlier, Lewis had said he had been visiting his family, had told the Borders Agency official that he had packed the kit bag himself and was aware of its contents.

The trial, expected to last a week, continues. (ANI)

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Omega-3 fatty acids, low glycemic index diet protects against age-related macular degeneration

May 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 2 (ANI): Researchers from Tufts University have found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low glycemic index food can significantly reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The team led by Dr Chung-Jung Chiu, of the Laboratory for Nutrition and ision Research, and Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Centre on Aging at Tufts University showed that nutrients, including vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), as well as low-GI foods can protect against AMD.

During the study, each dietary factor was assigned a percentile score, and factor scores were added up to find each participant’s compound score.

The compound scores were related to participants’ AMD risk.

“Although the compound score may be a useful new tool for assessing nutrients in relation to AMD, specific dietary recommendations should be made only after our results are confirmed by clinical trials or prospective studies,” said Dr. Chiu.

Preventing AMD and delaying disease progression would best preserve people’s quality of life while containing healthcare system cost and care challenges.

Food sources of nutrients that support good general and eye health include: citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, and cold water fish.

The study appears in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy). (ANI)

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Bioplastics giant shortlists Thailand for first Asian plant

May 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bangkok – US-based Natureworks LLC, the world’s largest producer of bioplastics, has shortlisted four countries – Thailand, China, Malaysia and Singapore – for a 100-million-dollar plant in Asia, news reports said Saturday.

Marc Verbruggen, president of the Minneapolis-based company, was in Bangkok recently to assess Thailand’s potential as a base for its Asia plant which is expected to start operations in 2014.

“It is too early for us to tell where to establish the new plant, because the decision will depend on how soon the global economy can recover, but Thailand is very interesting since it is one of the few countries in the world that grow plenty of sugar cane and tapioca, which will help us secure the feedstock,” Verbruggen told The Nation newspaper.

Natureworks’ US plant has an annual production capacity of 140,000 tons of bioplastics, accounting for 90 per cent of the current global supply.

Bioplastics, made from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable oil or starch, compete with petroleum-based plastics, which are now benefiting from low oil prices.

Verbruggen said the long-term outlook for bioplastics was positive because more consumers are interested in ecological products, and prices would be competitive again if oil prices rise above 80 dollars a barrel, compared with 50 dollars at present.

He acknowledged that Thailand’s political situation, marred by more than a year of street protests, was a factor in deciding where to site the plant.

“But we observe the situation not only in Thailand but also other countries like China,” Verbruggen said. (dpa)

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Now, a food tin that heats contents sans microwave

May 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, April 30 (ANI): Busy office workers will no longer have to depend on a microwave to rustle up a hot snack, all thanks to a food tin that warms up its contents.

The Hotcan meal, which costs 3.99-pounds, includes beef casserole, vegetable curry and an all-day breakfast.

Hotcans, based in Chesterfield, Derbys, is also developing a new range of pasta, curry and vegetarian dishes.

The 14oz cans generate heat by mixing water and limestone when a seal on the top is broken.

And it takes no more than 12 minutes to heat up the food.

“Our range has been aimed at the emergency services, the Army and people who go hiking, fishing or camping,” the Sun quoted Graham Taylor, boss of Hotcans, as saying.

“But we are now testing our new products with a wider audience.

“The meals make a great warm alternative to a sandwich or salad and are ideal for busy office workers,” he added. (ANI)

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Vegetable juice may help people with metabolic syndrome lose weight

April 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 20 (ANI): A study conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine has revealed that drinking at least one glass of low sodium vegetable juice daily may help overweight people with metabolic syndrome lose weight.

Researchers found that participants who drank at least 8-ounces of low sodium vegetable juice as part of a calorie-controlled DASH diet lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those who followed the same diet but drank no juice lost one pound.

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a cluster of risk factors including excess body fat in the midsection, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood lipids.

If left uncontrolled, metabolic syndrome increases risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke or diabetes.

Participants in the study were primarily African-American and Hispanic adults, populations that typically have a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome.

Each group followed a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet that emphasized eating lean meat, lower fat dairy, whole grains, vegetables and fruit daily and keeping saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and sodium in check.

Two of the groups were given Low Sodium V8 100 percent vegetable juice and instructed to drink 1 or 2 cups every day for 12 weeks, while the third group was not given any vegetable juice.

The results showed that on average, the vegetable juice drinkers lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those who did not drink juice lost one pound

Vegetable juice drinkers were more likely to meet the daily government recommendations of 3-5 servings of vegetables.

The researchers also found that vegetable juice drinkers significantly increased their intake of vitamin C and potassium, while decreasing their overall carbohydrate intake.

“Diet and body weight are key modifiable factors in changing the course of metabolic syndrome,” said John Foreyt, PhD, study author and Director, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine.

“What this study shows is that by taking simple, proactive steps such as drinking low sodium vegetable juice while watching calorie intake, people can begin to control their weight, which helps reduce the risk of long-term health implications,” he added.

The study was presented at this week’s Experimental Biology Meeting. (ANI)

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Griddle- and microwave-cooking maintain highest antioxidant levels in vegetables

April 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 19 (ANI): Griddling – cooking on a flat metal surface with no oil – or microwave cooking can help maintain the highest antioxidant levels in vegetables, according to a Spanish study.

Fruits and vegetables are considered to be rich in nutritional antioxidants, which provide cancer and disease-preventing effects. This is the reason why people are encouraged to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables.

Researchers at the University of Murcia and the University of Complutense in Spain analysed six cooking methods with 20 vegetables in order to determine how various food preparing methods affect antioxidant activity.

The six cooking methods studied were boiling, pressure-cooking, baking, microwaving, griddling and frying.

The researchers said that the highest antioxidant loss was observed in cauliflower after boiling and microwaving, peas after boiling, and zucchini after boiling and frying.

They also observed that green beans, beets, and garlic were found to keep their antioxidant levels after most cooking treatments.

According to them, the vegetables that increased their antioxidant levels after all cooking methods were green beans (except green beans after boiling), celery and carrots.

Artichoke was the only vegetable that kept its high antioxidant level during all the cooking methods, said the researchers.

Griddle- and microwave-cooking helped maintain the highest levels of antioxidants, produced the lowest losses while “pressure-cooking and boiling (led) to the greatest losses,” says lead researcher A. M. Jimenez-Monreal.

“In short, water is not the cook’s best friend when it comes to preparing vegetables,” the researcher added.

A research article on the study has been published in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. (ANI)

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Vegetable- and nut-intake and Mediterranean diet linked to lower heart disease risk

April 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 14 (ANI): Vegetable and nut intake and a Mediterranean dietary pattern seem to lower the risk of heart disease, according to a review of past studies.

However, the review also suggests that the consumption of trans-fatty acids and foods with a high glycemic index may be harmful to heart health.

Dr. Andrew Mente and his colleagues at the Population Health Research Institute carried out a systematic search for articles investigating dietary factors in relation to heart disease, published between 1950 and June 2007.

The researchers identified 146 prospective cohort studies that looked back on the habits of a particular group of individuals, and 43 randomised controlled trials wherein participants were randomly assigned to a dietary intervention or a control group.

They said that upon pooling the study results and applying a predefined algorithm, “we identified strong evidence of a causal elationship for protective factors, including intake of vegetables, nuts and monounsaturated fatty acids and editerranean, prudent and high-quality dietary patterns, and harmful factors, including intake of trans-fatty acids and foods with a high glycemic index or load and a western dietary pattern.”

They write: “Among these dietary exposures, however, only a Mediterranean dietary pattern has been studied in randomised controlled trials and significantly associated with coronary heart disease.”

The research team also found modest relationships supporting a causal relationship between intake of several other foods and vitamins and heart disease risk, including fish, omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources, folate, whole grains, alcohol, fruits, fibre and dietary vitamins E and C and beta carotene.

The study also supported causal relationships between vitamin E and ascorbic acid supplements, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and total fats, alpha-linoleic acid, meat, eggs and milk.

“The modest or weak evidence of these dietary exposures is mostly consistent with the findings of randomised controlled trials, although randomised controlled trials have yet to be conducted for several factors,” the authors write.

“Taken together, these findings support a causal relationship between only a few dietary exposures and coronary heart disease, whereas the evidence for most individual nutrients or foods is too modest to be conclusive.

“Although investigations of dietary components may help to shed light on mechanisms behind the benefits of dietary patterns, it is unlikely that modifying the intake of a few nutrients or foods would substantially influence coronary outcomes,” they conclude. “Our findings support the strategy of investigating dietary patterns in cohort studies and randomized controlled trials for common and complex chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease,” they add.

The study has been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (ANI)

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