New nutrition study presents a case for vegetarian diets for athletes

If you still think you need to eat meat to gain muscle, researchers at Arizona State University are here to set you straight. In a new study in Nutrients, both vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes tracked their diet for one week and were put through a series of fitness tests. The researchers’ findings: Whether the athletes were fueled by plants or animals, they had pretty much the same body composition and same level of physical performance—with maybe even a slight edge to the green eaters. The male athletes clocked in…

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The 13 Biggest Nutrition Discoveries of 2016

The year in review: nutrition edition The truth about nutrition is always in flux. One day coffee is a carcinogen, the next it’s a potent antioxidant. Carbs used to be the devil, now (the right kinds) are the staple of a well-balanced diet. What’s healthy seems to change regularly, and 2016 was no exception, which is why we’re looking back at the biggest nutrition discoveries of the year. To recap: Remember how we all suffered from serious false hope when butter was said to be healthy? (That is, until another…

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Use Nutrition to Ward off Winter Blues

Physical disorders can negatively affect a person’s mental condition, so experts recommend ingesting sufficient nutrients to stimulate the brain and other parts of the body to maintain mental health. Vitamins tend to be a doctor’s first recourse as nutrients that are good for improving mental condition. A number of studies have established that vitamin D and folic acid help deal with depression. Vitamin D is produced when provitamin D, a substance contained in the skin, is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. In winter, when exposure to sunlight is shorter,…

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Poor Maternal Nutrition Can Cause Early Ageing of Baby’s Heart

Children born to mothers who were undernourished during pregnancy are more likely to suffer early ageing of the heart, a research has showed. The animal study found that moderately reducing a mother’s food intake can make it more likely that the baby’s organs will show increased disease susceptibility and early ageing. These changes in the heart could contribute to decreased quality of life, decreased exercise capability, and increased vulnerability to other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension — major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the study said. Understanding…

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Mothers’ Nutrition Pivotal for Healthy Child Growth, Study

Improving mothers’ nutrition before and during pregnancy is pivotal to reducing child stunting in developing countries, researchers said on Tuesday, as a new study showed poor child growth often starts in the womb. Defined as low height-for-age, stunting affects one in three children in the developing world and carries severe, irreversible consequences for both physical health and cognitive function. An analysis of data from 137 developing nations by a team of Harvard scientists found the leading cause of stunting is fetal growth restriction (FGR) – poor fetal growth in the…

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‘Healthy’ Sweeteners, Protein-Powerhouse Quinoa and Other Nutrition Myths, Debunked

Is agave really better than white sugar? Will cleansing help my body detoxify? We all hunger for nutrition advice, but not all the advice you hear is worth believing. Here are the truths behind five common nutrition myths: Processed meat causes cancer: Remember last year’s scary headline? “World Health Organization Says Processed Meat Causes Cancer.” Turns out, the science was not as dire as the headline made it sound. The WHO report said that eating 50 grams of processed meat every day (about one hot dog) increased the relative risk…

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