Taste For Fatty Foods: Fat Gene is Responsible

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Did you ever wonder why there are some people who would prefer a taste for fatty foods over anything else? Is it just habit or there’s an underlying reason? Well, recent findings show that these people may belong to the group who carry a defective ‘fat gene’. 

A group of UK researchers found that there are some people who are hay wired to choose fatty foods. This eventually puts them into an increased chance of developing obesity, as reported in BBC Health.

The Study

The research team from the University of Cambridge gathered 54 subjects and offered them unlimited portions of chicken korma and dessert. The meals were divided into different groups: some were in high in fat, while there were low-fat versions. 

It was noticeable that those with genes linked to obesity preferred the high-fat food. 

Fat genes

MC4R is the gene responsible for controlling hunger, managing appetite and burning calories. One in every 1,000 carries the defective gene which causes obesity in families. 

Experts think that humans developed this mutated gene to cope with famine and starvation. When there is not enough food, it’s sensible to eat and store fat to keep hunger at bay. However, if you have an MC4R gene, it just means that hunger can be insatiable. 

For dessert, they had a selection of strawberry pudding and meringue and cream. They also varied the sugar content in these foods.

It was noted that the 14 people with the defective gene ate more of the high-fat chicken korma compared to the 20 lean people and 20 obese people in the study.

The results also found that the MC4R carriers did not like the high-sugar option for dessert. Professor Sadaf Farooqi said that this is indicative of food preferences being linked to biology rather than free will.

“Even if you tightly control the appearance and taste of food, our brains can detect the nutrient content.

“Most of the time we eat foods that are both high in fat and high in sugar. By carefully testing these nutrients separately in this study, and by testing a relatively rare group of people with the defective MC4R gene, we were able to show that specific brain pathways can modulate food preference.”

The professor is the lead researcher and a part of the Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge. 

The gene is somehow responsible for making the carrier value fat over sugar. Prof Farooqi says that this behaviour makes sense if the goal is to build-up fat storage for energy. 

The professor continued, “Having a pathway that tells you to eat more fat at the expense of sugar, which we can only store to a limited extent in the body, would be a very useful way of defending against starvation.”

She included as well that the results do not mean people cannot say no to their urges. Diet and exercise still plays a big role in achieving the optimum healthy weight.

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A Look at How Good Canine Athletes Really Are

How much do you love watching the canine athletes of the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge on TV? A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend the finals near St. Louis, and you guys, I don’t think I could’ve been more pumped up about it if it had been the Olympic Games. (It would at least be close.) I love witnessing the close bonds between the dogs and their owners — the celebrations they have after every competition, regardless of performance, warms the cold cockles of my heart. (FYI, this year’s National Finals actually just took place on October 1, …

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Your Guide to Eating for Energy

Who doesn’t want more energy? We know we do. And while we all know that eating healthy helps us to feel better and fuels us to do the workouts and activities we love, did you know that some vitamins and minerals actually help to banish fatigue? True story! And we have this handy little infographic from Fix that breaks it all down into an easy to understand format. It’s pretty much a guide to eating for energy! A Guide to Eating for Energy Source: Fix.com Blog It’s no secret that all of those eating-for-energy foods are all unprocessed, clean and totally …

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The Top Essential Foods That Boost Immunity

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Before a cold starts, we all have the chance to make our bodies stronger. How do we start doing that? Well, check out this list – it will absolutely make you healthier.

This piece from Prevention.com talks about the common and basic snacks that strengthen our immunity. It says yogurt, oats and barley, as well as chicken soup can help our bodies fight against diseases like flu, and other types of infection.

Did you also know that beef carries zinc? Zinc is one of the most important components that destroy bacteria. Other than that, shellfish and garlic are essential in our diet to make us stronger. 

9 Power Foods That Boost The Immune System

You can ensure your body and immunity run smoothly by rounding out your plate with plenty of colorful servings of fruits and veggies, plus 8-10 glasses of water a day, at the very least. The following ingredients can add extra flu-fighting punch to your meal plan. Read more…

This time, James Schend from healthline.com has suggestions which include simple foods that contain a lot of vitamin C. The top on the list are citrus fruits and bell peppers.

On the other hand, there are those that offer antioxidants as well. These are ginger, almonds and green tea. These hold the key to a healthier body.

Foods That Boost the Immune System

Eating just one of these foods constantly won’t be enough to help fight off the flu. Keep in mind that variety is key to proper nutrition. Pay attention to serving sizes and recommended daily intakes so that you don’t get too much of a single vitamin and too little of others. Read more…

Lisa Ryan for dailymail.co.uk interviewed nutrition coach, Andrea Moss. The coach suggested a variety of fruits and vegetables to combat common colds.

They talked about spinach which is rich in Vitamin C and folic acid. They also tackled the uses of grapefruit, cinnamon and watermelon.

Revealed: the 10 foods YOU should be eating now to ward off colds and flu

It is that time of the year again, when the cold and flu season strikes rendering millions a slave to the sniffles. Holistic nutrition coach, Andrea Moss, of Moss Wellness in New York City, shares her top 10 foods to eat. Read more…

Are you running out of healthy food choices? Let’s get tips from Shira Bocar from Everyday Food:

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Unhealthy Breakfast Foods: What To Avoid

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We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It plays a big role in our metabolism, it lowers cravings late in the afternoon, and it’s our energy source for the day. However, we may not be aware of this but there are two categories of breakfast meals: the good and the bad.

Good choices would consist of foods rich in fiber and low in fat. The bad choices would mean bland, sweet, and high in saturated fat.

The Typical Breakfast Meal

This kind of meal is too high in carbs, and very low in fiber. These are mainly composed of cereals, pancakes, bagels and other types of pastries. When you get your kids to eat a healthy meal, this can be a big problem. Krishnendu Ray, a food studies professor at New York University, said to foxnews.com, “The idea that children have bland, sweet food is a very industrial presumption. In many parts of the world, breakfast is tepid, sour, fermented and savory.”

A good daily meal should have complex carbohydrates, fibre, natural sugars, and savoury flavours. Great examples would be fruits, whole-grain breads, oatmeal, sweet potatoes as well as yogurt. They’re quick choices for a morning meal but rest assured, the kids will be satisfied until lunch time.

As we already have an idea about the good choices for breakfast let’s try to tackle some examples of foods that we should avoid so we can have a clearer picture in mind.

Bagels

Bagels have high glucose content. The carbs in a bagel are turned quickly into glucose which spikes the blood sugar levels. When you have a high level of glucose in your bloodstream, this eventually leads to weight gain. A better alternative to this would be an English muffin topped with peanut butter.

Sandwiches

A sandwich would mean: bread, eggs, cheese and meat all in one combination. These are way too heavy in fat, salt, and calories. Instead of this, scramble an egg and put it on your whole-wheat bread. This has fewer calories and definitely a healthier choice.

Croissants

The high butter to flour ratio is crazy and it’s more of like a dessert. It’s quite high in saturated fat and it absolutely does not make it to the breakfast category.

Donuts

These things have high sugar content and no fiber. If you eat one doughnut every day for a week, that’s around 1,500-2,000 calories. You’ve just gained an extra pound of fat. This is ultimately not a good choice for a morning meal. 

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Roller Coasters Can Change Your Life: Health Benefits With These Rides

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From asthma, kidney stones, and deafness – these are the major controversial health issues associated with roller coaster rides.

The Benefits

The incidents with Wartinger’s patients passing kidney stones after their rollercoaster rides bewildered us all. That girl who was temporarily deaf got her hearing back after riding the Rita, Queen Of Speed roller coaster at Alton Towers. Twenty-five asthmatic women got temporary relief from their shortness of breath when they rode the roller coaster. These are the incredible positive results of riding a roller coaster.

If you are familiar with the pain associated with kidney stones, Dr. Wartinger’s news about his study probably came as a big surprise.

The Rollercoaster-Kidney Stone Experiment

Scientists from Michigan State University revealed the findings about the kidney stone experiment.  There were patients who testified that after riding Walt Disney World’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, it let them pass the stones.

These stones are developed when there’s too much waste residue in the blood. Some examples are uric acid and calcium. These tend to turn into solid stone-like crystals. Usually, people who don’t drink enough fluids are the ones who are likely to experience this condition.

There are stones that are quite small (4mm in diameter or less) and can be passed in urine. However, the larger stones are the ones that can’t be passed and they need to be broken up through ultrasound or laser technology.

The Michigan researchers conducted an experiment which involves riding the roller coaster all day and carrying a replica of the patient’s kidney (the one who passed stones after riding Walt Disney’s Mountain Railroad). The replica was loaded with urine and stones.

The ride’s movement displaced the stones – the rattles, turns, ups and downs caused the stones to dislodge. Another factor to consider: the location of your seat. The researchers found that where you sit during the ride affects the number of stones passed. If you sit at the back, this is where it shifts the most. 

This is quite a factor to consider. Rides, especially roller coasters, are more known to cause injury or accidents. However, the list of benefits doesn’t really end here.

The Roller Coaster-Tumour Incident

Based on a report from the dailymail.uk, a British woman on a family holiday in Florida rode the roller coaster, The Incredible Hulk. Sally Dare experienced headaches and blurred vision after the ride. She says, “It was a pretty forceful ride and I was thrown about and my head was banged quite a lot. I felt awful afterwards, but the headaches just seemed like others I’d had, so I thought nothing of it.”

It took a serious turn though when her arms tingled, she became really dizzy, her eyesight got worse, and she couldn’t remember some words. Sally’s doctor told her to consult a neurosurgeon. She was then diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, 2cm in size. It was removed immediately.

Sally states, “Usually, they can go undetected until they are inoperable and the size of a tangerine.”

She added, “Who would have thought a holiday would trigger something like this? Going on the rollercoaster helped me. But I don’t think I will ever set foot on one again.” The ride dislodged the tumor which then put pressure on her brain and caused the symptoms to appear early.

This is a surprising turn of events. Who would have thought roller coasters could help people with tumours?

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Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Parsnip Spiralized Pasta

Spiralized parsnips make a wonderful pasta replacement in this satisfying, spicy Autumn dish made with brussels sprouts and spicy chicken sausage.

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