Low Fat Yoghurts can mean High Sugar content

Desserts are lovely - I was brought up with a pudding following dinner. Admittedly I do have a sweet tooth, hence my constant need to control my weight. So if there are ways to have dessert and not feel guilty then I am all for that.  Yoghurts are meant to be healthy - and we are constantly encouraged to go for the "low-fat" version. But what do they replace the fat with normally - sugar!!! Experts say that that is adding to the obesity crisis.

A "healthy product" is meant to contain  no more than 5g of sugar per 100g. Dessert-style yoghurts had an average of 16.4h per 100g - that is more than four teaspoons per pot!! And they are not exactly the largest containers!!

Of 101 so-called "kid's yoghurts" tested, most averaged around 10.8g.

HMHB says:  we love a yoghurt just as much as the next person. But for taste reasons more than anything else, you may as well go for the full-fat version. They are just replacing the fat content with increased sugar - and that is naturally going to add to calories.  Just mix any nutrition with suitable exercise and being proactive.

Full Fat Milk can boost your heart

There is a lot written about milk - but this entry focuses on a recent global study. I am sure we will come back to other aspects on the drink. We just present the information as published and will have our say at the end.

A huge global study has "discovered" that drinking three glasses of full-fat milk a day can help you live longer. It can also protect against heart disease and stroke - flying in the face of current medical advice to choose skimmed milk instead.

The researchers, from Canada's McMaster University, looked at the diets of 130,000 adults in 21 countries over nine years. Those who consumed the most full-fat dairy produce - an average of 3.2 servings a day - also had the lowest rates of mortality, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

One serving of dairy is equal to a glass of full-fat milk, a teaspoon of butter or 15g of cheese.

HMHB says: this is a difficult one. We promote a healthy lifestyle, but also allow for treats. Full fat milk tastes better than semi-skimmed or skimmed - in our opinion, and others may disagree - and we all are aware of concerns around dairy products in general.
Personally, if you like milk then enjoy it. Link it with exercise and a healthy diet though.

UK - third fattest nation in Europe

Well, the statistics do not lie. In a time of sedentary lifestyles and takeaways galore, it is official - the UK is the third-fattest country in Europe with a reported two in three Brits classified as overweight - that is an astonishing 66%, according to a report by the World Health Organisation.

One in four of us is "clinically obese" apparently - and just Malta and Turkey are ahead of us in this chart of shame - (Malta? Aren't we told a mediterranean diet is meant to be healthier?).

They blamed lack of exercise, poor diet and heavy drinking. The report found that Britain's obesity rate is 27.8 per cent, behind Malta at 28.9 per cent, and Turkey, an incredible 32.1 per cent.  The European average was 23.3 per cent, which is still very high.

The same study, which assessed 900 million people in 56 countries, said Brits were the unfortunate "world champions" for drinking. Nice to know we are number one at something!!!!!!

HMHB says: knowledge and awareness are key, but it is still the responsibility of the individual to look after their dietary intake - both food and drink. We need to educate the young, so that they have a better understanding around nutrition.

Chocolate is good for your heart!! - Research evidence here

Before you get carried away with the heading and jog down to the sweet shop with a bag to buy lots of bars of Dairy Milk, Galaxy (and any other fantastic chocolate confectionery), you need to see this is still a treat. Read the evidence below.

Scientists have found that moderate consumption of chocolate - up to three bars monthly (I did tell you not to get too excited) - can cut a person's risk of heart failure by 13 per cent, compared with eating none at all.

Heart failure is a deadly condition that affects more than 900,000 Brits, causing swollen legs and breathlessness, There is no recognised cure, with many sufferers eventually needing a transplant or dying young. Researchers say that natural compounds in cocoa called flavonoids boost blood vessel health and help reduce inflammation

Before we all jump the gun, they do warn against having too much chocolate, with those indulging daily seeing their risk of heart failure increase by 17 per cent. So, it is a treat, not a habit.

Lead researcher Doctor Chayakrit Krittanawong, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said the popular treat was only healthy in small amounts. "Moderate dark chocolate consumption is good for health. However, some chocolate may have high levels of saturated fats."

The findings, presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich, are based on studies involving over 575,000 individuals.

HMHB says:  everything in moderation. It would be a very boring world if you decided never to eat chocolate again. Yes, dark chocolate is recognised as better than milk chocolate, but enjoy a treat now and then. Just remember, a healthy diet is better for you long term. 

More links between Alzheimer's and being fat

HMHB  actively promotes a healthy lifestyle, which obviously includes watching you weight, as there are clear links between health issues and obesity (we have many blog entries around various pieces of research).

Another recently released study says that "pot bellies could trigger Alzheimer's Disease in older people."

The study by Trinity College Dublin, overseen by Professor Conal Cunningham, working with more than 5000 over 60s, discovered the risk of reduced brain power rose dramatically among those who were overweight. The findings, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, pinpointed a link to a measure of belly fat, known as waist-to-hip ratio.

Fat that accumulates around the waist is more biologically active as it secretes inflammatory proteins.

HMHB says: this evidence again shows that is has significant public health implications. Our own Lazza has admitted yoyoing in weight, and can understand how people use food as a comfort. But ultimately, we need to take control and responsibility, change our diets and how we view food and drink intake, and look after our bodies.

Evidence linking Obesity with early death

We have quite a few blog entries around obesity. It is preventable, and the responsibility of all of us to look after our bodies. We know it increases the risk of health issues, and here is more proof.

Early deaths from heart attacks and strokes have risen in Britain for the first time in more than 50 years, and it is being attributed directly to the obesity crisis.

The deaths plummeted 19 per cent from 2007 to 2012, but rose 2 per cent from 2012 to 2017. The latter five years also saw obesity rates rise by 14 per cent. It is said that one in four Brit adults are now categorised as dangerously fat!!

The British Heart Foundation analysis of cardiovascular fatalities in under-75s alarmed campaigners. Tam Fri, from the National Obesity Forum, called the findings "truly cataclysmic."  He said: "they prove the obesity epidemic is triggering a reversal in heart deaths after decades of medical progress.We are reaping what we have sown."

Shirley Cramer, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: "we need to do much more to prevent the risk factors for heart disease."

Thanks to treatments, such as the greater use of Statins (although that can also be controversial), has meant early cardiac deaths had fallen by three-quarters since 1971.  But according to the British Heart Foundation, risk factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure means the historic rate of progress in reducing death rates across all ages has "slowed to a near standstill."

Experts predict that five million Brits have undiagnosed high blood pressure, and a further million are unaware they have diabetes. One in four UK deaths are from heart of circulatory problems (around 460 per day).

HMHB says:  If you have any concerns about your health, go and seek professional advice from your doctor. But a healthy lifestyle is your best opportunity of avoiding some diseases. There are no guarantees, but it is the personal choice for people how they act. Obesity is 100% preventable.

Can eating Rice help you sleep?

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” 

Mahatma Ghandi

Australian scientists have proven how people eating a bowl of rice fall asleep more quickly compared to their non-rice eating days.

The fast digesting carbohydrate increases levels of Serotonin, a hormone that helps you relax. 

White rice, in addition to its comforting and tasty nature, has a high glycemic index, which can significantly decrease the time it takes to fall asleep. More specifically, research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that eating jasmine rice results in falling asleep faster than eating other types of rice.

Other fast-release carbs include baked potatoes, slices of toast or a bowl of rice pudding.

It's a short entry, but all we can do is print the research!! yay!