While sugar-sweetened drinks are a leading source of excess dietary sugar, artificially sweetened alternatives—often seen as healthier—are now under scrutiny for their potential harms, with many studies suggesting that both contribute to long-term metabolic disease. A recent study found that daily consumers of sugar-sweetened drinks had a 23% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while those drinking artificially sweetened beverages daily faced a 38% higher risk. Researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 adults aged 40 to 69 years in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Participants repor... diabetes diet sugar sugar-sweetened beverages
Read more[toc position='left'] Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have quietly taken over modern diets, making up nearly 60% of the average American's daily intake. Unlike whole or minimally processed foods, UPFs are industrial formulations packed with additives, artificial ingredients, and refined sugars and fats designed to enhance taste and shelf life—but at a significant cost to health. These foods don't just contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders; emerging research shows they actively rewire the brain, altering decision-making, impulse control, and reward processing in ways that drive overeating.... brain insulin resistance fatty liver nutrition obesity metabolism diabetes micronutrients insulin metabolic syndrome
Read moreThe additives that make processed foods creamy, smooth, and long-lasting might come with a hidden cost. A recent study in mice found that common dietary emulsifiers disrupt glucose regulation and alter the gut microbiota, potentially contributing to metabolic disorders and immune dysfunction. Researchers fed mice diets containing four commonly used emulsifiers: lecithin, sucrose esters, carboxymethylcellulose, and mono- and diglycerides. Then, they analyzed how the compounds affected the gut's protective mucus barrier and microbial diversity. They found that sucrose esters and carboxymethylc... gut microbiome metabolism
Read moreBreastfeeding is the biologically superior way to feed an infant. However, harmful substances in the mother's blood can transfer to and accumulate in her breast milk. A recent study found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, accumulates in breast milk after a single use, persisting for several hours. The study included 20 healthy young women who were breastfeeding their infants and used cannabis at least once weekly. Participants collected samples of their breast milk after abstaining from cannabis use for at least 12 hours and at several intervals ... cannabinoid development breast milk
Read moreExposure to environmental toxins can harm brain health, especially in teens and children, who are fundamentally more vulnerable than adults to toxic exposures. Herbicides to control weeds and insect repellents to control vector-borne diseases are prevalent worldwide, but scientists don't fully understand their effects on brain health. A new study shows that exposure to common herbicides impairs teen neurobehavioral performance. Researchers measured urinary concentrations of common herbicides (glyphosate and 2,4-D) and an insect repellent (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly known as DEET) in ... parkinson's development pollution
Read moreAging alters many features of brain structure and function. Emerging evidence indicates that these alterations are avoidable, however. Findings from a 2018 study demonstrate that dancing counteracts the harmful effects of aging on the human brain. Previous research has demonstrated that dancing simultaneously challenges sensory, motor, and cognitive aspects of brain function (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2010.00031/full). Dancing is comparable to other forms of exercise in terms of cardiovascular demands, but it differs in terms of coordinative and cognitive demands. Th... brain bdnf
Read more[toc position='left'] Salmon roe – sometimes referred to as "salmon caviar" – is the internal egg mass found in female salmon. It is served in a variety of dishes, including sushi and pasta, or as a garnish or condiment to seafood or eggs. Salmon roe is rich in protein, vitamins, astaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are considered essential fatty acids because the human body cannot make them. Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that serves a... brain aging omega-3 diet mental health dementia alzheimer's
Read moreCoffee consumption for a longer life? Over 200 studies find that drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of getting heart disease, a lower risk of some cancers, diabetes, liver disease and dementia compared with drinking no coffee. Overall, there was no consistent evidence of harmful associations between coffee consumption and health outcomes, except for those related to pregnancy and for risk of fracture in women. Interesting observation that warrants future clinical research to establish causation. ... cancer aging heart disease diabetes coffee dementia
Read moreFTA: > Antioxidants provide long-term protection against the chain reactions of free radical processes, in other words, of the molecules that are capable of causing cell damage and generating various diseases. Free radicals harm our body by causing, in the best of cases, ageing and, in the worse, serious diseases. Lettuce is rich in antioxidants, as it contains compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and vitamins A and C, among other things. ... nutrition diet vitamin a antioxidant
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