Eats « Weekly Gravy

Though healthy eating is good for everyone, those who have genes that put them at high risk for obesity might benefit the most. A new study suggests that even those who carry an inherited predisposition to pack on excess pounds are not destined to become obese. In fact, researchers say it can be avoided over time by adopting a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and unencumbered by salt, sugar, alcohol and red meat. The finding stems from a new analysis of diet, lifestyle and medical data on about 14,000 men and women that had been collected for two earlier studies. “We found that eating healthy foods — high intake of vegetable, fruits, whole grain, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low intakes of trans fat, fried foods and sugary drinks — lowers the risk of obesity and promotes weight loss for all populations,” said study author Dr. Lu Qi. “Interestingly, the protective effects appear to be more evident among those at higher genetic risk,” he said. Qi serves as director of the Obesity Research Center at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, in New Orleans. The study was published Jan. 10 in The BMJ. Qi and his colleagues stressed that obesity risk is driven by a complex brew of genetic and environmental factors. Also, although DNA analyses can easily spot… read on >

Wine and spirits are tallied in the “empty calories” column because they lack any nutritional benefits. Add cream or soda to make a mixed drink and you can more than double the caloric damage. So how can you enjoy a cocktail without wrecking your diet? Here are some options. Choose your alcoholic drinks wisely. A light beer has about a third less calories than regular beer. A shot of vodka, whiskey or gin — that’s 1.5 fluid ounces — has about 100 calories or less; so does a 4-ounce glass of wine or champagne. When you want a mixed drink, make your own lighter version of classics by limiting the amount of alcohol you put in. For instance, for a Bloody Mary, mix half the amount of vodka with extra tomato juice and spices. If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll want to skip some drinks, especially those made with cream liqueurs, like those flavored with chocolate and coconut, as well as drinks with cream or creamy ingredients like Egg Nog, Pina Coladas and White Russians. Some of these indulgences have more than 400 calories — the amount in an entire meal of wholesome ingredients. Prepackaged drink mixers might be convenient, but they’re also very high in sugar. Make your own flavored frozen daiquiris and margaritas by blending a shot of liquor with unsweetened frozen… read on >

Cutting down on fat is a big part of any weight-loss diet. Fat has twice the calories of protein and carbs — so ounce for ounce, you can replace fat with twice the amount of those foods for the same calories. You do need some fat in your diet, but you want to lower the amount of saturated fat you eat. These are the fats in meat and dairy, and they contribute to high cholesterol. Cutting out saturated fat when you want to lose weight helps rein in calories, too. Use milk or yogurt rather than cream in recipes. Select low- or non-fat varieties when buying these dairy products. To adopt this healthy habit, reset your taste buds gradually. For instance, go from whole milk to 2 percent to 1 percent to fat-free in stages. Choose lean cuts of meat. If you can see any solid white fat, trim it off before cooking. You can cook poultry with the skin on to keep it moist — just remove and discard it before eating. Replace butter, lard and shortening with healthier plant-based oils, like olive, canola and nut-based oils. Limit calories by using just small amounts for flavor. Be careful with coconut and palm oils, which are higher in saturated fat than other plant oils. Although the cholesterol in eggs isn’t as dangerous as once thought,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — If you’ve got celiac disease or have another reason to go gluten-free, there are lots of ways to avoid dietary wheat, rye and barley. The American Diabetes Association says healthier gluten-free options include: Amaranth. Arrowroot. Beans (kidney, black, soy, navy, pinto). Buckwheat. Corn. Flax. Gluten-free baked products (made from corn, rice, soy, nut, teff or potato flour). Kasha. Millet. Polenta. Potatoes. Quinoa. Rice. Sorghum. Soy. Tapioca.

(HealthDay News) — Fido can become quite sick from unsafe treats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Your dog may have a bone to pick with you if a bad treat leads to stomach or bowel obstruction, choking, mouth wounds, vomiting, diarrhea or internal bleeding, the FDA says. In some cases, a bad treat can lead to death. The FDA suggests how to keep your dog safe: Some bones from the kitchen table, chicken bones in particular, are relatively soft and can break with sharp edges. So keep platters out of your pet’s reach when you’re cooking or the family is eating. Be careful about what you throw away. Dogs are notorious for digging into trash. Ask your veterinarian about treats that are safe and appropriate for your dog.

(HealthDay News) — Slowing down and paying more attention to what you eat can make you appreciate food more and eat healthier. The American Heart Association suggests: Ponder: Ask yourself if you are really hungry before you eat. Appraise: Notice your food and how it smells and looks. Slow: Eat your food slowly. Savor: As you eat, take time to really taste each bite. Stop: Stop eating when you are full.

A once-monthly injection of the opioid addiction drug buprenorphine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Millions of Americans are suffering from addiction to opioid drugs, and millions more are worried that the overdose epidemic could claim the lives of a friend or loved one,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said Thursday in an agency news release. “We need immediate actions to help those suffering from an opioid use disorder transition to lives of sobriety,” he added. The new dosage provides patients with “access to a new and longer-acting option for the treatment of opioid addiction,” Gottlieb noted. The United States is in the grip of an opioid epidemic, with the number of overdose deaths quadrupling between 2000 and 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And Johns Hopkins researchers recently reported that deaths from drug overdoses rose from about 52,000 in 2015 to more than 64,000 in 2016. Most of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription pain medications such as fentanyl and oxycodone (Oxycontin), as well as the illegal drug heroin. Hence, the need for more and better treatments. “Medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction uses drugs to stabilize brain chemistry, reduce or block the euphoric effects of opioids, relieve physiological cravings and normalize body functions,” Gottlieb explained. There are three FDA-approved drugs for treatment of opioid addiction:… read on >

Think cigars are safer than cigarettes? Think again, new research warns. Nicotine levels in so-called “small” or “filtered” cigars were found to be equal to or greater than that found in cigarettes, according to the study by researchers at Penn State’s College of Medicine. “There seems to be a perception in the public that cigars are not as harmful as cigarettes,” study author Reema Goel said in a university news release. “But our study shows that nicotine is pretty high in this class of cigars, and future regulation that affects cigarettes should also affect these cigars.” Goel is a research associate with the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science at Penn State. Small cigars are nearly identical to cigarettes in appearance, although they are wrapped in leafy tobacco rather than paper. The study involved eight common brands of small cigars. It used machine-puffing simulators to compare their nicotine delivery levels with that of two types of cigarettes. Using two different methods for measuring nicotine, the research team found that, with both, the average amount of nicotine delivery was notably higher among small cigars than with cigarettes. “These products are basically cigarettes,” co-author John Richie, a professor of public health sciences and pharmacology at Penn State, noted in the news release. “They’re as harmful to you as cigarettes, if not more so. “It’s very important for the… read on >

You know about buying no- and low-fat dairy and lean cuts of meat. But your pantry might also need a makeover to help you get the most nutrients from your foods and stick with a healthy diet plan. Start by replacing white flour with whole-wheat flour, according to the Simple Cooking With Heart Grocery Guide from the American Heart Association. The varieties “white whole wheat” and “whole wheat pastry flour” work well in baked goods. Switch from regular pasta to whole-wheat varieties, and buy brown and wild rice rather than white. Expand your whole-grain selections for side dishes with couscous, barley and kasha — they have great taste that doesn’t need butter. Clear out bottled sauces and dressings with added fat and sugar. Buy canned low-salt tomatoes and tomato paste to use as a base for soups and sauces. Flavor foods with different vinegars or a squeeze of citrus, like lemon or lime. Build a collection of nut- as well as plant-based oils, like hazelnut and walnut to go alongside olive and safflower oils. A few drops are all you need to add pizzazz to a dish. Get creative with spices and herbs. There are dozens to try, from thyme and rosemary to sage and dill. Grow your own on a windowsill or use dried varieties. Add Asian and Indian influences for zest and deeper… read on >

Before heading out to shop this holiday season, steel yourself for an onslaught of tempting aromas that might lure you into a fast-food restaurant. Food-related cues, like the smell of burgers or eye-catching menu displays, stimulate brain activity. This tempts people to eat more, a new study finds. University of Michigan researchers conducted lab experiments with 112 college students. The investigators found that food cues made people feel hungrier and led to the consumption of 220 more calories compared with non-cue environments. “Food-related cues can make people want or crave food more, but don’t have as much of an impact on their liking, or the pleasure they get from eating the food,” said study lead author Michelle Joyner, a psychology graduate student. The results show that people need to be aware that food cues can increase how much they eat, the researchers said. “It is hard to avoid food cues in our current environment, but people can try some strategies to minimize their exposure by not going into restaurants and using technology to skip food advertisements in TV shows,” Joyner said in a university news release. The findings were published in the November issue of the journal Clinical Psychological Science. More information The American Academy of Family Physicians explains how to make healthy choices at fast-food restaurants.