Whether you want to lose weight, maintain your weight or just eat healthily, you need to know about protein. Protein in the foods you eat helps build and maintain your bones, muscles and skin. However, you need to consume protein every day because your body doesn’t store it the same as it stores carbohydrates and fats. Most adults should eat 5 to 7 ounces of protein daily, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Knowing the best sources of protein can boost your health as well as help you feel more satisfied on fewer calories. But, you need to choose carefully. Seafood is an excellent source of protein. Your options are many, with dozens of types of protein-rich fish and shellfish to try. Aim to eat a five-ounce serving at least twice every week. And, for even more benefits, try to include fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and trout. Omega-3s can help reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as cholesterol and blood pressure. Chicken and turkey are great protein foods, too. For the healthiest approach, remove the skin before eating. Keep in mind, too, that breast meat has less fat — and therefore fewer calories — than dark meat. Including particular vegetables on your menus will ensure you get even more protein. Try beans and peas — kidney, pinto,…  read on >

Science says you can get your coffee buzz without fear of cancer, so experts say you can forget that recent controversial California law. Last Wednesday, a Los Angeles judge ruled that coffee shops such as Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts must caution customers that coffee contains acrylamide — a potential cancer-causing chemical that forms as a byproduct of roasting. Acrylamide is also found in fried foods such as french fries, and in cigarette smoke. Finding on behalf of the plaintiff, the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, Judge Elihu Berle said that coffee companies failed to prove that the amount of acrylamide in coffee was safe — or that coffee has health benefits. But Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said coffee lovers still have grounds to stick with the beverage. The judge’s decision may follow the law, Lichtenfeld said, but it stands in opposition to the science on the subject. “To me, this whole issue is really much more legal than medical,” he said. In large quantities, acrylamide is a known cancer-causing chemical according to results from tests with rodents, Lichtenfeld explained. Based on these tests, acrylamide is also likely carcinogenic in humans when consumed in large amounts, he said. However, the key issue is dosage. “There is no good human evidence to show the amount of acrylamide…  read on >

Less than 40 percent of American adults with extremely high cholesterol levels get the medications they should, a new study finds. Researchers examined federal government data to assess rates of awareness, screening and the use of cholesterol-lowering statins among adults aged 20 and older with extremely high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. The investigators also looked at a subgroup of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder that causes extremely high cholesterol that increases the risk of early heart disease. Rates of cholesterol screening and awareness were high (more than 80 percent) among adults with definite/probable familial hypercholesterolemia and extremely high cholesterol, but only 38 percent of them took statins. Of those who took statins, only 30 percent of patients with extremely high cholesterol had been prescribed a high-intensity statin. Patients in the study least likely to be taking statins included those who were younger, uninsured, and without a regular source of health care. “Young adults may be less likely to think that they are at risk of cardiovascular disease, and clinicians may be less likely to initiate statin therapy in this population,” wrote lead author Dr. Emily Bucholz, who’s with the department of medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. “It is possible that lifestyle modifications continue to be prescribed as an initial treatment prior to initiating statin therapy,” she added. The findings were published March…  read on >

Pet owners care deeply about what their furry family members eat. So should they worry about a new study that finds chemical preservatives known as parabens are often in dog and cat food, as well as in urine samples from the animals? Maybe, researchers say, though there’s no need to panic. “Parabens are reported as endocrine-disrupting chemicals,” said the study’s senior author, Kurunthachalam Kannan. These preservatives can interfere with hormones and may have harmful effects on developmental, reproductive and neurological systems, explained Kannan. He’s with the New York state Department of Health’s division of environmental health sciences. But the levels of parabens and their by-products found in pets are low, according to the new study. “The current exposure levels of parabens and their metabolites in cats and dogs are 100- to 1,000-fold less than the tolerable daily intake limits,” Kannan said. However, the safe levels were based on research in humans, and it’s possible that pets are more sensitive, he added. The researchers pointed out that diseases — such as diabetes, kidney diseases and thyroid problems — have been rising in pets that primarily stay indoors compared to those who live outside exclusively. And some scientists have proposed that chemical exposures in the home could play a role in these illnesses. So far, no studies have confirmed any harmful effects from paraben exposure, according to…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — While a smoothie can be a nutritious alternative to a regular meal, many smoothies are loaded with sugar and lack sufficient protein. The American Council on Exercise suggests how to make a smoothie that’s more nutritious: Start with a heaping portion of romaine, chard, kale, parsley, mint or any other green leafy vegetable. Add fruit to sweeten the smoothie instead of added sugar. But ensure that the mix of greens is twice as much as fruit to keep calories down. Add protein in the form of protein powder, non-fat milk, Greek yogurt, nuts, nut butter or hemp seeds. Add a liquid to make it easier to blend, such as coconut water, water or unsweetened nut milk.